Podcast Picks - 1/16/07

I know, I know. My goal has been to have this thing up over the weekend. Well, things happen and I was bogged down with many other issues over the past few days. In addition, I got pretty burned out on the whole political talk thing. It happens to all of us.

Therefore, I decided to broaden my horizons. To move away from the host-and-a-megaphone thing. I wanted something different. Something that departed from the 'loud voice and a microphone' thing. Something creative. Something with a little music, perhaps.

As the weekend of Martin Luther King Day arrived, by coincidence I discovered a rather intriguing podcast. Years ago, in describing his music, Chuck D of Public Enemy often referred to hip-hop music as "CNN for black people". And since the mid-80's, he's been brilliantly approaching his politically and socially-charged music as just that. Other hip-hop artists told their own stories, from the Afrocentric pride of X-Clan to the socially conscious KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions to Ice T's and N.W.A.'s tales of strife in the ghetto to the New York-centric tales of early rappers such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Nowadays, hip-hop has taken a rather unfortunate turn, as it has become overshadowed by misogyny, violence, vulgarity and materialism. Now, I'm no prude when it comes to anything in music, but one wonders what it is we let our children listen to these days.

Fortunately, the great folks at Voxunion realize this, and have taken to heart the ideas of Chuck D. And they use a key staple of hip-hop's history, the mixtape, to tell their story. FreeMix Radio describe their effort as being a 21st century equivalent to David Walker's Appeal, Ida B. Wells' The Crusader and Robert Williams' Radio Free Dixie. They utilize the mixtape concept as a news and information source, where music and news are packaged for the hip-hop community in a way designed to grab their attention, as they mix stories, news and interviews about the black community in ways no other media outlet can. Stuff you don't hear about in the mainstream media get ample coverage here, such as the violent African conflict diamond trade, how money has corrupted many black politicians, the travesty of the (lack of) response to Hurrican Katrina, the exploitation of inner city youth by military recruiters and human rights abuses in our nation's penal system. And, of course, it's surrounded by music that helps tell the stories. You may not agree with all of it, but it will open your eyes. And the music is powerful, even if you gave up on hip-hop long ago (as I have). All in all, it is damn good, and is highly recommended. In addition to their eight shows that can be downloaded from their site, FreeMix Radio is also distributed freely in stores around Washington, DC and Baltimore. And yes, it does live up to Chuck D's idea of a "black CNN".

In last week's "Podcast Picks," you read about a show called "Best Of The Left," which is essentially a sonic collage that brings together many of the voices you hear on liberal radio and TV. Upstart Radio has something similar, called "Mindwalk." It too is a collage of music and sound (and sound bytes), similar to "Best Of The Left," and presented almost in a magazine format. At a half hour each episode, it also doesn't overstay its welcome. The show also airs on several stations, including Free Radio Santa Cruz, KRFP in Moscow, ID, and others. A recent episode about "Freedom of Speech" includes commentary from Keith Olbermann (blasting Newt Gingrich's ideas about limiting free expression) and graffiti artist Banksy, who's recent claims to fame include painting the West Bank Wall and defacing Paris Hilton CDs. A worthy listen.

Podcast Picks - 1/06/07 (first edition)

We don't listen to audio the same way we used to.

Back in the day, it was strictly radio. Then came tape. Then CD. Then the PC with broadband capability.

And now, the digital media player has changed the way we get our entertainment and information. We no longer have to rely on the radio when we're driving, walking, jogging or commuting. We're much more in control these days. We are the radio station.

Perhaps one of the most notable examples of this is the podcast. Don't like the shows your local stations offer? Well, you can pick and choose. Your station's running Stephanie Miller while you want your Sam Seder? No prob. Or perhaps you just want something different, something your local station doesn't think attracts, say, middle class white females, age 25-45, who live in 'X' county and has 'X' amount of disposable income, and therefore must like to listen to "Delilah" on Lite FM. Had enough of this nonsense? Well, you're not alone.

Now, you're in control. You are the radio station! Even radio stations have realized this, with even stations owned by the biggies including Clear Channel and CBS currently offering podcasts of their radio shows. Sure, it's not live, but do most people call in to shows anyway?

And you don't even need the radio industry. Anyone with the capability to record audio on a computer and convert it to mp3 or other audio format can make their own. And many have. And if you're capable of hearing mp3 files, you're capable of hearing most podcasts.

