The Big Listen ended production in May 2018. While this site is no longer updated, all the content remains available for archive purposes.
Spring cows bursting out of their barn after a long Danish winter. There's a metaphor in there somewhere.
Hey pals! Podcasting is hot right now. So hot. Scorching, even!
But the medium that we all love so much isn’t just big in the U.S. Podcasting is making the rounds all over the world. One of the places where the medium has really caught fire is Denmark. Susanna Sommer, host of Danish Radio’s P1 Podcaster is my Scandinavian sister from another mister. But with better fashion. And a huskier voice.
Guests
- Susanna Sommer Host, P1 Podcaster
- Hrishikesh Hirway Host, Song Exploder
- Benedikte Granvig Host, Selvskrevet
- Al Letson Host, Reveal
- Madeleine Baran Host, In The Dark
- Samara Freemark Producer, In The Dark
What Else Is On This Week’s Show?
Have you ever wanted to know what’s going on in a musician’s mind when they’re writing a ditty? Then Song Exploder is the show for you. Host Hrishikesh Hirway picks a song and explodes it into its component parts. Or rather, the artists themselves explain why they picked that particular drum loop or where the lyrical inspiration came from. In a way, it’s like revealing a magic trick, but with a far more satisfying outcome.
They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery (who’s “they”?!). And our new pal Benedikte Granvig of the Danish podcast, Selvskrevet, is totally OK with that. Her show is basically a Song Exploder for the Nordic set. It’s mostly in Danish, so if you’re trying to brush up on your more guttural world languages, now’s your chance.
Switching gears ever so elegantly, nearly 30 years ago, the nation was rocked by a kidnapping in Minnesota. Eleven-year-old Jacob Wetterling was snatched while riding his bike home from a convenience store. The case remained unsolved — until very recently, when a man named Danny Heinrich admitted to the crime. The investigative reporters at In The Dark dive deep into the case to figure out what went wrong and the ramifications of the crime both in Minnesota and around the country.
You know there are those guys who are just good at everything? Or errthang, as it were. Al Letson, host of Reveal (and Errthang), is the original radio Renaissance man. He’s an actor slash radio host slash slam poet slash comic book author. The man does it all! And he’s got great hair and loves the ladies (who podcast). Al recommends:
So check ’em out!
Audio Baubles
- Very attractive listener recommendations for this week: The Ross Report and Drink, Drank, Drunk
- As we do each week, let’s check the charts! Or rather, the 289th-ranked podcast on iTunes: The Diane Rehm Show. President Obama called Diane Rehm a national treasure. The lady’s retiring soon, so check her show while she’s still holding down the mic.
- Best podcast title of the week: Dino and Andy’s Skull Juice.
Call Me!
Do you have a podcast recommendation you’d like to share with us? We want to hear it! Give us a jingle on the Pod Line at 202-885-POD1 and leave a message. Then we’ll put you on the radio and you’ll be famous.
Thanks for reading, pals! ‘Til next time … keep listening, America.
Most Recent Shows
Tegan & Sara, Podcast Super Fans (Encore)
Musicians Tegan and Sara are podcast obsessives. This episode, we take a peek at their extensive playlist, plus hear about their own idea for a podcast. Also, the hosts of the LGBTQ show Nancy share their funny and tragic coming out stories. And the Pakistani American host of Beginner walks us through all the things she never learned as a immigrant, like biking and swimming. Plus: saving podcasts for posterity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Keep reading...
The Big Listen Finale! (Encore)
This is the final episode of The Big Listen. Boo! Hiss! Our show is going off the air (read more on that here) and we’re shifting our focus to other projects. So this is last you’ll hear from us. But we’ve so enjoyed getting to share all the great shows we’re listening to with you. Thank you for spending some time with us. Keep reading...
Peering Into Nicole Drespel’s Inbox (Encore)
Over the course of your life, you’ve probably had at least a dozen email addresses. And I’m going to go out on a limb and say that at least a couple of those have been super embarrassing. Comedian Nicole Drespel can relate. Not only has she had deeply mortifying email addresses, but she’s also sent more than her fair share of ridiculous emails. Keep reading...