Artist Record Label 1 FIT FOR A KING “Breaking The Mirror” [Single] Solid State 2 AS I LAY DYING “Destruction or Strength” [Single] Nuclear Blast 3 ASKING ALEXANDRIA “Down To Hell” [Single] Sumerian 4 CURRENTS “A Flag to Wave” [Single] Sharptone 5 INGESTED “Impending Dominance” [Single] Unique Leader 6 THE ACACIA STRAIN “C” [Single] Rise 7 THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER Verminous Metal Blade 8 METAL CHURCH From the Vault Rat Pak 9 TESTAMENT Titans Of Creation Nuclear Blast 10 AUGUST BURNS RED Guardians Fearless
We find ourselves in unprecedented times so I curated this list of podcast recommendations of shows that will inspire you, provoke you, or make you laugh (or cry). With more of us (shout out essential workers) staying at home amid these anxious times there is need and yearning for connection. Let’s connect through the most fundamental human art form storytelling, stories provide us with a means to connect, inspire, and many more wonderful things. This list was curated with my personal favorite podcasts that I believe everyone will find interesting featuring shows about big ideas, to shows about the small interpersonal stories that tug at your heartstrings. So, let’s find a new podcast to binge!
Ministry Of Ideas
A small podcast about big ideas “that shape our society” from spiritual machines and transhumanism to the need to have an economy based on grace, this podcast tackles the big questions of society and definitely will engage you intellectually and broaden your perspective on various interesting topics.
Lore
A thrilling podcast about the dark side of history every two weeks host Aaron Mahnke explores true life scary stories. Well produced and well narrated this podcast is a very entertaining podcast that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Myths and Legends
Jason Weiser brings humor to classic myths and legends that we may or may not be familiar with. Jason Weiser narrates myths from different cultures from classical Greek to India and everything in between, think you know these classic stories? Well, listen to these classic stories with a witty spin.
Serial/This American Life
This American Life is a podcast about stories specifically American stories with content so diverse it’s hard to put into a few sentences. Check this podcast out for great stories that can inspire you, make you laugh and can definitely make you cry.
Serial is a podcast from the creators of This American Life is another podcast about stories, Serial takes one story over a season exploring different angles and depths of the particular story making it an engaging podcast that millions of listeners have enjoyed.
Civics 101
A podcast about civics, civics is so important to our lives that a podcast refreshing us about how our government works is so important. Even if you do not consider yourself a political person you should at least have fundamental knowledge of how government works and this podcast is a great resource.
This Land
An assassination in 1889 and 1999 murder case crimes decades apart play into an important supreme court case in 2019 that involves half of Oklahoma and five tribes. This Land is a limited series podcast that explores the background of a supreme court case that could be the biggest tribal land restoration.
5-4
The supreme court sucks! According to this podcast anyway, From the people who brought you Slow Burn this podcast explores different landmark court cases that involve hot topic issues like affirmative action, gun rights, and campaign finance hosts Peter, Michael, and Rhiannon breakdown the ideological battles in the courtroom through a progressive lens.
Wolverine Podcast
A scripted podcast from Marvel featuring one of its cornerstone heroes Wolverine, for my comic book fans and non comic book fans Wolverine the Long Night is a great gateway into the world of scripted podcasts.
The Left Right Game
A scripted podcast starring and co-produced by Tessa Thompson, the engaging story is worth a listen but it is backed up by amazing production with immersive audio; this story offers not just an suspenseful mystery story but an experience.
Jemele Hill Is Unbothered
An Original Podcast on Spotify featuring award winning journalist Jemele Hill. Jemele Hill interviews a who’s who in the entertainment industry but also politicians and activists to have interesting conversations.
Becoming Wise
In short episodes, most are less than 10 minutes, host Krista Tippett explores various topics that will make you wiser through the many interesting conversations she has with interesting people from Brene’ Brown to John Lewis become more wise with this podcast.
Optimal Relationships Advice
Optimal Living Daily is an audioblog where they narrate content to you and this particular audioblog is about relationships. And not just romantic relationships, although those are covered too, but other relationships everything from friendships and parenting. Get the best relationships content read to you for free, best deal ever.
