July 23 - 29, 2017
1. Revisionist History - "The King of Tears"
Gladwell's premise this week is both reductive and cavernously complex. Essentially: America is divided into two camps, those drawn to the overtly dramatic and everyone else. The thesis is manifest in a characterization of the traits that make up country music tropes, put up against the less uniform mass of popular rock music. Those who are inclined to stories where tragedy takes center stage tend to be fans of country music. Country artists tend to hail from an exclusive collection of southern states, which enforces the homogeneity of the genre. This sets the tone for a story about a songwriter who capitalized on the distinct sensibilities of the country fan base. It also proved provocative for a long road trip in which my wife played and dissected some of her favorite country songs! Though I fall pretty squarely on the "not country" side of things, approaching the music with fresh ideology made for a pleasant listening experience.
2. This American Life - "Fear and Loathing in Homer and Rockville"
It seems that, as humans, we do not have the ability to focus on more than one challenging thing at a time. This rings even more true of the things that drive us into shouting matches with family members or neighbors who simply can't see things in the same way. "Fear and Loathing in Homer and Rockville" ably captures this sentiment by both exposing the fear-driven anger of a nation and the earnest effort to make sense of the complex world. The vitriol was both totally unsurprising and endlessly perplexing. Two principal questions emerged after this timely episode: 1)Why can't we acknowledge complexity instead of boiling down evil to a single (and possibly misplaced) scapegoat? 2)Why do "solutions" have to show such little regard for the entity couched as the opposition?
Nationalism, the media, and finding common ground - for better or worse - this week on This American Life.
3. Planet Money - "The Starbury"
Basketball shoes are expensive, but does the typically high price correlate with quality? One man, of a particularly fitting profession, figured that they didn't and set out to do something about it. In it's trademark mix of wonky subject-specific glory (in this case, basketball nostalgia) and economics, Planet Money once again lays bare a complex topic with jovial collegiality. Even if you neither know nor care about basketball or merchandise of any stripe, "The Starbury" captures an underdog story of a man going up against a seemingly insurmountable foe...and coming away with some semblance of victory.
HONORABLE MENTION
99% Invisible - "El Gordo"
Strangers - "Franky Carrillo: Life Now"
The Allusionist - "One To Another"
SOMETHING NEW
Chris Lighty made a transformation from hustling to the white collar world that gives any rags-to-riches story a run for it's money. This may be one of the most compelling audio documentaries to grace the genre that does not have a dominant (salacious?) unsolved mystery spin. It offers an in-depth look at Lighty's evolution, which just happens to be sprinkled with some of the most notorious names in the hip-hop music industry over the past 20 years. For me, as a white male who grew up predominately in small-town America until the beginning of my twenties, Mogul is an endlessly intriguing glimpse into a world I couldn't be further removed from if I tried. This kind of cultural voyeurism might account for the spread of the music and clothing to enclaves untouched by the type of hard-living many artists rhyme about, and it is oddly paralleled with the decision Lighty was tasked with making - whether to maintain a street-approved persona or to ascend the corporate ladder.
Burgeoning podcast superpower Gimlet partnered with the Loud Speakers Network to bring us this account of a man who embodied the rise of hip-hop's cultural significance in America, and it is worth noting that Mogul is one of the first podcasts initially available exclusively from Spotify. Stylistically the show carries some exciting nuances that may prove captivating for a new audience. First off, it is hosted by Reggie Ossé - who is certainly not of the sober-toned NPR milieu. In my experience, it is atypical for such a thoroughly researched piece of audio journalism to be captained by someone so impassioned. Ossé is every bit as studied and professional as anyone that might be found on a public radio dial, but he is endowed with the freedom to swear at will. It may seem trifling to note, but profanity in the world of highly produced podcasting is seldom heard from the reporting end of the microphone. Ossé is also steeped in the subject matter, having worked in various capacities in the music industry, and this familiarity breeds a different type of listening experience. Different, and indeed a pleasant variation in the genre. The content of Mogul juxtaposed with the refreshing hosting style makes for a binge-worthy gambit.
Mogul: The Life and Death of Chris Lighty
Recommended for: Cultural tourists and hip-hop heads alike.
