Hi guys! First - thanks to everyone who read my blog post about Sadie and sent me such nice comments. I was nervous about writing that entry as I wanted to give her something nice, not a rambling, awkward piece of post that failed to effectively communicate just how much she meant (means) to me and my family. It's been so busy this summer, and I kept using that as an excuse not to write anything for her. But, since Mr. Chesterton arrived to give the story a more hopeful ending, waiting turned out to be the best thing I could have done. So again - thanks for reading!
Now though, let's turn back to the thing I probably do best - rambling on and on about nothing of much importance. So, without further ado, let's talk about podcasts.
A few of you may recall that I actually had my own podcast for awhile there with Tina. Sometimes other people joined us - Ramona was a frequent collaborator - and we generally reviewed a bunch of random stuff. The last thing I did for that was, weirdly enough, a vlog for Labyrinth: A Visual History, which I only just realized has 170 views! That's crazy. I personally thought I sounded like a rambling idiot since I did it by myself in the living room with no one around to tell me to stop using the words "cool" and "neat," but I'm glad some people seem to have gotten useful information out of it.
Recently, I've been playing with a few ideas for fiction podcasts. In preparation, I decided to try listening to even more podcasts than I already am, which is a hefty amount considering that I listen to podcasts all the time. I listen to them in the car. I listen to them while getting ready for work. I listen to them at the gym. I listen to them while doing dishes or folding laundry or standing in my living room, glaring at whatever project I've been working on and just made a mess of. I love podcasts, so that's what this whole post is about.
If you hate them, maybe flee now.
Not including my new, uh, inclusions, my current three podcast staples (with descriptions from their websites) are:
I have a few more that I listen to pretty regularly, such as Welcome to Night Vale, others I listen to when they have interesting guests or topics such as Nerdist or Myths and Legends, or some when they FINALLY RETURN TO US like The Black Tapes. However, given that I spent most of the past month in my car (and will continue to do so since PUPPET FEST BEGINS TOMORROW), I decided to try out some new podcasts, specifically those leaning towards audio drama. I figured, just for fun, that I'd try reviewing five of them: Wormwood: A Serialized Mystery, The Tunnels Podcast, The Box Podcast, Lake Clarity, and Leviathan. Again, I'll start with the descriptions from each podcasts' website, and then talk about them a bit. So, first things first -
I am really, really, REALLY glad I did. First, this series is written, narrated, and produced all by one woman, Lauren Nelson. I think I'm now in love with her, because the character of Addison is not only hilarious, but the stories are really interesting too. I'm similarly on episode 4 with this show, but I really, really like it. Also, some of the sound effects are completely disgusting (that's a positive), and the music is well done. I actually think that, of all the podcasts I tried, I'd recommend this one the most. If you like the idea of finding secret boxes full of mysterious, freaky letters, LISTEN TO THIS.
So that's my blog for this week, early because PUPPETRY ALL WEEK INSTEAD, AW YEAH. I kind of feel like I just did a series of incredibly weak commercials, but...eh. If you have any podcast recommendations, let me know! I'd love to hear them, and even if they don't sound like something I'd like, maybe someone else would be interested to know about them. And maybe someday, I'll actually finish one of my own ideas. Maybe. Possibly. Someday.
...okay. PUPPET TIME!
Now though, let's turn back to the thing I probably do best - rambling on and on about nothing of much importance. So, without further ado, let's talk about podcasts.
A few of you may recall that I actually had my own podcast for awhile there with Tina. Sometimes other people joined us - Ramona was a frequent collaborator - and we generally reviewed a bunch of random stuff. The last thing I did for that was, weirdly enough, a vlog for Labyrinth: A Visual History, which I only just realized has 170 views! That's crazy. I personally thought I sounded like a rambling idiot since I did it by myself in the living room with no one around to tell me to stop using the words "cool" and "neat," but I'm glad some people seem to have gotten useful information out of it.
Recently, I've been playing with a few ideas for fiction podcasts. In preparation, I decided to try listening to even more podcasts than I already am, which is a hefty amount considering that I listen to podcasts all the time. I listen to them in the car. I listen to them while getting ready for work. I listen to them at the gym. I listen to them while doing dishes or folding laundry or standing in my living room, glaring at whatever project I've been working on and just made a mess of. I love podcasts, so that's what this whole post is about.
If you hate them, maybe flee now.
Not including my new, uh, inclusions, my current three podcast staples (with descriptions from their websites) are:
My Favorite Murder (nonfiction)
"Ready yourself for a murder adventure hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, two lifelong fans of true crime stories. Each episode the girls tell each other their favorite tales of murder, and hear hometown crime stories from friends and fans. Check your anxiety at the door, 'cause Karen & Georgia are dying to discuss death."
The Dollop (nonfiction)
"The Dollop is a bi-weekly* American History Podcast. Every week, Dave Anthony reads a story to his friend, Gareth Reynolds, who has no idea what the topic is going to be about.
*bi-weekly means whatever Dave wants it to mean"
The Magnus Archives (fiction)
"The Magnus Archives is a weekly horror fiction anthology podcast examining what lurks in the archives of The Magnus Institute, an organisation dedicated to researching the esoteric and the weird. Join the new Head Archivist, Jonathan Sims, as he attempts to bring a seemingly neglected collection of supernatural statements up to date, converting them to audio and supplementing them with follow-up work from his small but dedicated team."
