Recommend an obscure podcast
October 31, 2014 7:52 AM   Subscribe

I'm looking for some good podcasts to fill up my podcast app, but I'm not interested in the popular ones that are routinely recommended. I'm looking for hidden gems -- well-crafted, entertaining podcasts that are homemade, not affiliated with any company or organization, purely individual labors of love. They can be on any topic, so long as they're truly obscure podcasts that you can't imagine more than a hundred people subscribing to. Thanks for any suggestions!
posted by El Sabor Asiatico to Media & Arts (15 answers total) 49 users marked this as a favorite
 
Love and Radio has recently been gaining a lot more attention, but they're still just a bunch of friends doing it for fun. It's been my favorite for a long time. This is a good one.
posted by monologish at 8:05 AM on October 31, 2014


I discovered 3 Fast, 3 Furious a few months ago. It's actually not a current podcast but there's a big archive from when it was recorded (2006-2008). Just three or four friends sitting around a table talking - each episode is loosely organized around a topic, but the shows are very digressive and what I really love is it's clear they're not trying to get famous or leverage the podcast into jobs in the entertainment industry or anything - they're just hanging out with each other because they like hanging out with each other and also it's being recorded because why not!
posted by raisindebt at 8:06 AM on October 31, 2014 [1 favorite]


I've been listening to a weird biking podcast lately. It's tone is just so non-radio: it reminds me most of public access TV. It's called Bike Talk. They don't update anymore...
posted by latkes at 8:35 AM on October 31, 2014 [1 favorite]


The CromCast a group of friends (and guests) discussing Robert E. Howard's weird fiction (particularly Conan).

The Bible Geek. Join atheist theologian cum Lovecraft scholar and weird fiction author (and former Babtist Minister) Robert M. Price as he discusses the historiocity of the Bible.
posted by anansi at 8:39 AM on October 31, 2014 [2 favorites]


A co-worker recently recommended the Hooting Yard Podcast (feedburner link, in case that's still a thing). I haven't had a chance to dig into it yet but it seems like it would meet your criteria. Infrequently updated but there's a reasonably large archive.

I also enjoy The Ancient World. He's in the middle of a new series that I haven't listened to yet; the original begins here.
posted by pullayup at 8:53 AM on October 31, 2014 [1 favorite]


The subject itself is not obscure, but if you want a labor of love, something that's just enthusiastic and heartfelt, please listen to Compleatly Beatles.

They're not associated with any company or organization (read: no ads), and there's a great duality between David Dedrick, who's a Beatles disciple, and Ian Boothby, a wonderful comic with roots in improv, who brings equal amounts of irreverence (see: openly calling out the misogyny in their early lyrics) and wonder (disbelief that five people could revolutionize music production as much as they did) to the proceedings.

Each episode covers one Beatles album, the cultural zeitgeist of that period, and extensive insight into the recording and musical process of the Fab Four.

I was listening to the Magical Mystery Tour episode this morning, and the whole thing is worth it just for the 20 minutes spent what makes 'I am the Walrus' a work of artistic genius.
posted by mysticreferee at 9:27 AM on October 31, 2014 [4 favorites]


You Must Remember This. Is hands down one of my favorite podcasts of all time and I keep waiting for it it get big. This one woman who did a lot of film writing, Karina Longworth does this amazing podcast that is entirely just her.

Also Piggybacking off of Love and Radio, Everything is Stories. Similar vibe, they even partnered on this one episode I'm totally going to butcher the spelling of, but Sesquidanarain or whatever. I would include links but I'm on my phone.
posted by KernalM at 9:47 AM on October 31, 2014 [4 favorites]


Oh and Criminal. Criminal is also excellent.
posted by KernalM at 9:48 AM on October 31, 2014 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thanks much for these intriguing suggestions!
posted by El Sabor Asiatico at 11:21 AM on October 31, 2014


I'm not sure how popular it is, but I notice it's usually left off of the big lists: Sawbones (A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine) is about the history (hilarious, gross, and tragic) of medicine. It's one of my favorites, and I've recommended it to tons of people who went on to get hooked on it.
posted by you're a kitty! at 12:14 PM on October 31, 2014 [1 favorite]


Useless Information and also The History Chicks.
posted by hazel79 at 12:34 PM on October 31, 2014


The Podcasters Guide to the Conspiracy. Two guys discuss conspiracy theories from an academic and philosophical viewpoint but in an engaging and fun (and often silly) way. The first three or so are a bit dry while they lay down their framework, but stick with it because that doesn't last.
posted by shelleycat at 1:52 PM on October 31, 2014 [1 favorite]


He seems to have stopped updating but Audio Spackle is a fun clever discussion of pop songs around a theme.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 4:43 PM on October 31, 2014


Mouth of Wonder
posted by mon-ma-tron at 11:47 AM on November 1, 2014


El Sabor Asiatico: "They can be on any topic, so long as they're truly obscure podcasts that you can't imagine more than a hundred people subscribing to."

This is going to be bending the rules a little bit. NPR's platform dices up their shows in a number of ways. For example, there's a five-minute segment on Weekend Edition called the Sunday Puzzle. You can subscribe to it separately. It makes for a fun weekly programming challenge as well.

GitMinutes is a podcast about the git revision control tool, and the people who write tools to supplement it.
posted by pwnguin at 12:59 PM on November 1, 2014


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