Stephen Thompson : NPR

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.

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Stephen Thompson

Friday May 30, 2014

Recycling Franchises And Judging Books By Their Covers

NPR

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Recycling Franchises And Judging Books By Their Covers

May 30, 2014 • The scheduled return of Sailor Moon inspires the gang to discuss the way franchises keep coming back around for new generations. Then it's on to book and album covers — and what's making us happy.

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Sunday May 25, 2014

Review: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, 'Only Run'

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's new album, Only Run, comes out June 3. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

Review: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, 'Only Run'

May 25, 2014 • Only Run expands on the band's simultaneously soaring, jittery and joyful sound in surprising ways. The result reflects a relentless pursuit of invention and reinvention.

Friday May 23, 2014

When's The Right Time To Delete Your Music?

Sometimes you just have to erase some files. Olivia Merrion/NPR hide caption

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All Songs Considered

When's The Right Time To Delete Your Music?

May 23, 2014 • Hard-drive space is virtually unlimited, but there comes a time when the music you have can obstruct the music you want.

First Listen: Hamilton Leithauser, 'Black Hours'

Hamilton Leithauser's new album, Black Hours, comes out June 3. Lauren Dukoff/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Lauren Dukoff/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Hamilton Leithauser, 'Black Hours'

May 23, 2014 • The Walkmen's lead singer has gotten a head start on middle age, lyrically speaking. Black Hours finds him letting it catch up without losing his vitality in the process.

Black Hours

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

Friday May 16, 2014

Morrissey's new album doesn't come out until July, and one of his diehard fans is already worried about starting the backlash. Kevin Winter/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

When Should I Keep Criticism To Myself?

May 16, 2014 • Say your favorite musician puts out a bad album: How loudly should you express your disappointment?

Sunday May 11, 2014

Haley Bonar's new album, Last War, comes out May 20. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

First Listen: Haley Bonar, 'Last War'

May 11, 2014 • A bright, subtle storyteller, Bonar displays a mastery of pop-rock craftsmanship that keeps these songs as relentlessly catchy on the surface as they are alluringly complex underneath.

Haley Bonar, 'Last War'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album's release.

First Listen: Jolie Holland, 'Wine Dark Sea'

Jolie Holland's new album, Wine Dark Sea, comes out May 20. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

First Listen: Jolie Holland, 'Wine Dark Sea'

May 11, 2014 • The singer warps and slurs her words, setting them against low, sullenly rumbling arrangements that sprawl and wander ambitiously across the sounds of blues, rock, jazz and soul.

Jolie Holland, 'Wine Dark Sea'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album's release.

Friday May 9, 2014

Can I Ruin My Wedding By Playing The Wrong Song?

Sing it with us: "I hope I cut myself shaving tomorrow. I hope it bleeds all day long..." Sergey Galushko/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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All Songs Considered

Can I Ruin My Wedding By Playing The Wrong Song?

May 9, 2014 • A couple plays The Mountain Goats' brutal song "No Children" at a wedding. Can their love be saved?

Sunday May 4, 2014

Mirah's new album, Changing Light, comes out May 13. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

First Listen: Mirah, 'Changing Light'

May 4, 2014 • Nervy and sonically inventive in spots, tender and graceful in others, this is a breakup record that eschews childish outbursts and pointless wallowing.

Mirah, 'Changing Light'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album's release.

First Listen: Sylvan Esso, 'Sylvan Esso'

Sylvan Esso's self-titled debut album comes out May 13. DL Anderson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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DL Anderson/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Sylvan Esso, 'Sylvan Esso'

May 4, 2014 • Taut and tantalizing, these 10 songs have countless different ways of grabbing and inviting attention; they wobble, seethe and coo with charismatic ambivalence.

Sylvan Esso, 'Sylvan Esso'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album's release.

Friday May 2, 2014

"Did you know that [The Promise Ring] made fifty thousand dollars last year?" Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

Is It Fair To Call A Band A Sellout?

May 2, 2014 • What does it mean to "sell out" in 2014? Is it possible? Does it even matter at this point?

Monday April 28, 2014

Banks' upcoming album is titled Goddess. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

Song Premiere: Banks, 'Goddess'

April 28, 2014 • The L.A. singer's new song, from the upcoming album Goddess, is all woozy mystery, and an ideal introduction to an artist who's been revealing herself slowly and deliberately.

Johnnyswim performs at a Tiny Desk Concert in April 2014. Jim Tuttle/NPR hide caption

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Tiny Desk

Johnnyswim: Tiny Desk Concert

April 28, 2014 • Impossibly telegenic and charming, husband and wife Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano have the booming voices of great street buskers, but also the polished sparkle of natural-born stage performers.

Johnnyswim: Tiny Desk Concert

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Sunday April 27, 2014

Nikki Lane's new album, All or Nothin', comes out May 6. Chuck Grant/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

Review: Nikki Lane, 'All Or Nothin"

April 27, 2014 • The singer knows when to embrace her contradictions: classic and modern, iconoclastic and approachable, country and rock, urban and rural.

Nikki Lane, 'All Or Nothin''

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.

Kishi Bashi's new album, Lighght, comes out May 13. Kaden Shallat/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Kaden Shallat/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Kishi Bashi, 'Lighght'

April 27, 2014 • In Lighght, technique and experimentation collide in high-spirited, even disorienting ways. It's the product of a mind that always seems both hard at work and immersed in play.

Kishi Bashi, 'Lighght'

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album is released.