Rating: Gotta Have It
Gladwell's premise this week is both reductive and cavernously complex. Essentially: America is divided into two camps, those drawn to the overtly dramatic and everyone else. The thesis is manifest in a characterization of the traits that make up country music tropes, put up against the less uniform mass of popular rock music. Those who are inclined to stories where tragedy takes center stage tend to be fans of country music. Country artists tend to hail from an exclusive collection of southern states, which enforces the homogeneity of the genre. This sets the tone for a story about a songwriter who capitalized on the distinct sensibilities of the country fan base. It also proved provocative for a long road trip in which my wife played and dissected some of her favorite country songs! Though I fall pretty squarely on the "not country" side of things, approaching the music with fresh ideology made for a pleasant listening experience.
2. This American Life - "Fear and Loathing in Homer and Rockville"
It seems that, as humans, we do not have the ability to focus on more than one challenging thing at a time. This rings even more true of the things that drive us into shouting matches with family members or neighbors who simply can't see things in the same way. "Fear and Loathing in Homer and Rockville" ably captures this sentiment by both exposing the fear-driven anger of a nation and the earnest effort to make sense of the complex world. The vitriol was both totally unsurprising and endlessly perplexing. Two principal questions emerged after this timely episode: 1)Why can't we acknowledge complexity instead of boiling down evil to a single (and possibly misplaced) scapegoat? 2)Why do "solutions" have to show such little regard for the entity couched as the opposition?
Nationalism, the media, and finding common ground - for better or worse - this week on This American Life.
3. Planet Money - "The Starbury"
Basketball shoes are expensive, but does the typically high price correlate with quality? One man, of a particularly fitting profession, figured that they didn't and set out to do something about it. In it's trademark mix of wonky subject-specific glory (in this case, basketball nostalgia) and economics, Planet Money once again lays bare a complex topic with jovial collegiality. Even if you neither know nor care about basketball or merchandise of any stripe, "The Starbury" captures an underdog story of a man going up against a seemingly insurmountable foe...and coming away with some semblance of victory.
HONORABLE MENTION
99% Invisible - "El Gordo"
Strangers - "Franky Carrillo: Life Now"
The Allusionist - "One To Another"
SOMETHING NEW
Chris Lighty made a transformation from hustling to the white collar world that gives any rags-to-riches story a run for it's money. This may be one of the most compelling audio documentaries to grace the genre that does not have a dominant (salacious?) unsolved mystery spin. It offers an in-depth look at Lighty's evolution, which just happens to be sprinkled with some of the most notorious names in the hip-hop music industry over the past 20 years. For me, as a white male who grew up predominately in small-town America until the beginning of my twenties, Mogul is an endlessly intriguing glimpse into a world I couldn't be further removed from if I tried. This kind of cultural voyeurism might account for the spread of the music and clothing to enclaves untouched by the type of hard-living many artists rhyme about, and it is oddly paralleled with the decision Lighty was tasked with making - whether to maintain a street-approved persona or to ascend the corporate ladder.
Burgeoning podcast superpower Gimlet partnered with the Loud Speakers Network to bring us this account of a man who embodied the rise of hip-hop's cultural significance in America, and it is worth noting that Mogul is one of the first podcasts initially available exclusively from Spotify. Stylistically the show carries some exciting nuances that may prove captivating for a new audience. First off, it is hosted by Reggie Ossé - who is certainly not of the sober-toned NPR milieu. In my experience, it is atypical for such a thoroughly researched piece of audio journalism to be captained by someone so impassioned. Ossé is every bit as studied and professional as anyone that might be found on a public radio dial, but he is endowed with the freedom to swear at will. It may seem trifling to note, but profanity in the world of highly produced podcasting is seldom heard from the reporting end of the microphone. Ossé is also steeped in the subject matter, having worked in various capacities in the music industry, and this familiarity breeds a different type of listening experience. Different, and indeed a pleasant variation in the genre. The content of Mogul juxtaposed with the refreshing hosting style makes for a binge-worthy gambit.
Mogul: The Life and Death of Chris Lighty
Recommended for: Cultural tourists and hip-hop heads alike.
Rating: Gotta Have It
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