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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

Sunday

Monday

Carissa's Wierd: Stormy, Defiant Beauty

A reissue of Carissa's Wierd's best work sets mournfully deadpan vocals against a vibrant bed of strings and accordions. Brian Marr hide caption

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Brian Marr

Review

Song Of The Day

Carissa's Wierd: Stormy, Defiant Beauty

"The Color That Your Eyes Changed With the Color of Your Hair" is a five-and-a-half-minute gem from 2001's You Should Be at Home Here, setting Mat Brooke's mournful, deadpan vocals against a vibrant bed of strings and accordions.

'The Color That Your Eyes Changed With the Color of Your Hair' by Carissa's Wierd

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Wednesday

Sun Kil Moon: Black And Blue And Beautiful

Sun Kil Moon's "Admiral Fell Promises" is an almost impossibly lovely and tender plea to a would-be lover. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Song Of The Day

Sun Kil Moon: Black And Blue And Beautiful

"Admiral Fell Promises" is an almost impossibly lovely and tender plea to a would-be lover. Perhaps the least lascivious come-on in the history of seduction, "Admiral Fell Promises" alternates between reassurance ("Come into my arms and let your worries die") and obsession ("Let me lock you in my room and keep you for a while"). But the effect is unmistakably romantic and sweet.

'Admiral Fell Promises' by Sun Kil Moon

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Tuesday

Monday

Active Child: At Home In The 'Wilderness'

Active Child's "Wilderness" winds up somewhere truly beautiful: one part ambient electronica, one part bedroom folk. Brent Mullins hide caption

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Brent Mullins

Review

Song Of The Day

Active Child: At Home In The 'Wilderness'

In the "Wilderness" populated by the L.A. band Active Child, falsetto-driven lamentations meet an unsettled electronic landscape marked by synth washes and portentous clicks and whirs. The resulting concoction piles atmosphere atop atmosphere until it lands somewhere truly beautiful: one part ambient electronica, one part bedroom folk.

'Wilderness' by Active Child

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Sunday

Friday

Thursday

Hey Marseilles: The Promise Of Faraway Places

As sweet strings and handclaps propel "Rio" along, Hey Marseilles offers up an endearing ode to adventure. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Song Of The Day

Hey Marseilles: The Promise Of Faraway Places

As sweet strings, handclaps and a well-placed mandolin propel "Rio" along, Hey Marseilles singer Matthew Bishop dispenses an endearing ode to world travel, adventure and the promise of faraway places.

'Rio' by Hey Marseilles

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Thursday

Forgetting Dave Matthews: Readers Pick The Bands They've Owned And Abandoned

Dave Matthews, seen here at Bonnaroo 2010, was a runaway winner of our Owned & Abandoned Sweepstakes. His prize: abandonment. Shantel Mitchell/for NPR hide caption

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Shantel Mitchell/for NPR

All Songs Considered

Forgetting Dave Matthews: Readers Pick The Bands They've Owned And Abandoned

Two weeks ago, readers were asked to name which artists have put out the most music they own but never listen to. Whose CDs sit in the longest, dustiest rows on their shelves? Here are some answers.

Sunday

Newport Folk: An Old Festival Still Finds New Sounds

Folk-punk band O'Death performs at the 2010 Newport Folk Festival. Shantel Mitchell hide caption

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Shantel Mitchell

Newport Folk Festival

Newport Folk: An Old Festival Still Finds New Sounds

For more than 50 years, the Newport Folk Festival has stretched the boundaries of folk music to include gospel, bluegrass, world music, blues and even jazz. This year's lineup continues to redefine folk music as a genre large enough to include brainy indie-pop star Andrew Bird, Afrobeat-influenced Nigerian singer Nneka, the folk-punk band O'Death and several large jazz ensembles. NPR Music's Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson offer a snapshot.

Newport Folk: An Old Festival Still Finds New Sounds

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Friday

Monday

Los Campesinos!: Tiny Desk Concert
May-Ying Lam/NPR

Tiny Desk

Los Campesinos!: Tiny Desk Concert

While there's no nudity or violence in this performance by the whip-smart U.K. band, the group's bawdy, often sexually suggestive lyrics make this the closest we've come to a NSFW Tiny Desk Concert.

Audio Only: Los Campesinos! Tiny Desk Concert

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Tuesday

'Weird Al' Yankovic: Tiny Desk Concert
Mito Habe-Evans/NPR

Tiny Desk

'Weird Al' Yankovic: Tiny Desk Concert

Even after 12 million albums sold in more than three decades, Yankovic and his band still hadn't played their first Tiny Desk Concert until just now.

Audio Only: 'Weird Al' Yankovic's Tiny Desk Concert

Listen · 12:34
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Friday

Suzanne Vega: Reintroduction And Rediscovery

Suzanne Vega is reinventing much of her catalog as stripped-down folk music. With 1987's "Gypsy," it's an easy task. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Song Of The Day

Suzanne Vega: Reintroduction And Rediscovery

Vega is releasing an ambitious series of recordings in which she remakes her past work as voice-and-guitar folk music. With 1987's gentle, stripped-down ballad "Gypsy," that's not such a difficult task.

'Gypsy' by Suzanne Vega

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Tuesday

Nada Surf: A Jolt Of Life-Affirming Energy

Bill Fox's "Electrocution" is, in every way, a perfect fit for Nada Surf's sensibility and philosophy. Peter Ellenby hide caption

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Peter Ellenby

Song Of The Day

Nada Surf: A Jolt Of Life-Affirming Energy

"Electrocution" is, in every way, a perfect fit for Nada Surf's sensibility and philosophy; the electrocution referenced in the title is a stand-in for any old jolt of life-affirming energy. Fox's thoughtful words could just as easily come from Caws himself ("All that is beautiful / All that is needs to die"), as Nada Surf pays tribute to both a key influence and the idea that feeling alive is as important as being alive.

'Electrocution' by Nada Surf

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