Pods Review Pods is a weekly segment where podcasters review fellow podcasts.
I’m Dan Saks, creator of Noodle Loaf is an interactive podcast, a music ed specialist father, and his goofball kids. Each episode consists of a series of games that promote musicality and more importantly, giggles, in the form of echo songs, rhythm games and other ways to get the creative juices flowing. The show is tuned for kids ages 3-9.
Song Exploder
Each episode features a different prominent musician discussing the process behind the writing and recording of one of their songs. It’s tightly edited and thoroughly enlightening for anyone who has ever written and recorded or even enjoyed a piece of music. I enjoy hearing how many different ways there are to arrive at a song and more often than not find myself opening up my recording software shortly after listening to an episode. Also, the host, Hrishikesh Hirway does a great job of editing himself out of the interviews so the episodes sound like straight narration by the musicians along with the dissected songs elements they are discussing.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
No Effects Show with Jesse Cohen
This is a show where a musician has a long form interview with other musicians, mostly in his age range. The result is a music interview show unlike any other. Jesse asks questions about childhood music lessons, tour van sleeping arrangements and weird gigs rather than the usual band name origin fodder. As someone who has toured the small rooms, the big rooms and the motel rooms it’s a lot of fun to hear other musicians share their tales. It’s not the glamorous side of showbiz on display here, but rather lots of simple tales that add up to why anyone in their right mind would want to be a working musician.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
Ear Hustle
This is a show about the nuances of prison culture, but more importantly it is a window into the side of prison that the media rarely shows. It takes place in San Quentin, but it’s not depicted as a world of joyless gangbangers, rather it comes off as a lousy place where people who made a bad decision spend a lot of years and do their best to make it from day to day. It’s a soulful show that augments our collective humanity through the humble act of storytelling.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher