Over/underrated: a music podcast with Fran and Babs

Barbara Mendes-Jorge and Fran James

Do you believe the hype? Fran and Babs talk about bands and artists potentially given undue credit & musicians who should be more famous, by curating five or ten-track playlists to argue their case read less
MusicMusic

Episodes

S8E9 - Special Episode: Fran and Babs' Best of 2024, Part II
30-12-2024
S8E9 - Special Episode: Fran and Babs' Best of 2024, Part II
As has become tradition, we have each picked our ten favourite tunes of the year! Like in 2023 & 2022, we have picked songs according to pre-determined categories - however as we spoke quite a lot during this episode, we've divided it into two parts - you can already listen to Part I here. In Part II, we discuss the best rock song, favourite collaboration, best song from outside of Europe, best solo song and favourite sync track. In this episode, Fran mishears a crucial lyric in a Denzel Curry song and Babs gets obsessed with a certain Luca Guadagnino film soundtrack... Listen to our ⁠Best of 2023⁠, ⁠⁠Best of 2022⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Best of 2021⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Best of 2020⁠⁠⁠ episodes to see our faves from previous years.  You can find ⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads, and we're giving Bluesky another go ⁠⁠@oumusicpod.bsky.social⁠⁠ - we're also still on Twitter/X ⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, for now. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S8E8 - Special Episode: Fran and Babs' Best of 2024, Part I
24-12-2024
S8E8 - Special Episode: Fran and Babs' Best of 2024, Part I
As has become tradition, we have each picked our ten favourite tunes of the year! Like in 2023 & 2022, we have picked songs according to pre-determined categories - however as we spoke quite a lot during this episode, we've divided it into two parts (the next one will be out on New Year's Day)... In Part I, we discuss the best song by a group, favourite track in a genre we don't normally like, favourite song not in English, and best song to listen to live. In this episode, we learn more than expected about the country of Niger, and Babs is surprised that a 'trap-pop' song by a popular singer is on her list... Listen to our Best of 2023, ⁠Best of 2022⁠, ⁠⁠Best of 2021⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Best of 2020⁠⁠ episodes to see our faves from previous years.  You can find ⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠ - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads, and we're giving Bluesky another go ⁠@oumusicpod.bsky.social⁠ - we're also still on Twitter/X ⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, for now. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S8E7 - British Pop: Dua Lipa (Overrated) & Sugababes (Underrated) - with Sam Lake
05-12-2024
S8E7 - British Pop: Dua Lipa (Overrated) & Sugababes (Underrated) - with Sam Lake
Joined by comedian and podcaster Sam Lake, we're talking about one of the most successful British contemporary popstars (and where Sam listens to her songs while he's at the gym), and one of the girl bands we're most fond of (as well as which snack Sam associates with each of their songs). Dua Lipa is a mega pop star - she has the two most streamed albums by a female artist of all time on Spotify and was the youngest female artist to accomplish one billion views on YouTube with her video for New Rules'. Are we hallucinating or is the hype justified? Sam chose Sugababes as an underrated pick - as a band, they've had quite a journey, many different line-ups, but their comeback has been an undeniable success. Are they now finally taking a deserved place in the pantheon of British pop icons? We highly recommend checking out Sam's podcast 'I've Had a Rosé, Let's Talk About Feelings' and his stand-up special 'Cake', which you can watch on YouTube. Babs also recommends watching Dua Lipa peforming live with St Vincent at the 2019 Grammys. You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠- it includes all the songs from our playlist, plus bonus songs from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads, and we're giving Bluesky another go @oumusicpod.bsky.social - we're also still on Twitter/X @OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, for now. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S8E6 - Hip-hop Part II: Eminem (Overrated) & cupcakKe (Underrated)
05-11-2024
S8E6 - Hip-hop Part II: Eminem (Overrated) & cupcakKe (Underrated)
It's been a while since we did a hip-hop episode and today we've picked two quite different acts to discuss in this episode! Eminem is one of the world's most successful rappers, who definitely helped popularise hip-hop among white audiences - however, he has always courted controversy with his deliberately caustic lyrics...Fran has toured his discography to make a ten-track playlist and we both discuss whether his notoriety is merited.... Babs chose Chicago rapper cupcakKe as an underrated pick because despite having healthy streaming figures, Babs wonders how well-known she is outside of the younger, online, LGBT+ community - and she is keen to hear whether Fran finds cupcakKe's frank lyrics very funny too... The song cupcakKe featured on that Babs temporarily forgot about is thankfully still on YouTube - it's called Pu$$y Market and you should check it out immediately. You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠- it includes all the songs from our playlist, plus bonus songs from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S8E5 - Pop Singer-Songwriters, Part II: P!nk (Overrated) & Annie (Underrated)
06-10-2024
S8E5 - Pop Singer-Songwriters, Part II: P!nk (Overrated) & Annie (Underrated)
We're back in the world of pop, having previously discussed Billie Eilish and Charli xcx last season (and Charli xcx's BRAT in this season too)! The two playlists for this episode were created by Pop Underrated, whose Linktree you should check out. P!nk is currently ranked as Spotify's 100th most-popular artist in the world - she has gone through many musical phases and is more outspoken than the average pop star, especially as she started in the noughties...but how do we feel about some of her hits? Referred by some as "Norwegian Kylie", underrated pick Annie straddles the pop, electro and indie worlds with ease - however, in the more siloed music world of the noughties, her resistance to categorisation may have hindered her success - which is a shame, given how many pop bangers she clearly has under her belt... You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all the songs from our playlist, plus bonus songs from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S8E4 - Special Episode: Charli xcx's album 'BRAT'
15-08-2024
S8E4 - Special Episode: Charli xcx's album 'BRAT'
Why hello there people who snag their tights on lawn chairs, mean girls and those who think everything is romantic - don't worry if you don't understand what this means, join us anyway for a special episode where we discuss Charli xcx's latest album BRAT in depth - the songs and the cultural impact it is currently having this summer... We'd previously discussed Charli xcx (and Billie Eilish) in some depth on our pop singer-songwriters episode last season, where Babs picked her as underrated because she felt Charli didn't have enough mainstream recognition... WELL, a lot has changed since then as her latest album BRAT is not only extremely popular and critically-lauded, but has taken the internet by storm thanks to a genius marketing campaign and brand identity... In this episode, we do our best to explain the BRAT phenomenon, Babs talks about how good it feels to be a long-time Charli xcx fan (a.k.a. Charli's Angel) while Fran rates each song from BRAT out of ten (but not the three extra songs from 'Brat and it’s the same but there’s three more songs so it’s not' - we discuss those and some of the remixes too, although unfortunately the Guess remix with Billie Eilish came out after we recorded...) You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all the songs from our playlist, plus bonus songs from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads. Fran & Babs try their best Apple dance over there, so it's definitely worth checking out. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S8E2 - 80s Synth Pop: Eurythmics (Overrated) & Deux (Underrated) - with George Pringle
27-06-2024
S8E2 - 80s Synth Pop: Eurythmics (Overrated) & Deux (Underrated) - with George Pringle
We're travelling to one of our favourite eras, joined by special guest George Pringle - a music producer, artist & gallery owner. George made both playlists for this week's episode, and we start with a discussion about Eurythmics. Their influence in synth pop is undeniable - as was Annie Lennox's look, attitude and progressive politics - but is the hype justified? Fran & Babs had never heard of Deux, a French synth-pop duo formed in Lyon, who determinedly made music to listen to in your bedroom. Will we want to join them with George at Paris / Orly, or is it all too much of a Game and Performance? You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all the songs from our playlist, plus bonus songs from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Follow George on Instagram @georgepringletv and listen to her music! Babs recommends starting with her personal favourite tune Physical Education. The original version of No More "I Love You's" by The Lover Speaks is on YouTube, you should check it out. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S8E1 - UK 00's Indie Explosion, Part II: Arctic Monkeys (Overrated) & The Cooper Temple Clause (Underrated)
23-05-2024
S8E1 - UK 00's Indie Explosion, Part II: Arctic Monkeys (Overrated) & The Cooper Temple Clause (Underrated)
Welcome back to Season 8! Delighted our lockdown project continues, thanks so much for listening. We're back in the noughties, and our overrated pick is a hugely popular rock band that neither of us are particularly keen on, especially since their first album...nevertheless, Babs made a wide-ranging playlist of Arctic Monkeys songs so her and Fran could re-assess whether there's more gold in their back catalogue than previously thought... Fran chose Berkshire band The Cooper Temple Clause as his underrated pick as he feels that they're a pretty solid act - with especially great singles - yet they are not included enough in the discussion of great British indie bands from the era. Babs owns one of their albums, but will she agree with Fran's assessment and enjoy his playlist? You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all the songs from our playlist, plus bonus songs from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S7E10 - Special Episode: Fran and Babs' Best of 2023
29-12-2023
S7E10 - Special Episode: Fran and Babs' Best of 2023
The final episode of the season is our annual special where we each pick our favourite songs of the year! Like in 2022, we have picked songs according to pre-determined categories: favourite song by a solo act, best song by a group, favourite track in a genre we don't normally like, favourite song not in English, best collaboration, best sync song, favourite song we'd like to hear live, best new artist, best rock song and favourite non-European song. Which two artists come back again for Fran & Babs? Which artist is picked twice in two different categories? And which song is described by Babs as being "a drum’n’bass, trap metal nightmare?" 💘 Listen to our Best of 2022, ⁠Best of 2021⁠ and ⁠Best of 2020⁠ episodes to see our faves from previous years.  You can find the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠ - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky. We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram - and now also @overunderratedmusicpod on Threads although we have done nothing there yet! You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which we check on a semi-regular basis. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S7E8 - Australia Part III 🇦🇺 INXS (Overrated) & The Go-Betweens (Underrated) - with Bill Cummings
15-12-2023
S7E8 - Australia Part III 🇦🇺 INXS (Overrated) & The Go-Betweens (Underrated) - with Bill Cummings
Joined by writer & broadcaster Bill Cummings, we're returning down under to discuss two bands who experienced wildly varying levels of success... INXS have sold a whopping 95 million albums worldwide - they're one of Australia's most successful musical acts ever. With their crisp new wave sound and iconic frontman, will Fran & Babs feel the hype is nevertheless deserved? Bill picked The Go-Betweens as "the quintessential underrated band" - with nine studio albums to their name, they never secured an Australian or UK Top 40 single (although the band has had a bridge named after them in their native Brisbane!). Fran & Babs knew almost nothing about the group, so will they join Bill on the other side of the Go Between Bridge? Bill is the founder of God Is in the TV, an online music and culture fanzine which you should check out. He also hosts the Show Me Magic podcast, which is focused on new music. You can find⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all songs from Bill's playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky - as well as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S7E6 - Britpop Part III: Stereophonics (Overrated) & Ash (Underrated) - with Robin Allender
30-11-2023
S7E6 - Britpop Part III: Stereophonics (Overrated) & Ash (Underrated) - with Robin Allender
Joined by musician, comedian and podcaster Robin Allender, we are back feeling nostalgic about the late 90's... Stereophonics are clearly one of the more successful acts to emerge from Wales - to date, their most famous song Dakota has had over 200 million streams on Spotify - but are Fran, Babs or Robin fans of the band? Robin picked Ash as an underrated favourite in part due to the influence their Trailer EP had on him as a youth, especially the song Uncle Pat...Fran & Babs are Ash fans, but is their favourite Ash era the same as Robin's? Check out Robin's music podcasts: on The Clientele Podcast Robin interviews the band and their fans about what makes The Clientele's music unique. On Your Own Personal Beatles, Robin and co-host Jack Pelling talk to guests about how their lives have been influenced "by the greatest band of them all." Check out Robin's music on Bandcamp and his Linktree for all of Robin's creative endevours. You can find⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠the playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all songs from Robin's playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also ⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky - as well as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S7E4 - Goth: The Cure (Overrated) & Xmal Deutschland (Underrated) - with Ryan Schaff
16-11-2023
S7E4 - Goth: The Cure (Overrated) & Xmal Deutschland (Underrated) - with Ryan Schaff
Joined by our first ever returning guest - Ryan Schaff, host of ⁠The Broken Record Player podcast⁠ - we're breaking out the eyeliner, black nail varnish and discussing what makes a band truly goth... Ryan is a huge fan of The Cure - they're in his top five favourite bands of all time - while Fran & Babs don't exactly muster the same level of enthusiasm...can he get them more on board? Xmal Deutschland's 'Incubus Succubus' might be considered a 'goth classic', but Ryan argues that this 80's band deserve more success and recognition beyond one song - and we discuss whether singing mostly in German may have hampered their success... You should listen to ⁠The Broken Record Player podcast⁠ - Babs has guested three times, discussing ⁠⁠PJ Harvey's debut album Dry⁠⁠, ⁠Toxicity by System of a Down⁠ as well as ⁠The Chemical Brothers' Dig Your Own Hole⁠. You should also check out Ryan's previous guest stints on Over/underrated, where he talked about grunge bands Pearl Jam and L7. You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠the playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all songs from Ryan's playlist, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also ⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky - as well as ⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.
