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

Monday June 20, 2016

Review: The Avett Brothers, 'True Sadness'

The Avett Brothers' new album, True Sadness, comes out June 24. Crackerfarm/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Crackerfarm/Courtesy of the artist

Review: The Avett Brothers, 'True Sadness'

June 20, 2016 • The band's sound has changed markedly over the years, but its songs remain rooted in a search for self-improvement, and in a kind of fundamental decency.

Friday June 17, 2016

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'O.J.: Made In America' And A Quiz

O.J. Simpson at the Buffalo Bills' Rich Stadium press conference circa 1975. Mickey Osterreicher via ESPN hide caption

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Mickey Osterreicher via ESPN

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'O.J.: Made In America' And A Quiz

June 17, 2016 • For the show's 300th episode, we look at a stunning new seven-and-a-half-hour documentary, take a TV-themed quiz and discuss What's Making Us Happy this week.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'O.J.: Made In America' And A Quiz

Listen · 46:05 46:05

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Monday June 13, 2016

A still from Haley Bonar's "Kismet Kill" video. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Watch: Haley Bonar, 'Kismet Kill'

June 13, 2016 • Like Bonar's music, her new video pairs shimmery beauty and indelible imagery with an undercurrent of bleakness that can be almost suffocating.

Friday June 10, 2016

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Pop Star' And Making Music Funny

Andy Samberg plays Conner4Real in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. Universal Pictures hide caption

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Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Pop Star' And Making Music Funny

June 10, 2016 • The gang discusses The Lonely Island's new movie, then looks back at other films that find humor in the foibles of musicians. And, as always, we close with What's Making Us Happy this week.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Pop Star' And Making Music Funny

Listen · 45:38 45:38

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Thursday June 9, 2016

Review: Laura Mvula, 'The Dreaming Room'

Laura Mvula's new album, The Dreaming Room, comes out June 17. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Review: Laura Mvula, 'The Dreaming Room'

June 9, 2016 • On her second full-length album, the soulful and versatile U.K. pop singer tugs at the boundaries of her sound, while also letting in details from her life.

Review: case/lang/veirs, 'case/lang/veirs'

The self-titled debut album by case/lang/veirs comes out June 17. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Review: case/lang/veirs, 'case/lang/veirs'

June 9, 2016 • A worthy extension of three tremendous catalogs, in which three great singer-songwriters sound enhanced and invigorated by the challenge of living up to each other's legacies.

Wednesday June 8, 2016

Song Premiere, Lisa Hannigan, 'Prayer For The Dying'

Lisa Hannigan's new album, At Swim, comes out August 19. Rich Gilligan/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Rich Gilligan/Courtesy of the artist

Song Premiere, Lisa Hannigan, 'Prayer For The Dying'

June 8, 2016 • This first taste of Hannigan's new album, At Swim, showcases her gift for slow-burning melancholy.

Monday June 6, 2016

Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop: Tiny Desk Concert

Tiny Desk Concert with Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop. Brandon Chew/NPR hide caption

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Brandon Chew/NPR

Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop: Tiny Desk Concert

June 6, 2016 • In what may have been the most comfortable day in the history of NPR Music, Iron & Wine's frontman performs three songs with the charming, inventive singer Jesca Hoop.

Wednesday June 1, 2016

Song Premiere: Blind Pilot, 'Umpqua Rushing'

Blind Pilot's new album, And Then Like Lions, comes out August 12. Eric Ryan Anderson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Eric Ryan Anderson/Courtesy of the artist

Song Premiere: Blind Pilot, 'Umpqua Rushing'

June 1, 2016 • The first song from And Then Like Lions (out August 12) is a hazy, quiet beauty that builds slowly but persistently.

Song Premiere: Blind Pilot, 'Umpqua Rushing'

4:14

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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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