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Stephen Thompson Stephen Thompson is a host, writer and reviewer for NPR Music and Pop Culture Happy Hour. He appears frequently on All Songs Considered and NPR newsmagazines.
Washington, DC - May 03, 2016: Stephen Thompson CREDIT: Matt Roth
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Stephen Thompson

Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

Clem Snide: Pledging Loyalty, With A Catch

In Clem Snide's music, nothing is ever simple: Even its most straightforwardly goodhearted love songs shine a light on the risks involved in revealing your heart. In the deliciously sideways gem "With All My Heart," the band goes to great lengths never to try.

'With All My Heart' by Clem Snide

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Wednesday

Review

Song Of The Day

Johann Johannsson: Ambience In Action

By the time the song has begun to approach the seven-minute mark, Johannsson's "Melodia" has transformed itself into a wholly absorbing, head-clearing instrumental epic — the kind that induces trance-like bouts of concentration on long drives and in late-night stretches of near-catatonic relaxation.

'Melodia (Guidelines for a Space Propulsion Device...)' by Johann Johannsson

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Thursday

Review

Song Of The Day

Laura Gibson And Cellos A Perfect Match

As a performer, Gibson has a voice so naturally quiet that she almost does the opposite of projecting — she seems to sing inward, in a way that gives her music unmistakable intimacy. Though "Hands in Pockets is by far her most lilting song, that vulnerability makes her an ideal match for the Portland Cello Project's mixture of grace and gravitas.

'Hands in Pockets' by Portland Cello Project with Laura Gibson

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Tuesday

Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

Sigur Ros: Gloom And Grandiose Pummeling

For all its moments of impishness, Sigur Ros' new album remains terrific during those times when it reverts to portentous austerity and inscrutability. "Festival" is a wondrously majestic epic, as weird and sprawling and soaring as it is accessibly beautiful.

'Festival' by Sigur Ros

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Thursday

Review

Song Of The Day

Chad VanGaalen: Hoping For The Inevitable

"Willow Tree," from VanGaalen's new album Soft Airplane, finds hope in the sweet release of his own demise. But the song's warm, loping arrangement makes the morbid sentiment ("When I'm dead / that's when I'll be free") go down as smooth as a tall glass of iced tea.

'Willow Tree' by Chad VanGaalen

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Monday

Review

Music Reviews

At Long Last, 'Chinese Democracy' Exists

The making of Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy took more than a decade, during which time the hard-rock band spent many millions of dollars and experienced the departure of every prominent band member except reclusive singer Axl Rose. Now that the album is finally in stores, does it live up to expectations?

At Long Last, 'Chinese Democracy' Exists

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Friday

Thursday

Review

Song Of The Day

The Silent Years: The Long 'Way Home'

It makes sense for a song about traveling to spend most of its four minutes in a state of slow build: The Silent Years' "On Our Way Home" takes its sweet time drifting and fluttering along, as singer Josh Epstein issues falsetto-soaked ruminations on burying photo albums, getting lost and celebrating the memories of lost loved ones.

'On Our Way Home' by The Silent Years

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Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

No 'Lost Verses' In Sun Kil Moon's Epic

Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek is remarkably adept at crafting somber, epic ballads like the gorgeous "Lost Verses," which opens April. Affecting and engrossing in spite of its nearly 10-minute running time, "Lost Verses" fits seamlessly alongside Kozelek's best work with Red House Painters.

'Lost Verses' by Sun Kil Moon

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Wednesday

Review

Song Of The Day

Crooked Fingers: Fun With Cannibalism

For a singer who's spent years honing his weary, Neil Diamond-esque croak, Crooked Fingers' Eric Bachmann seems to be having something approximating fun on his new album. In "Cannibals," he immerses his voice in an arrangement that positively sparkles with chiming guitars and sunny harmonies.

'Cannibals' by Crooked Fingers

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Tuesday

Review

Song Of The Day

The Heligoats: A Bright Mind Gets 'Brutal'

Throughout The Heligoats' "Kind/Brutal," singer Chris Otepka keeps piling on the ideas. But at some point along the way, they actually cohere, forming a bittersweet look at two misanthropes who stay together, in large part, because they don't deserve better.

'Kind/Brutal' by The Heligoats

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Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

The Avett Brothers: Fate And Consequences

For guys at the epicenter of so much music-world chatter, Seth and Scott Avett sure spend a lot of time ruminating gently on the nature of memory. About halfway through "Tear Down the House," their unsentimental bravado is revealed as a desperate plea for escape from the past.

'Tear Down the House' by The Avett Brothers

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Thursday

Thursday