S7E1 - Special Episode: Interviewing Bob Stanley, music journalist and founder of Saint Etienne
30-10-2023
S7E1 - Special Episode: Interviewing Bob Stanley, music journalist and founder of Saint Etienne
We're kicking off our new season with a very special episode! We're interviewing Bob Stanley, a very talented writer, musician, DJ, and film producer. Since founding the band Saint Etienne, Bob has enjoyed a parallel career as a music journalist. He came on the podcast to talk about two of his books, which - together - span the entire history of pop, from the invention of the 78 rpm record at the end of the 19th century to the current modern pop age. This being Over/underrated, we still wanted to ask Bob for five of his most beloved underrated artists - and we have picks as far back as 1950! Bob's book 'Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop' starts at the dawn of pop in the fifties to its increasingly digital existence in the 21st century. Re-released this year with a new chapter, Bob has successfully and engagingly charted the history of modern pop. We also discussed Bob's latest book 'Let's Do It: The Birth of Pop' - a prequel to Yeah Yeah Yeah and "the only book that brings together all genres to tell the definitive story of the birth of Pop, from 1900 to the mid-fifties." Winner of the Penderyn Book Prize, Let's Do It shines an encyclopedic light on pop's pre-history. Densely packed and consistently fascinating, we music nerds really enjoyed geeking out on both of Bob's books - and recommend you grab yourselves a copy of each also. Check out Bob's website and find out more about his back catalogue of books and records. You can follow 'Rocking Bob' on Instagram, Twitter/X and Bluesky. You can find ⁠the playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠ - it includes all songs from Bob's playlist, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠@OUmusicpod⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also @OUmusicpod on Bluesky - as well as ⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠ on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠. Thanks to ⁠Mark Abbott⁠ for our logo.
S6E10 - Prog Rock: Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Overrated) & Marillion (Underrated) - with Joz Norris
01-06-2023
S6E10 - Prog Rock: Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Overrated) & Marillion (Underrated) - with Joz Norris
Joined by comedian, writer & performer Joz Norris, we're finally delving into prog rock for our last episode of the season - and we hope, like us, that you don't take it TOO seriously... Joz picked Emerson, Lake & Palmer as overrated because he feels that they represent the wildest excesses of prog and contribute to its pretentious reputation. With one of the songs on Joz's playlist called 'The Three Fates: i) Clotho ii) Lachesis iii) Atropos', will Fran & Babs agree they're too ostentatious - or will they get on board the ELP train? The underrated pick this week is Marillion, who Joz feels are often unfairly treated as a joke band and should be better known for more than their smash 1985 hit 'Kayleigh' - especially as they were pioneers in fan-funded music and are still making records and touring to this day. We recommend you checking out ⁠⁠Keith Emerson's flying piano on YouTube⁠⁠ - and we mentioned Zoltan Koscis playing Bartók's Allegro Barbaro and Khatia Buniatishvili playing Mussorgsky's The Hut on Hen's Legs (Baba-Yaga) as stunning piano highlights. You can find Joz on Twitter and Instagram - he is @JozNorris in both places. If you're based in or near London, Joz will be recording a few comedy specials at the Moth Club on 16 July. Before that, he'll be hosting an all-day comedy workshop at The Bill Murray on 29 June. More of his shows, films and radio sitcoms are available on his Linktree. You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from Joz's playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠. We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.