Category: Soundseeing

Just to hold you over.

Rich Pav 17 Comments

I recorded a long podcast on Friday but didn’t edit it over the weekend because I was wrangling my upgraded computer into submission. I don’t want it to go to waste so I had to keep today’s a bit short.

A new video coming soon, depending on how early I can get out of work.

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Music Podcasts from Japan

Rich Pav 12 Comments

Another cringe-as-I-upload kind of episode.

Links go right to the RSS feeds to save ya’ll some trouble. If you know of any good music podcasts from Japan that actually play music, let me know and I’ll add them to the list.

  • Monochrome Cafe – Professional, very, very mellow. Do not listen to while operating heavy machinery.
  • Pod the Music – Professional, J-Pop. If you like J-Pop, this one’s probably your best bet.
  • Progressive Music Cast – Amateur, infrequent, not sure if they actually get around to playing any music, but it’s highly ranked.
  • abcdefg*record – Podcasts from an independent label. More talk than music. The music is definitely not mainstream. Might appeal more to the pink haired, body-pierced, tattooed crowd.
  • BEATCLUB – 1 minute samples. Very popular, maybe I’ll like it more if I give it a chance.
  • NETZ_MUSIC – Commercially sponsored, mostly talk, songs not played all the way through. Perhaps interesting if you’re fluent and curious to hear famous musicians just be themselves.
  • Pod Street Music – Not exclusively Japanese music, but podsafe.
  • TEPCO & Yoshimoto EntamecasTY – Commercially sponsored, either mostly or exclusively talk.
  • Oricon Single Top 40 – Commercial, professional, no music, just listing off the chart-topping song titles.
  • Radio Sakamoto – Ryuichi Sakamoto’s podcast for J-WAVE FM. He’s articulate and easy to understand in comparison to other podcasters, but unfortunately no music, which seems to be typical for podcasts produced by radio stations. They strip the music from the their radio shows and recycle them as podcasts.

In summary, I haven’t been able to find a music show I like by searching the podcast rankings, but keep in mind that J-Pop really isn’t my thing. I guess it’s like someone who lives in Nashville but would rather have his ears chewed off by rabid weasels than listen to country music. If you can read Japanese, check out po-di-um.net’s blog or Staff Picks for other recommended podcasts. They review all kinds of podcasts, not just J-Pop ones.

Update: Listener recommended J-Pop podcasts:

  • Jpop Blast – Definitely not podsafe. I don’t owe the price-gouging music industry here any favors for putting out a never ending barrage of homogenized bubble gum pop songs sung off key by here-today-pumping-gas-tomorrow cookie-cutter teenie bopper dance troops, so tune into to their show if that’s your kind of thang. (…Did that come out of me? Golly gee, who says you need a vagina to turn into a PMS monster?)
  • Muzie – Not a podcast but rather a community site for indy & independent artists in Japan. The should have a podcast, really, because on sites like this, sifting through the sludge for gold nuggets is an arduous process.

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A Fruitless Visit to the Apple Store

Rich Pav 11 Comments

Why yes, in fact I did spend hours thinking up that title, thank you very much. This one ran just a little too long for my tastes. If others think so too, I’ll cut out some of the dead air next time.

It amazes me how not in tune I am with what works or doesn’t work in my own podcasts. It almost seems as if the more uncomfortable I am with something–the content, the delivery, or the editing–the more it resonates with listeners.

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The Good Segue Podcast

Rich Pav 6 Comments

I’m recovering from a post-lunch food coma and still too groggy to remember what I talked about this morning. What I do remember is I segued from one topic to the next pretty well, and my muse did a good job at protecting me from the Anxiety Fairy. (Die, you foul bitch, die!)

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Another painful episode

Rich Pav 6 Comments

To be honest, I’m cringing as I upload this piece of shit. I’m starting to wonder if I’m going to need therapy to work through this. Perhaps the shock of a near-death experience would help put things in perspective. Is there an award for “Most Neurotic Podcaster?” You know those dreams everyone has about being in a crowd and discovering you’re not wearing any pants? That’s what this is like.

But I am really happy with how the videos have been turning out. When nobody is around, I watch them over and over.

And here’s a bonus recording for diehard fans. On the way home I tried to re-record this morning’s episode, but I liked it even less and ended it with an f-bomb. You’ll have to download it manually because if I make a link to two MP3s in one post my RSS feed will barf.

/podcasts/herroflomjapan_060105-2.mp3

OK, I’m going to press the “Publish” button now.

Here I go.

1, 2,

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