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

Thursday May 26, 2016

Fear Of Men's new album, Fall Forever, comes out June 3. Rosie Carr/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Rosie Carr/Courtesy of the artist

Review: Fear Of Men, 'Fall Forever'

May 26, 2016 • Jessica Weiss exudes ambivalence as a singer, but the arrangements around her billow and bloom. On Fear Of Men's second album, darkness and light fuse to form multifaceted gems.

Thursday May 19, 2016

Song Premiere: The Monkees, 'Me & Magdalena'

Left to right: The Monkees' Davy Jones, Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith, circa 1970. Jones died in 2012. Michael Ochs Archives/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Michael Ochs Archives/Courtesy of the artist

Song Premiere: The Monkees, 'Me & Magdalena'

May 19, 2016 • In honor of The Monkees' 50th anniversary, hear a song written for the band by Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard. "Me & Magdalena" appears on a forthcoming reunion album called Good Times!

Me & Magdalena

3:33

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Beth Orton's new album, Kidsticks, comes out May 27. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Review: Beth Orton, 'Kidsticks'

May 19, 2016 • On her first album in nearly four years, the singer-songwriter returns to the beat-driven sound that made her name. The result functions as both a yearning journey and a well-earned victory lap.

Friday May 13, 2016

All Songs +1: This Week's Number One Song

NPR Music listeners picked James Blake's "I Need A Forest Fire" as their favorite song this week. Frank Hoensch/Redferns via Getty Images hide caption

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Frank Hoensch/Redferns via Getty Images

All Songs +1: This Week's Number One Song

May 13, 2016 • The results of our entirely unscientific and not at all comprehensive poll are in: James Blake's "I Need A Forest Fire" is the most popular song right now with NPR Music listeners.

All Songs +1: This Week's Number One Song

Listen · 8:07 8:07

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Thursday April 28, 2016

Seratones' debut album, Get Gone, comes out May 6. Chad Kamenshine/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Chad Kamenshine/Courtesy of the artist

Review: Seratones, 'Get Gone'

April 28, 2016 • On the Louisiana band's first album, blues, classic rock and gospel come together with concision, force and a punk-rock heart.

Friday April 22, 2016

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Our 2016 Summer Movie Preview

Left to right: Melissa McCarthy in Ghostbusters, Chris Evans in Captain America: Civil War, Ellen DeGeneres in Finding Dory, Will Smith and Jai Courtney in Suicide Squad. Hopper Stone/Sony Pictures; Zade Rosenthal/Marvel; Courtesy of Pixar; Courtesy of Warner Bros./Raptac-Dune hide caption

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Hopper Stone/Sony Pictures; Zade Rosenthal/Marvel; Courtesy of Pixar; Courtesy of Warner Bros./Raptac-Dune

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Our 2016 Summer Movie Preview

April 22, 2016 • The panel discusses its most anticipated summer blockbusters and makes some bold predictions. And, as always, we take a look at What's Making Us Happy this week.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Our 2016 Summer Movie Preview

Listen · 50:17 50:17

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Thursday April 21, 2016

Pop Culture Happy Hour Small Batch: Remembering Prince

Prince in 2011. Neil Lupin/Redferns/Getty Images hide caption

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Neil Lupin/Redferns/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour Small Batch: Remembering Prince

April 21, 2016 • Linda Holmes and Stephen Thompson discuss the way Prince changed music, supported other artists, defied creative constraints and challenged the notion of what it means for a pop singer to rebel.

Pop Culture Happy Hour Small Batch: Remembering Prince

Listen · 11:40 11:40

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Review: The Jayhawks, 'Paging Mr. Proust'

The Jayhawks' new album, Paging Mr. Proust, comes out April 29. Heidi Ehalt/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Heidi Ehalt/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

Review: The Jayhawks, 'Paging Mr. Proust'

April 21, 2016 • The long-running roots-pop band's new music nicely re-creates a honeyed, harmony-rich sound while still expanding it in subtle, appealing ways.

Review: Original Broadway Cast Recording, 'Bright Star'

The cast recording of the Broadway musical Bright Star comes out April 29. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

Review: Original Broadway Cast Recording, 'Bright Star'

April 21, 2016 • Edie Brickell and Steve Martin team up again, this time to compose a Broadway musical about star-crossed couples in North Carolina during the first half of the 20th century.

Thursday April 14, 2016

Review: Rufus Wainwright, 'Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets'

Rufus Wainwright's new album, Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets, comes out April 22. Matthew Welch/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Matthew Welch/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

Review: Rufus Wainwright, 'Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets'

April 14, 2016 • Wainwright and his many guests pile on the gravitas while still digging into the Bard's material with playful and provocative spirits.

Monday April 11, 2016

Tiny Desk Concert with Palehound. Brandon Chew/Brandon Chew/NPR hide caption

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Brandon Chew/Brandon Chew/NPR

Tiny Desk

Palehound: Tiny Desk Concert

April 11, 2016 • Ellen Kempner and her band perform three tense and evocative songs from last year's Dry Food, set amid the pin-drop silence of a rapt crowd.

Thursday April 7, 2016

Review: Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop, 'Love Letter For Fire'

Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop's new album, Love Letter For Fire, comes out April 15. Josh Wool/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Josh Wool/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

Review: Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop, 'Love Letter For Fire'

April 7, 2016 • With the help of producer Tucker Martine and a smart, subtle band, Hoop and Beam achieve a fine balance — of songwriting sensibilities and of time in the spotlight.

Friday April 1, 2016

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Batman V. Superman' And The Objects We Desire

Henry Cavill as Superman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Batman V. Superman' And The Objects We Desire

April 1, 2016 • We look at a big new movie and discuss what we want from our blockbusters. Then it's on to a discussion of the pop-culture objects we covet, plus What's Making Us Happy this week.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Batman V. Superman' And The Objects We Desire

Listen · 45:11 45:11

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