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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

Thursday

Jonsi: Five Minutes Of Unfettered Joy

If 2010 has produced a slab of summer-friendly rock candy more inviting than "Go Do," it has yet to reveal itself. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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courtesy of the artist

Review

Song Of The Day

Jonsi: Five Minutes Of Unfettered Joy

Recording as the leader of a side project he calls Jonsi, Jon Thor Birgisson is like a benevolent, motivational-speaking gnome who coos inspirational phrases in the year's most propulsive, sweet-natured call to arms.

'Go Do' by Jonsi

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Sunday

Tuesday

Ivan And Alyosha: Love For The Lovable

"Easy to Love," from Ivan and Alyosha's debut EP, is a sweetly booming ode to love as a feat of endurance. Jenny Jimenez hide caption

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Jenny Jimenez

Review

Song Of The Day

Ivan And Alyosha: Love For The Lovable

There's more to "Easy to Love" than mere likeability. A propulsive, sweetly booming ode to love as a feat of endurance, the song lays out a matter-of-fact guide to surviving hard times before it even gets to its simple but irresistible chorus.

'Easy to Love' by Ivan and Alyosha

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Friday

Anais Mitchell: A Greek Tragedy In Song

Anais Mitchell's folk opera Hadestown enlists the services of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon as Orpheus. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Song Of The Day

Anais Mitchell: A Greek Tragedy In Song

Mitchell's folk opera Hadestown enlists the services of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon as the legendary Greek hero Orpheus. In "If It's True," Vernon's tone of resignation, denial and doubt reflects a complicated swirl of emotions.

'If It's True' by Anais Mitchell with Justin Vernon

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Monday

Sunday

Saturday

Friday

Shearwater: Grandiose And Delicate

A lovely nature song, Shearwater's "Hidden Lakes" is as graceful and vulnerable as the world it describes. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Song Of The Day

Shearwater: Grandiose And Delicate

Shearwater makes epic, artful, bracing rock out of unlikely ingredients. The resulting concoctions are known to explode into bellowing catharsis, courtesy of singer Jonathan Meiburg and his crack band. But Shearwater's most blistering moments coexist nicely with the portentously brooding, fearlessly serious likes of "Hidden Lakes," from The Golden Archipelago.

'Hidden Lakes' by Shearwater

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Thursday

Local Natives: Lost Love In A Lighthearted Romp

Local Natives' "Airplanes" quickly unfolds as a jaunty wonder, as it hurtles along with something resembling school spirit. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Song Of The Day

Local Natives: Lost Love In A Lighthearted Romp

Local Natives' "Airplanes" takes about four seconds to announce itself as the lighthearted romp it is; that's about how long it takes for the band to start booing its own piano player. As if reminding itself to perk up, "Airplanes" quickly self-corrects into a jaunty wonder, as its pleading chorus ("I want you back") hurtles along with something resembling school spirit.

'Airplanes' by Local Natives

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Wednesday

Death: A '70s Rock Trailblazer, Reborn

It took 35 years for the world to discover Death's bold, surprising rock 'n' roll. Left to right: David, Bobby and Dannis Hackney. Tammy Hackney hide caption

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Tammy Hackney

Music Interviews

Death: A '70s Rock Trailblazer, Reborn

An African-American rock group surrounded by soul music, Death had a tough time finding an audience in 1970s Detroit as its own sound shifted from funk and soul to hard rock. It took until last year for the world to discover Death's bold, surprising rock 'n' roll.

Death: A '70s Rock Trailblazer, Reborn

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Sunday

Monday

Exclusive First Listen: The White Stripes Live

A scene from the documentary White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights. Autumn de Wilde/Woodshed Films hide caption

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Autumn de Wilde/Woodshed Films

First Listen

Exclusive First Listen: The White Stripes Live

Shedding nuance and between-song banter almost entirely, the live album Under Great White Northern Lights bursts with redlined intensity, as the Whites barrel through a decade-spanning assortment of newer songs and older fan favorites. Hear the record in its entirety here until its release on March 16.