The Pod Piper

THE LIST 1. More Perfect -   "Enemy of Mankind" Typically we don't think about the US Supreme Court (or any national legislative body, for that matter) as commanding power over the international community. Symbolically, sure, the country portends a kind of metaphorical freedom for oppressed people of the world. And there certainly are policies that affect how companies based in the US may alter how they do business outside the country. Yet there are a number of times throughout history when US courts have sought to adjudicate crimes that transpired on foreign soil. This episode of  More Perfect  details how this doling out of punishment came about and the extent to which it is still at play today, breaking down preconceptions of what a sovereign government means in the modern world. 2. 99% Invisible  - "La Sagrada Familia" Antonin Gaudi's famed Sagrada Familia cathedral towers over the skyline of Barcelona. The ambitious and ongoing architectural project i...

Before we get to the usual rundown, I wanted to take a brief moment to promote my inaugural podcast as a podcaster. It's called Tournament of Blank , and can be found on iTunes and most anywhere else podcasts are found. Each week two friends and I debate to decide the best thing from a given subset. Our first episode focused on toys , and the follow-up episode is a multi-episode exercise in taking stock of Disney villains from different eras. Leading up to the episode release on Monday, October 23rd, we've put out a challenge for listeners to get in on the fun. Fill out your own bracket to determine which villain is the fairest of them all. Then, follow along with the show as we roll out our picks in the coming weeks through our multi-part breakdown of each batch of baddies. The bracket closes at 11:59 PM Eastern time tonight, October 22nd.  Now, on to the best podcasts from the past week! THE LIST 1.  American Suburb - "Chapter 1: The Tipping Point" Everything ol...

THE LIST 1. Off-Book: The Improvised Musical - "Attorney At Love (w/Nicole Parker)" The immensely talented Jessica McKenna and Zach Reino have captivated me since Off-Book  launched this past summer. From consistently providing the best podcast advertising spots out there to delivering zany storylines and earworms that regularly stick in my brain throughout the week, the show has ushered in a weird niche in the medium. "Attorney At Love" is worth a listen for the Amtrak subplot alone, but it also benefits from the guest appearance of "a legit musical person, one that actually knows what they're doing" Nicole Parker ( Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, Wicked ). Parker showed little hesitation inserting herself into the action quite ably, and showing off her vocal chops. McKenna & Reino have lovely voices, but Parker illuminated how a professional vocalist can expand the scope of a show that's already doing a lot. 2. Hidden Brain - "The ...

In honor of the holiday that affords some of us a day off work in honor of a person who an increasing number of people are coming to despise, and mostly in honor of the time spent with my family that ate up my normal writing block, I give you a tweet-sized edition of the normal Pod Piper (with special 280 character section for It's Been A Minute With Sam Sanders ). 1. The Cracked Podcast  - "Donald Trump's Lies Are Trying To Break Your Brain" After countless attacks of inane BS, the president's infuriating response to Puerto Rico broke me. Incisively funny and dead on. 2. Embedded - "Trump Stories: The Apprentice" DT again, but finally from the retrospective lens of his origins as a reality clown. It's Embedded so of course it is 1st-rate journalism. 3. All Songs Considered - "Lin-Manuel Miranda Explains How He Made His New Benefit Song For Puerto Rico" The charity single that amassed hoards of PR-types talent, dissected. It doesn't...

THE LIST 1. Rough Translation  - "The Refugee's Dating Coach" An initial look at Rough Translation as it debuted back at the start of the season struck a note of skepticism surrounding how much translating was actually happening in the show. Throwing aside the perilous literalism that can plague even the most well-meaning critic, the new NPR show has delivered a steady stream of episodes covering any number of far-flung topics. "The Refugee's Dating Coach" meditates on a lighter theme, effectively evincing a common humanity on the other side of the world. There is an undercurrent of tragic circumstance, but the team does a great job of balancing the tension of despair and hope in this brilliant season-ending episode. 2. Strangers -  "The Continental Divide" Like many podcasts, Strangers leverages their feed to promote the work of other producers creating content with values aligned with the parent show. This exposes a new audience to a skille...