Of course, with the advent of new media, there's a lot of stuff out there, and sifting through it can be mind-boggling. The purpose of "Podcast Picks" is to try and sift through some of this stuff, spotlight liberal radio shows, non-radio liberal podcasts, and perhaps make a few recommendations, and even suggest non-liberal talk stuff (since we've all got to broaden our horizons, right?). Since weekends are basically down-time at LTR, look for "Podcast Picks" then from here on out.

First off, since there's so much liberal talk material archived all over the web, how 'bout a condensed version? That's the goal of "Best Of The Left". Think of it as the Reader's Digest of liberal talk, without the corny humor. You'll hear snippets from Air America shows, public radio, Pacifica, even mainstream news sources such as CNN and MSNBC. Usually, a theme will tie it all together, such as a recent episode about the documentary "Jesus Camp". All in all, a nice listen backed with some pretty good backing music and professional-quality editing that create a rather interesting pastiche. Check it out.

Mike Malloy has long been very web-friendly. With White Rose Society, he collaborated to make almost every show from the past four years (and even a few early shows) available for download. Thanks to his new syndicator, Nova M Radio, his podcasts are still available and, for the first time, sans commercials. Nova M provides both hi-bitrate (128K) and lo-bitrate (24K) files, with the 128K files also available broken down into three different segments. Nova M's Mike Newcomb also has a similar arrangement for his show. Check it out at Nova M's site, and click the appropriate links to subscribe to the feed of your choice.

"On The Media" is one of the most informative and entertaining shows on NPR. Produced by WNYC in New York, OTM's objective is to show what really goes on in the vast media, showing how they do it and why, and comes complete with a breezy, often humorous presentation. OTM also shows how we take in this media overload. The one-hour show is always entertaining, and definitely a must-listen for those who want to know how it all works and why. This week, the topics are how the media is handling Saddam Hussein's execution and the increasing ways that the internet is becoming a dominant force in our everyday lives, with reports on who controls it, how the spread of municipal WiFi networks will have a major impact, and all about the future internet. You can also check out archived shows via their site and their podcast feed.

Think public radio is silly? Well, the folks at Irrational Public Radio seem to think so. And what they've produced is even sillier, perhaps the most brilliant satire of the genre ever envisioned. Think "The Onion", only more ridiculous. They've been slacking as of late, and haven't added to their handful of shows since this past summer. Nonetheless, they have vowed to return soon. In the meantime, enjoy the brilliance of IPR via their feed.

Did you know that you can listen to Keith Olbermann on the go? Well, you can. MSNBC offers podcast snippets of many of their shows, including "Countdown". So, if you missed Keith's latest special commentary, look no further. Take it with you.

And finally, we here at LTR realize that we cannot live via talk radio alone. We'd go insane, right? We've gotta have music. "Crap From The Past" is an exploration of pop music, as seen through the cut-out bin. Obscurities, long-forgotten one-hit wonders, strange remakes, disposable pop and much more. You might even hear a big hit once in a while. Host Ron "Boogiemonster" Gerber has been doing CFTP for years, and it's currently based at KFAI in Minneapolis. He also has what could be seen as the strangest music collection in the world, if not the absolute coolest. He's the trash collector picking up the disposable pop tossed aside by the fickle masses of America. If it was any kind of hit, it's likely he has it, or has heard of it. Where else will hear Rupert Holmes sing something besides that "Pina Colada Song"? Or ABBA singing "Waterloo" in French (insert Napoleon joke here). Gerber is not afraid to go where many would rather not, and it makes for one of the coolest radio shows ever done. If you have an urge to reminisce about the likes of Gino Vanelli, the Average White Band or Stars on 45, then my sympathies. Nonetheless, CFTP is for you. And every single episode is available for streaming or download, in a variety of formats, thanks to the Internet Archive. Who knew bad music could be so entertaining?

Speaking of the Internet Archive, if you haven't ventured through their audio section, set aside a few hours. Or a few days. You'll need it. The Archive is massive, with a large variety of public domain and artist-approved material. You can hear classic 'books on tape', famous presidential speeches, old-time radio shows, obscure bands, and even live recordings of some of your favorites, as well as many, many bands you've never heard of. If you like Ryan Adams, Billy Bragg, Camper Van Beethoven or Blues Traveler, you'll enjoy the live music section, chock full of user-recorded live shows from taper-friendly artists. If you absolutely, positively must have as much live material from String Cheese Incident or Robyn Hitchcock, the Archive is a good place to find it. And yes, they do have the Grateful Dead. Almost 3,000 shows worth of the Dead. Happy digging, and look for more Podcast Picks next week.

UPDATE: If you're unsure what exactly podcasting is, here's a good article from OpEdNews that explains it all.