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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

Review

Song Of The Day

Turning the Past Into a Pile of Ash

At first, The Avett Brothers' "Yardsale" unfolds as a fairly straightforward study of the mundane items at a neighborhood yard sale. But then, three-quarters of the way through, the North Carolina brothers shift gears radically, speculating about how nice it would be to burn the whole lot of it.

'Yardsale' by The Avett Brothers

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Monday

Review

Song Of The Day

For Stars, An Impersonal Message Gets 'Personal'

Stars' albums toggle back and forth between fizzy pop and dark snapshots of relationships in distress. On "Personal," singers Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell demonstrate that they've mastered the art of he-said/she-said ballads that expose raw nerves and rawer emotions.

'Personal' by Stars

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Wednesday

Review

Song Of The Day

Great Northern and the 'Height' of Portent

Great Northern's "Low Is a Height" doesn't break a ton of lyrical ground: Instead, it's content to use vague phrases to help pile on the atmosphere. It's an effective strategy, as the song functions as the musical embodiment of a mood that's somehow both sunny and oppressive.

'Low Is a Height' by Great Northern

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Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

A Breezy Hammock Jam, but So Much More

Iron and Wine's "Lovesong of the Buzzard" gets a wonderfully warm-blooded arrangement, as organs and steel guitars contribute to a sound that's downright springy. The arrangement may be a cool glass of lemonade, but singer Sam Beam spikes it with something potent and satisfying.

'Lovesong of the Buzzard' by Iron and Wine

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Tuesday

Review

Song Of The Day

The Bright Side of the World's Annihilation

In the pre-apocalyptic love song "The Temptation of Adam," Josh Ritter demonstrates his considerable gift for subtle, warmly evocative turns of phrase. As the song unfolds, he revels in the simplicity of the end times, acknowledging that romance is easier when it unfolds in isolation.

'The Temptation of Adam' by Josh Ritter

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Thursday

Review

Song Of The Day

Crowded House Won't 'Stop' Sparkling Sadly

An air of regret often hangs over the group's bittersweet reunion album, Time on Earth. Still, "Don't Stop Now" more than lives up to the worthy tradition of Crowded House's brightly catchy, sweetly upbeat best.

'Don't Stop Now' by Crowded House

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Wednesday

Review

Song Of The Day

New Pornographers' Pop 'Adventures' Continue

"Adventures in Solitude" closes the band's fine new album without conserving hooks: Opening with a few spare verses and memorable interludes, the song soon blooms into a series of rich, warm-blooded choruses, as Neko Case rushes the spotlight and the strings sweep in.

'Adventures in Solitude' by The New Pornographers

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Monday

Song Of The Day

Fountains of Wayne: Long-Distance Dedication

With its detailed look at the pop-cultural detritus in a miserable late-night rest stop, "I-95" first appears to be just another Fountains of Wayne-ian look at someone's mundane, loveless existence. But as it unfolds, the song takes on a sincere sweetness that the band wears well.

'I-95' by Fountains of Wayne

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Tuesday

Music

Wedding Day Blues: Finding the Perfect Mix CD

Countless music fans have attempted to craft the perfect mix CD — just the thing to put a soundtrack on special occasions. But an hour of love-themed dinner music for a wedding reception isn't as easy to assemble as it may seem.

Wedding Day Blues: Finding the Perfect Mix CD

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Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

Travis: The Once and Future 'It' Band Returns

The Boy with No Name is a sparkling surprise, as the Scottish pop band Travis returns with a sharp batch of winning pop songs. Best of all is "Selfish Jean," on which singer Fran Healy disparages an ex-lover over a chiming, instantly memorable guitar hook.

'Selfish Jean' by Travis

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Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

An Ageless Beauty Gets a Timeless Remake

The Most Serene Republic does a terrific job reinventing Stars' fizzy pop gem "Ageless Beauty" without discarding Amy Millan's candy-sweet vocal track. Replacing the original's propulsive power-pop arrangement with a rustically chugging lope, the remix clatters along charmingly.

'Ageless Beauty (The Most Serene Republic Remix)' by Stars

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Thursday

Review

Song Of The Day

A Song for Shimmying Joyfully

Virtually every track on Feist's The Reminder hits its mark. That's especially true when she's crafting gloriously propulsive, mid-tempo mini-anthems like "I Feel It All," a song that seems to explode out of at least three different musical eras at once.

'I Feel It All' by Feist

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Monday

Review

Song Of The Day

Great Lake Swimmers' Sweet, Wistful Travelogue

Great Lake Swimmers hasn't abandoned its short but grand tradition of marrying sweetness and sorrow: Whether examining someone's tortured psyche or traversing the mountains and lakes of "Your Rocky Spine," it's unafraid to explore forbidden and forbidding terrain.

'Your Rocky Spine' by Great Lake Swimmers

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Wednesday

Review

Song Of The Day

Pop and Soul, with a Ghostly Moan

James Morrison's Undiscovered made him a star in his native U.K. last summer, and the disc's release here portends similarly big things: Mixing the smoky soul of Terence Trent D'Arby with the catchy crooning of James Blunt, the 22-year-old is nothing if not commercially viable.

'The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore' by James Morrison

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Monday

Review

Song Of The Day

Scottish and Surly, The Twilight Sad Gets Apoplectic

A Glaswegian rock band that punctuates its guitar-fueled rock blasts with moody interludes and bits of esoteric instrumentation, The Twilight Sad makes epic songs that sound both punishing and pretty. Singer James Graham paints a vague but distinct portrait of alienation.

'That Summer, At Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy' by The Twilight Sad

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