The Mastercast

Transcript:

Hey Pod lovers. I’m your host Marie and If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that brings you a brand new non-spoiler binge-worthy review every week of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. New episodes come out every Monday. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods. If you like what you hear and want to help out this independent show you can find me on Buy me a coffee by searching The Mastercast. I’d really appreciate it. This week’s review is on

SNAFU with Ed Helms

This nonfiction podcast from iHeartMedia, FilmNation Entertainment and Pacific Electric Picture Co is a blend of comedy and history. Hosted by actor and comedian Ed Helms, it aims to cover some of the most infamous and sometimes unknown blunders in history. The first season looks at the military exercise with the codename Able Archer 83 and why some historians consider it the closest the U.S came to nuclear war since the Cuban Missile Crisis. A harrowing drama, it is filled with interviews from those involved, old audio, and experts from both NATO and the Soviet Union. Despite the seriousness of the nation’s nuclear fears, Helms is able to keep a balance of professionalism and comedy. Overall history is the prominent element. The finished series is pretty long at eight episodes that are on average fourty-five minutes long and the addition of two bonus episodes. This is due to the decent background given on the Cold War and the perspective of the two countries at the time. Apple Podcasts has it at 4.6 out of 5 stars with 498 ratings. Many, if not most, of the negative reviews are in defense of presdient at the time Ronald Regan. Although I didn’t think the critique of his actions were all the critical. There should be a second season although confirmation has not been given. Overall an interesting and worth listing to podcast. A little campy at times and there is a recurring scream soundbite that comes about 3 times but isn’t bad enough to avoid listening.

Similar pods: Red Elvis, Infamous (Campside Media), and American Scandal.

All right, guys, that’s all for this week but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. This week’s music came from Natura. The song featured was “Still Breathing.” For more from Natura check out their soundcloud, or Instagram. Links will be in the description as well. Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening.

Sources and Links:

PLEASE CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S AMAZING ARTIST NATURA!

https://www.instagram.com/naturabeats/

https://soundcloud.com/naturabeats

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snafu-with-ed-helms/id1635374692

Transcript:

Hey pod lovers. If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! "The Mastercast" is a podcast recommendation show that

*record scratch*

Okay pod lovers if you’ve listened to earlier episodes you know this is the part where I usually tell you what we’re going to cover during the show, but I’ve got great news. I’m actually changing the show’s format just a bit.

You’re still getting non-spoiler, binge-worthy reviews of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary of everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be.

But instead of seven reviews monthly, you can now expect one review every Monday. This review will be my top recommendation for the week. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods.

Anyway, now that little announcement is out of the way, let’s get to this week’s review which is ...

"Paul McCartney: Inside the Songs"

Did you know The Beatles' song "Yesterday" (widely regarded as one of the greatest pop songs ever written) shares history with Doctor Who? How about who the woman behind the song "Eleanor Rigby" really is?

For the first time, master storyteller Paul McCartney relives what was really happening when he wrote some of the most popular songs of the 20th century, and nothing is left on the table. Drugs, love and the band’s breakup are just a few things covered in these candid, short-form, off-script narratives produced by BBC Radio 4 in promotion for McCartney’s upcoming book, "The Lyrics."

I’m not even the biggest fan of The Beatles, but I adored this podcast from a music history perspective and appreciated the unique look into the making of 10 famous songs by the group.

Apple Podcasts has 4.5 stars, 12 ratings, and only 1 written review, which I can't believe! It’s also only available for one year from its original air date, which was October 25, 2021. Let’s hope the Internet Archives squirrels this gem away for generations to come.

The script is done in the style of some of my favorite podcasts; the interview questions either don’t exist or have been edited out. It leaves a seamless recount that gives context to the culture and history of the time.

All episodes were released the same day and are ready for you to listen. You can listen all the way through within an hour because the length of each one is only 4-9 minutes. I was amazed at how captivating each could be at such a short length.

No commercials and surprisingly almost no music, with only a few clips of each song used throughout the series.

Trigger warning drug use and murder.

Similar Pods: "I am the EggPod," "Like a Version" and "Dissect"

All right, guys, that’s all for this week, but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources or the written transcript for this episode, be sure to check out the show notes or KCSUFM.com. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. You can also send us an email at [email protected].

This week’s music comes from Tonguebyte, a band from Aurora, Colorado, that crosses genres of punk, jazz and alternative rock. The song featured was "Hot Vodka," and I thought it went really well with this week’s musical podcast. For more from them, you can find them on Instagram @tonguebyteoffical or on any major music platform. Their contact will also be in the show notes. If you have the opportunity to see them live, they’re a must-see. Really cool group of people.

Remember to show the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening!

Sources:

Apple Podcast
Podchaser
Podnods
Podnews
OwlTail
Listen Notes

Music Attributions:

Artist: Tonguebyte
Song: "Hot Vodka"
Contact here

Hey Pod lovers. If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! "The Mastercast" is a podcast recommendation show that brings you a brand new, non-spoiler, binge-worthy review every week of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. New episodes come out every Monday. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods I’m your host, Marie, and this week I’m bringing you a review on ...

"Like a Version"

This weekly music podcast is actually a recorded segment that is performed live on the Australian radio station Triple J. It was created by Mel Bampton for his show "Mel in the Morning" in 2004.

Every set has artists, both international and local, play two songs, one of their own and a cover of someone else’s in their own style (or version). It’s similar to BBC’s "Radio 1's Live Lounge" sets and Irish Today FM's "Even Better Than the Real Thing." The name is also said to be a play on “Like a Virgin” Madonna’s 1984 album.

Originally these performances were acoustic, but the style has since developed to include all sorts of music. The show’s wide popularity has led to CDs as well as some of the covers making it onto the Triple J Hottest 100.

