https://openargs.com/

Reviewer: Rob Ivessa

What is it?

A US based law podcast that analyses newsworthy legal cases and the legal side of news stories. The podcast pairs a current practising commercial lawyer with a lay professional podcaster. Andrew Torrez (the lawyer) does most of the talking and Thomas Smith takes more of an interviewer role. 

A typical episode is around an hour long and will focus, in one or two segments, on explaining an important case (usually constitutional cases) or analysing a legal issue in the news (usually political issues).

The Review

The good:

It has a top quality production value. It manages to entertainingly dive deep into legal issues without either dumbing it down or failing to give source detail. Andrew Torrez impresses as knowledgeable and completely across all of the issues that he analyses. One of the best things about the show is that like a good submission to Court (or as Americans evidently call it a good “brief to Court”) when an assertion is made, it’s generally backed up with an authority. 

The bad:

Around 150 episodes into its 600+ episode run, around the end of Trump’s first year in office, the show became more overtly partisan political (in a left direction) and less restrained in its commentary. For example, episode 39 was called “Trump’s Muslim Ban” and episode 583 is called “Republicans Creating Handmaid’s Tale Hellscape”. Even still, while the commentary becomes more bombastic, the content remains reliably factual and opaque. And if you lean hard left, that may be a pro for you.

Score: 3.5 stars (starts as 4.5 stars and slides into 3 stars).

Start with: “OA54: Gerrymandering”

https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade

Reviewer: Rob Ivessa

What is it?

Chris Molanphy, a pop-chart analyst and author of Slate’s “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series, tells tales from a half-century of chart history. Through storytelling, trivia, and song snippets, Chris dissects how that song you love—or hate—dominated the airwaves, made its way to the top of the charts, and shaped your memories forever.

A typical episode is around an hour long and (often across two episodes) focuses on a particular musical movement or a group of artists.

The Review

This podcast is just fantastic. It’s not hard going. It’s not going to extend you and make you grow as a person. It’s just fun. Pick an episode that focuses on a genre you love and I guarantee a good time. And you’ll learn a little along the way. For instance why due to a deliberate marketing choice up until the streaming era, songs like Stairway to Heaven and Highway to Hell never charted. Like a criminal barrister adhering to the cab-rank rule, the host even does a great job when analysing a musical movement he hates: Bon Jovi.

Score: 5 stars

Start with: The very first episode: “Red, Red Wine Edition” (truly fascinating), or recent episodes “A Deal with the TV God” (about how TV shows like Stranger Things have made songs like “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush a long delayed No.1 hit).