I have a few more that I listen to pretty regularly, such as Welcome to Night Vale, others I listen to when they have interesting guests or topics such as Nerdist or Myths and Legends, or some when they FINALLY RETURN TO US like The Black Tapes. However, given that I spent most of the past month in my car (and will continue to do so since PUPPET FEST BEGINS TOMORROW), I decided to try out some new podcasts, specifically those leaning towards audio drama. I figured, just for fun, that I'd try reviewing five of them: Wormwood: A Serialized Mystery, The Tunnels Podcast, The Box Podcast, Lake Clarity, and Leviathan. Again, I'll start with the descriptions from each podcasts' website, and then talk about them a bit. So, first things first -
Wormwood: A Serialized Audio Mystery
"Doctor Xander Crowe was a formidable psychologist until a terrible tragedy sent him spiraling down the dark pathways of the occult. Now, a strange vision leads Doctor Crowe to the hidden town of Wormwood, where shadows lurk in every corner and evil stains the souls of the inhabitants."Wormwood is a series that started back in 2007. Currently, it's final episode is listed as being from 2011, and the creators seem to have shifted focus from the podcast to a graphic novel series called Sparrow & Crowe. I can see where maybe the continued creation of the podcast got a bit overwhelming. While I didn't necessarily find myself captured by the multiple storylines (as of now, I've listened to two episodes and am not certain I'll listen to more), the production quality is really impressive. There are a lot of voice actors, and they do a great job with special effects and music. It feels like a high quality podcast; I just didn't really get too into it. If someone else is (or gets into it), let me know how it goes!
The Tunnels Podcast
"The Tunnels is a serialized audiodrama about the mysterious tunnels that can be found underneath a small town in Georgia."Currently, I'm on episode 4 of The Tunnels. There are a few things to consider about this podcast, all of which are addressed with an intro to the first season of the show. To start, the voice acting is a little underwhelming. There are definitely a few moments where it really does feel like the characters are reading straight from a page, but honestly? That page is pretty interesting. I wasn't too sure what to think of the first episode when I listened, but I'm glad I decided to keep going. I want to know where these tunnels lead (and how many secret cults are running around down here - we all know how I love secret cults). Be prepared to give this one a few extra allowances, but it's worth it. I mean, maybe. I am only on episode 4, after all! But if you like the idea that there may be secrets hidden beneath your town in mysterious tunnels (or if you're just a big fan of tunnels generally), then give this one a try.
The Box Podcast
"The Box is an audio drama horror podcast hosted by Addison Gilmore. After finding an impossibly old lock box stuffed with creepy journals filled with weird and varied tales, she decided to launch a weekly podcast sharing the stories and researching the contents of the box. But as time goes on, the collection she at first thought of as an elaborate group fiction project becomes much more than it seemed."So I actually almost gave up on this series because, as I mentioned before, I listen to these podcasts mostly in the car. The problem with The Box was that I could barely hear it! I had been driving on the expressway, and at most I could tell there was a woman speaking, and that was about it. However, once I got home and had a bunch of stuff to do not in the car, I figured I'd try again.
I am really, really, REALLY glad I did. First, this series is written, narrated, and produced all by one woman, Lauren Nelson. I think I'm now in love with her, because the character of Addison is not only hilarious, but the stories are really interesting too. I'm similarly on episode 4 with this show, but I really, really like it. Also, some of the sound effects are completely disgusting (that's a positive), and the music is well done. I actually think that, of all the podcasts I tried, I'd recommend this one the most. If you like the idea of finding secret boxes full of mysterious, freaky letters, LISTEN TO THIS.
Lake Clarity
"Lake Clarity is a weekly audio drama following five teens as they venture up to Camp Clarity, and discover the dark secrets hidden beneath the lake. This lost tapes podcast isn’t for the faint of heart, featuring immersive sound effects to help create the world the characters inhabit, and the obstacles they face."So Lake Clarity is another one, like The Tunnels, that needs a bit of an adjustment period. For the first episode, the voice acting and some of the writing comes off as a bit stilted. I imagine that's pretty much par for the course with this kind of podcast debut (and I'm sure if I ever finish writing for my own ideas, it'll be stiltedness everywhere), but again - give this one some time. I am, yet again, on episode 4 for this podcast, and it's gotten pretty interesting. The actors have really slid into their roles, and the action has picked up effectively, something that has got to be difficult for an audio drama. If you like the idea of a bunch of teenagers in the woods finding seriously weird things, listen to this one.
The Leviathan Chronicles
"The Leviathan Chronicles is a revolutionary science fiction audio drama podcast featuring the voices of over 60 actors, professional sound effects and an original music soundtrack. Think of it as a blockbuster movie for your ears!"Okay, so that's not really the best description of this podcast, but that's because anything more detailed will inevitably give stuff away. This podcast kind of amazed me. While Wormwood was well put together but not something I found myself immediately falling into, this one starts with a freaking submarine battle. It's really cool, and I bet you'll NEVER GUESS WHAT EPISODE I'M ON NOW. The voice acting is good, and the storylines are interesting. It really does feel like you're listening to a professionally produced audio adventure, and if you like secret societies, spies, weird murder, and action, then try this podcast too.
So that's my blog for this week, early because PUPPETRY ALL WEEK INSTEAD, AW YEAH. I kind of feel like I just did a series of incredibly weak commercials, but...eh. If you have any podcast recommendations, let me know! I'd love to hear them, and even if they don't sound like something I'd like, maybe someone else would be interested to know about them. And maybe someday, I'll actually finish one of my own ideas. Maybe. Possibly. Someday.
...okay. PUPPET TIME!
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