How’s Work With Esther Perel
Couples therapist Esther Perel explores relationships at the workplace, from startups to family business and everything in between. In one time therapy sessions between co workers, co founders, and colleagues Perel unpacks the invisible forces that impact our relationships at work.
Good For You
Comedian Whitney Cummings interviews guests (friends, comics, celebs etc) every week. These interviews are never boring as Cummings comedic background is in full effect with every interview, listen for laughs….and more laughs.
Good One A Podcast About Jokes
A podcast about jokes sounds funny right but it is funny and informative. What makes a good joke? That is what this podcast is all about as comics break down their best jokes and find out what makes a good joke, you might see your comedic skills improve too.
Zig Zag
A business podcast about the changing course of capitalism? Sign me up, this podcast hosted by Manoush Zomorodi and Jen Poyant this podcast will help you understand a multitude of things from cryptocurrency to identity at work and how work is changing plus many more pertinent topics to the modern workplace and modern life.
If you want to join the discussion, have any thoughts/ comments, or want to suggest a book you can do so through the book club at Goodreads. Get Psyched intro music was created by PME, used by permission. Find PME on Spotify.
This wholesome four-piece group from Vienna, Austria writes songs for a greater purpose than mere entertainment. Vitamin C, My Ugly Clementine’s debut album, tackles heavy topics such as gender equality, difficult breakups, and self-confidence. Though the band has been together for less than two years, it’s evident by this album’s impeccable composure that this group has already cracked the code to making ears perk up. The band is already known as a supergroup in the Viennese music circle, but are just starting to make promising strides in the U.S.
Instrumental on this album sounds very 90s, including guitar with an exact twinge of fuzz that makes you double check to see when this album was actually recorded. Don’t let the Summery sounds on this album fool you, there are are some meaningful lyrics at work. The first track on the album, Playground, has incredible sway, while clearly conveying the message that being a woman is not a handicap. The last track, Peptalk, is the slowest and most somber song on the album, but arguably the most uplifting, about a person reminding themselves of their individual value.
I appreciate the clear messages embedded in each and every song on this album. There are no excruciatingly vague lyrics that leave you struggling to figure out just what the heck the band is harping on about. I don’t mean to say that songs that leave some interpretation up to the listener are bad, but when lyrics are too generic, it just comes off as lazy songwriting.
Listen to this album if you’re having difficulty being alone with yourself during this quarantine, or if you’re in the process of defining your own identity. This album will empower you and remind you that you’re good enough. I’d also recommend this album to you if you like bands like Soccer Mommy, Haley Heynderickx, and Lucy Dacus.
April has already been a fantastic month for releases, and it’s only been a week. I’m excited for this month of music, especially since a lot of artists are releasing content right now. Considering everything happening in the world it’s really nice to have comforting new music from people who are acknowledging the changes while focusing on trying to embrace the brighter sides of life. Whether the music directly relates to the state of things right now or not, I strongly appreciate all the artists who are continuing to put out their work and giving us all something that we can enjoy and let inspire us.
‘Level of Concern’ by Twenty One Pilots – Tyler chooses to acknowledge the struggles and heaviness of the world right now from the very first line of this track, and I have to say it’s an amazing comfort to hear from the band right now. Just this week, on the Get Psyched Podcast, my friend Darius and I talked about the history of the band and predicted that the band would be releasing something new soon. We even mentioned that we hoped they would come out with something that related to the current state of things, so I have to say the timing of this release is perfect (The link to that episode will be at the bottom of this article). The rest of the song definitely lives up to Twenty One Pilots reputation, but it has a very new and different sound, and it’s nothing short of amazing. It’s catchy, comforting, and has a very developed sound. I get strong ‘Indie Pop’ vibes from this song, it feels less ‘electronic’ in a certain sense of the word, and it definitely stands out from other works from the band. If a new record is coming with this new sound I’m here for it.
‘Chosen Family’ by Rina Sawayama – I’ve talked about this artist on the blog before, and her highly anticipated album that’s being released April 17th, and this latest single has me even more excited for the debut record. It’s a much softer song then the last track released, but the music still holds up to her style. Its harmonics, synths and even a moment with electric guitar blasting in at the end really make the track stand out and feel uniquely hers. The lyrics also tell a beautiful story spreading the message of what it’s like to be so close to someone that they become your family, regardless of blood. How powerful and important our ‘chosen families’ are. The message and her soothing vocals make this track a perfect one for feeling appreciation for those you love most.
