The best podcasts you should listen to this week
By Jaclyn Schiff and Simon Owens
Do you love listening to podcasts but are overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices out there? Have you subscribed to way more podcasts than you could ever listen to and don’t want to miss the best episodes? AudioTeller is a weekly newsletter that tells you the can’t-miss episodes you absolutely need to download. To have this newsletter delivered to your inbox, sign up here.
Welcome! In this week’s issue you’ll learn how the Beatles’ iconic Sgt. Pepper’s album was remixed 50 years after it was recorded, discover what it was like to follow around the execrable Roger Stone for six years, and listen to Jerry Seinfeld explain his methodology for constructing a joke. Stay tuned…
From Jaclyn Schiff, AudioTeller co-editor:
Behind the curtain with renowned therapist Esther Perel [link]
Podcast: Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Esther Perel, the bestselling author whose two TED Talks on intimacy and relationships have been seen by more than 17 million people, has a new podcast in which listeners get to be a fly on the wall during her therapy sessions with couples.
Witnessing a couple in crisis and getting a glimpse of how a therapist might try to guide them through it is nothing new — TV has been very fond of this setup — think Dr. Phil or VH1’s Couples Therapy. But away from the glare and theatrics of the TV camera lies a depth that is generally more common with audio formats. Combine that with Esther’s cutting observations and her unique gift of sifting through the messiness of human relationships and you encounter real moments of insight, which can ultimately challenge your own ideas about the norms of love. In fact, this is what Esther hopes listeners will gain. “My work is about creating spaces for bold and meaningful conversations where you participate as a speaker and as a listener. While you may think you are listening in on the intimate conversations of other couples, you realize you are standing in front of a mirror, listening to a conversation you may wish to have with your partner,” Esther said in a press release announcing the show.
New episodes will be available every Friday, for free through mid-July at Audible.com/Esther, and it appears they are also on a delayed release in iTunes.
From Sriram Gopal, a DC-based writer and musician:
Did Sgt. Pepper’s need remixing? [link]
Podcast: All Songs Considered — Episode: Why Remix ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’? Giles Martin, The Man Behind The Project, Explains
The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is one of the most iconic recordings of all time. Many, including the likes of Rolling Stone magazine, have called it the greatest album ever. June 1st marks the 50th anniversary of Pepper’s release and the stewards of The Beatles’ legacy are going all out by releasing a host of deluxe packages to commemorate the occasion.
One important component of this reissue is a new mix by Giles Martin. His father, the late Sir George Martin, produced the original sessions and was responsible for bringing many of The Beatles’ groundbreaking recording techniques to fruition. On this episode of All Songs Considered, Martin walks host Bob Boilen through the re-mixing process, beginning with his rationale for why a new edition was necessary. Do yourself a favor and listen to the podcast through headphones. Martin intercuts between the original mono mix, the original stereo mix, and then the 2017 mix, making for a fascinating listening exercise. In 1967, stereo was still a novel technology, so engineers in those days would spend much more time on the mono version, which those who are Gen X or younger have probably never heard. Consequently, some of the nuance and effects were lost in the transition to stereo. The 2017 edition reintroduces those subtleties, and Martin was also able to use vintage and contemporary technologies to create a listening experience that is wholly immersive.
From Adam Peri, a marketing consultant in Chicago:
Why Kurt Vonnegut was skeptical of the science fiction genre [link]
Podcast: Radio Wolinsky — Episode: Kurt Vonnegut Jr, 1991
KPFA’s Richard Wolinsky has interviewed thousands of fiction authors, and almost all of them are available in the station’s archives. His weekly podcast: Radio Wolinsky (a part of the Area 941 series), took a hiatus from new content, but remained refreshing by replaying an archived interview with Kurt Vonnegut. There’s no paucity of Vonnegut content on the web, but this discussion hashes out a few esoteric topics from his life. The two delve into Vonnegut’s early career as a crime reporter in Chicago, a beat where even the reporters carried guns and had to snitch on the criminals to get a story. The two later explore science-fiction, both as a genre and a community of writers. While Vonnegut himself dabbled in science-fiction, he gives assent only to its inspirational quality in an Asimovian sense, lamenting sci-fi’s lack of depth and fast-pace, albeit shallow, writing. These insights and quite a few more make this an interesting new take from a classic storyteller.
From Rachael Zur, a shoe designer in Brooklyn:
What it’s like to spend six years with Roger Stone [link]
Podcast: No One Knows Anything — Episode: Six Years With “The Sinister Forrest Gump Of American Politics”
Until last year’s election, I had not heard of Roger Stone. A man that has a large tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back and a close advisor to Donald Trump for President. The 3 directors of the Netflix doc Get Me Roger Stone speak candidly about what it was like to spend close to six years with this character making their stellar documentary. Self proclaimed an “Alternative Historian”, Stone’s philosophy reveals the mad genius of shamelessness. Believing that “Hate is a more powerful motivator than love,” Stone can be seen clearly as an impetus for Trump’s campaign doctrine. The documentary team Morgan Pehme, Dylan Bank and Daniel DiMauro discuss what it was like to follow Roger Stone and his close relationship to Alex Jones and the new Right in 2013 before the Alt-Right term even existed. Roger Stone has become a revealing figure in the political atmosphere that brought us our 45th President.
From Simon Owens, AudioTeller co-editor:
How Jerry Seinfeld constructs a joke [link]
Podcast: Good One — Episode: Jerry Seinfeld’s Donut Holes
Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most meticulous and disciplined standup comedians working today. I’ve heard at least one famous comedian attribute it to Seinfeld’s “protestant work ethic,” but whatever the cause, you can’t deny that Seinfeld works hard to refine a joke into perfection, sometimes spending years tweaking it night after night in obscure comedy clubs. In this live audience interview with Seinfeld, conducted by the host of Good One: A Podcast About Jokes, the comedian goes into detail about how he constructs and refines a joke over time. He also talks about why he decided to launch a low-budget web series in which he drives around with comedians drinking coffee.
Thanks for reading (and hopefully listening to our recommendations). Think we missed a great episode? Email us at audioteller@gmail.com. Want to have this list delivered to your inbox every week? Go here.
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