It is also a podcast on most podcast players but a playlist on Spotify. While most sets can be found on Triple J’s website as well as their YouTube channel, the online archive doesn’t go back further than August 2006.

Like most cover songs, you have to take the good with the bad. While there are some incredibly well-done ones, there are also misfires. I really enjoy when bands really try to cover a song in their own style instead of as close as they can to the original. It is like a version after all.

<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-version-podcast/id364978669" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a> has 4.6 stars and 32 Ratings. So far there are 577 episodes currently available with new ones coming out every Thursday, and on average they last about 20 minutes.

OwlTail’s most popular isn’t working for this podcast, but my favorites are almost too hard to pick. I adore the CHVRCHES cover of Kendrick Lamar’s 'LOVE’ (their ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ is also amazing), and Meg Mac’s ‘Let it Happen’ originally done by Tame Impala. Those are just two of the many stunning songs. Seriously, all worthy of checking out, but again some are better than others.

No swears for this one but the nature of songs can vary. Side note: Triple J does another brilliant segment called "Bars of Steel" that features rappers and is worth checking out (I recommend A.Girl’s set).

Similar Pods: "Tiny Desk Concerts," "Live Lounge Uncovered" and "Headliners"

That’s all for this week, but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes or <a href="http://kcsufm.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KCSUFM.com</a>. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. You can also send us an email at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noopener">[email protected]</a>.

This week’s music was a song by Colorado Springs artist Violet Wish. The song featured was "Freefall," which is a song from Wish’s soon-to-be-released debut album “Long Distance,” which is set to drop May 28! You can also find them on <a href="https://soundcloud.com/violetwish" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soundcloud</a> and Bandcamp @violet wish and on Instagram @ violet_wish_music. Their contact will also be in the show notes.

Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening!

Sources:

Apple Podcast
Podchaser
Podnods
Podnews
OwlTail
Listennotes

Music Attributions:

Artist: Violent Wish
Song: "Freefall"
Soundcloud and Bandcamp @violet wish
Instagram: @violet_wish_music

The History Chicks - No Spoilers!

This is podcast is made up of the history lessons you’ve always wanted but never got. Every two weeks Beckett Graham and Susan Vollenweider pick a woman from the thousands of year of human history and tell her story. From a variety of eras and backgrounds, everything about each woman is mentioned including interpretations, connections, and bias. The episodes start with a 30 second summary of what you can expect, goes into the birth, life, and later death of the individual, and then wraps with the sources used. One thing I really love about the hosts is that even though the stories are told mainly from the perspectives of a particular woman, Graham and Vollenweider recognize the bias in that. A character maybe perceived and presented as a villain in one woman’s episode but be a hero in their own. This self-awareness plus in depth research is what makes this podcast so beloved among history fans. And I mean beloved. Starting in January of 2011, the show has 4.7 out of 5 stars and 6.9K Ratings. To keep such a high average over a long time is difficult for even the best pods. It’s also been recognized with a handful of awards such as a finalist in The People’s Choice Podcast Award, a finalist in The Academy of Podcasters Awards, and Mixcloud Online Radio Awards, Best Talk Show in the Education Category. They were finalist in The People’s Choice Podcast Award for seven years straight. I highly recommend checking out their detailed websites and packed show notes for things like photos, videos, and news for every episode. Their Facebook group, History Chicks Podcast Lounge, is also such a friendly and inviting community. So far there are 263 episodes! On average they are about an hour long and while they are typically put out every two weeks, the day does vary. My favorite episodes have been “Laura Ingalls Wilder” and “The Romanovs (Part 1).” Audio is rough in the first couple of episodes but like with every podcast gets better with time. I really love this podcast and I’m so happy there are so many episodes. You could relisten a couple of times before I think you could begin to remember it all. It’s comforting, relaxing, distracting, and interesting. What more could you ask for?

Similar Pods: The Gilded Gentleman, What'sHerName, and Stuff You Missed in History Class.

Sources:
https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-history-chicks-31814
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-history-chicks/id415983183

This week we look at BBC crime-esque series Lost at Sea.

Transcript:

Hey Pod lovers. I’m your host Marie and If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that brings you a brand new non-spoiler binge-worthy review every week of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. New episodes come out every Monday. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods. If you like what you hear and want to help out this independent show you can find me on Buy me a coffee by searching The Mastercast. I’d really appreciate it. This week’s review is on

Lost at Sea - No Spoilers!

This captivating seven-part series from the BBC examines the unsolved disappearance of fisheries observer Keith Davis who vanished 500 miles from shore while working on the tuna vessel The Victoria. Host New York journalist Rachel Monroe looks at the life and work of Keith Davis and other fisheries observers who spend months at sea monitoring the catches and activities of fishing vessels as the sole overseer for malpractice and mistreatment. It’s far from easy work. Often seen as the enemy, fisheries observers are alone with crews who usually don’t speak english with no way to contact anyone off the boat. Davis’s disappearance isn’t as rare as anyone might hope. On average in the last decade one fisheries observer has gone missing a year. This podcast looks not only at the disappearances and mysteries deaths of observers but other secrets of the global fishing industry like mistreatment of crew, smuggling, and human trafficking and slavery. Each episode is about 25 minutes long with the last episode coming out in November of 2022. They’re made up of narrative backstory and interviews both anonymous and not. Tone and music are serious which is fitting. It’s a gripping look at what could happen far from shore and watchful eyes.

Similar pods: The Outlaw Ocean, The Kill List, and Captain on Deck.

All right, guys, that’s all for this week but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. This week’s music came from Universal Music Productions because I forgot to find an artist for this week. Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening.

Sources:

https://www.bbcpodcasts.com/listen/lost-at-sea/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lost-at-sea/id1641072737