‘My Friend’ by Hayley Williams – Hayley is another artist I’ve talked about recently on the podcast, who keeps blowing me away with her new releases, and just dropped a new track and video that warmed my heart. This track reminds me of Rina’s in the sense that the music is enticing, the vocals are smooth and beautiful, and the message is that of appreciation and love for someone close to you. The lyrics talk about being seen in every state by someone and staying close regardless, it’s heartwarming and engulfes the themes of true friendship. These new themes and sounds from petals to armor really show some growth, change and talent from the artist: it continues to excite me for what’s to come.
Now’s a great time to enjoy some new tunes and also take a moment to think of all of the people we love and appreciate most, and these songs are a great way to do both. There are definitely way more I haven’t mentioned, but you can find some more tracks in the playlist below. What are your favorite tracks that have been released this month?
Favorite Songs: Saphris, Fractured, Light That Burns the Sky
Xenobiotic is a hidden gem I randomly found scrolling through someone’s Instagram page. When I listened to their song Saphris, I was instantly hooked. It honestly shocked me to see that their monthly listener rate was moderately low on Spotify, given their unique sound and incredible talent. Unfortunately, it was difficult finding information on them, so it took some digging. The band originates from Australia, which is a hardcore country in itself (have you seen pictures of their spiders?), and consists of Nish Raghavan and Cam Moore on guitars, David Finaly on bass, TJ Sinclair for vocals, and Mikey Godwin on drums. This team perfectly combines sounds of black metal and technical death metal with a refreshing, progressive approach to lyricism. Their name itself, Xenobiotic, refers to something relating to a substance, typically a synthetic chemical, that is foreign to the body. Their artwork immediately caught my eye, and while you can’t judge a book by its cover, their album Mordrake is as complex, chaotic, and beautiful as the artwork suggests. The humanoid figure appears to be mummified or strewn in some form of web and is cutting or ripping open its chest to reveal a moon, mountains, and dark figures. In my opinion, this is just as brutal as any song on the album and suggests something dark and profound.
Mordrake opens with Insomnia, an eerie, atmospheric sound that quickly descends into heavy, melodic riffs, carefully placed drums, and deep gutturals and bone-chilling shrieks. The album proceeds to get heavier with each song, inducing a whirlwind of emotion and aggression without becoming too overwhelming. Light That Burns the Sky showcases TJ’s range and power, as well as their meaningful lyricism. It seems to highlight the process of cognitive dissonance and the confusion and desperation that often follows. My favorite song, Saphris, has a beautiful, atmospheric introduction – the calm before the storm. It explodes into an intense, overwhelming breakdown that grows into a violent expression of heartache, unfurling into disarray. Needless to say, this is one of the most beautiful, powerful metal songs I have ever listened to. There are not enough words I can find to describe the emotion expressed in this song. Saphris, a nickname for the medication Asenapine that is used to treat mood disorders such as schizophrenia, perfectly induces the feeling of internal chaos, uncertainty, and hope that is felt in mental illness. Mental illness seems to be a common theme and they perfectly capture the numerous intricate facets it presents. Their music calls for reflection of oneself and the nature of the human psyche and emotion. I truly hope Xenobiotic get the recognition they deserve one day, and I am so excited to have found a band I can continuously fall back on when I need the release. Give them a listen and strap yourself in for a brutal, emotional experience!
Artist Record Label 1 HURLEE Beating For You [EP] Apparel 2 LONE Not Seeing Is A Flower [EP] Ancient Astronauts 3 HOT CHIP A Bath Full Of Ecstasy Domino 4 DEATON CHRIS ANTHONY BO Y Self-Released 5 SASSY 009 KILL SASSY 009 Luft 6 GRACE IVES 2nd Dots Per Inch 7 BRIJEAN Walkie Talkie Native Cat 8 FINN, INDIA JORDAN H.U.R.L/F.U.R.L [EP] Local Action 9 CARIBOU Suddenly Merge 10 COWGIRL CLUE Icebreaker Vada Vada
