I cannot get enough of podcasts. I can’t even tell you how much I’ve learned about people and science and storytelling and politics just by listening to podcasts. Not to mention my freakishly extensive knowledge of true crimes. There seems to be a podcast (or five) for every genre you can think of, though some are certainly better than others.
I’ve shared a few of my favourite podcast before, here and here. So if you’ve never opened up the podcast app on your phone before, you can start right there. Those should keep you busy for, I don’t know, a year? Today though, I’m sharing 5 new podcasts I can’t stop listening to right now, and any of these would be a good start too.
1. Casefile
True crimes, read to you by an anonymous Australian. This show is so good and although it sometimes keeps me awake at night, I cannot stop listening to it.
My favourite episodes:
Case 7: Julian Buchwald & Carolynne Watson
On the 4th of March 2008, Julian Buchwald and his girlfriend Carolynne Watson went for a romantic picnic lunch in country Victoria. They didn’t return home. It wasn’t long before a terrifying, threatening note was located. Was this really the work of a satanic cult? Or was there something even more sinister going on…
The crime scene was described as looking more like the set of a horror movie, than real life. It is one of the most horrific crimes ever committed. Not only did it shock the small town of Aberdeen in country NSW, where the crime occurred, but it also shocked the entire nation of Australia and parts of the world. What could possibly drive somebody to do this? A psychiatric illness? Or premeditated, pre-planned, pure evil?
The Desert roads of the Northern Territory are as long as they are desolate. If you stand still, your own heartbeat is the loudest sound you’ll hear. The thrill of the open road and the sheer expanse of the hot desert is an exciting drawcard for many, but for those used to big cities, busy beaches or in this case, the relentless rain and dark clouded skies of England, driving from Adelaide to Darwin was the thrill of a lifetime, and unlike anything they had experienced before. But it would soon turn into a nightmare…
On November 8th, 2010, just after 9.30pm; 25-year-old Jennifer Pan was in her bedroom. She had her TV on and was chatting on the phone while getting ready for bed. She could hear movement downstairs and voices she didn’t recognise. There were people in the house. She heard footsteps thudding so loudly up the stairs; she knew they could not be her parents. They could not be her younger brother Felix either; he was living half an hour away at University. Jennifer hung up the phone and sat frozen in her room. She was too scared to turn the tv down, and she was too scared to open her door. She was too scared to move…
2. S-Town
I absolutely devoured this show. The true story of a man called John, who lives in small town Alabama and reaches out to a podcast producer to help him solve a murder. It takes some crazy turns and as the story unfolds, it reveals that John is even more fascinating than the murder mystery itself.
My favourite episodes:
3. Up and Vanished
When a documentary filmmaker decided to try his hand at podcasting, he couldn’t possibly have imagined where the journey would take him. This show has had my jaw on the floor more than once.
My favourite episodes:
You have to listen to them consecutively, and it just gets better as you go.
4. Heavyweight
Imagine a self-depricating Jewish New Yorker recording stories about things people would have liked to do go back and do differently throughout their lives. That’s Jonathan Golstein’s Heavyweight, in a nutshell.
My favourite episodes:
20 years ago, Gregor lent some CDs to a musician friend. The CDs helped make him a famous rockstar. Now, Gregor would like some recognition. But mostly, he wants his CDs back.
Galit was Jonathan’s first girlfriend. When she dumped him, he cried a lot and then locked away his emotional vulnerability in a safe for the next several decades. In this episode, Galit sends Jonathan a Facebook message asking if he’d like to meet up.
5. The New Yorker: The Writer’s Voice – New Fiction from The New Yorker
Short stories from The New Yorker, read by the authors. For those times you’ve had enough of hearing about people murdering each other. I really enjoy this when I’m getting ready for bed, travelling, or just need a few minutes to relax.
My favourite episodes:
Camille Bordas reads “Most Die Young”
“Although it’s true that things hadn’t been great between us for a while—we’d run out of things to say to each other, and our silences were, frankly, boring—I would have appreciated a little notice.”
Curtis Sittenfeld reads “The Prairie Wife”
“Kirsten’s commute is when she really focusses on whether she has the power to destroy Lucy Headrick’s life.”
Sarah Shun-lien Bynum Reads “The Burglar”
“What sorts of crimes are committed by an unjustly incarcerated man who’s travelled through a rift in the space-time continuum?”
Ian McEwan Reads “My Purple Scented Novel”
“I don’t deny there was wrongdoing. I stole a life, and I don’t intend to give it back.”
So there you have a good mix of true crime, great storytelling, human interest, and fiction. If you have any podcasts or particular episodes to recommend, please leave them for me in the comments!
One comment
Hi Natalie, any suggestions on best podcast app to get started as an android user?