Playing Favourites (The Best Podcasts of 2019)

Laura Macfehin lists some her most recent favourite podcasts.

I’ll say it now– if I’m awake I’m usually listening to a podcast.  Perhaps because I work from home, perhaps because life doesn’t allow me to read all day but podcasts fill the need in my life for both company and a constant influx obscure information.  These have been some of my favourite this year!

Passenger List

Passenger List is an audio drama from Radiotopia– the podcast company that makes some of my favourite podcasts like Criminal and Radio Diaries.  It follows Kaitlin Le (played by Kelly Marie Tran) whose brother has disappeared along with the plane he was on.  Determined to get to the bottom of his disappearance and the truth of what happened to Flight 702 Kaitlin goes down all kinds of rabbit holes and intrigue to find answers.  If you love suspense and great audio production you’ll love Passenger List.

Dolly Parton’s America

I will admit right now that I am a Dolly superfan; one of the greatest disappointments in my life was missing out on a phone interview with Ms.Parton (I may or may not have gotten celebratory mugs made in anticipation).  Dolly Parton’s America is a podcast that much like the Appalachian Angel herself has something for everyone.  For music nerds and superfans there are all new interviews and for people who maybe have always wondered about the phenomenon that is Dolly or why she brings such diverse people together there is an examination of why she is so beloved by everyone and why her music is for all.

Forgotten Australia

If you love obscure history; if you go down rabbit holes scouring old newspapers and marvelling at the items that were big news but now have passed from our common consciousness then Forgotten Australia is the podcast for you.  The stories of Australasian history that had everybody talking a hundred years ago but are now largely forgotten.

Visitations with Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah

Courtesy of the streaming service Shudder (that unfortunately for New Zealand horror fans is unavailable here) Elijah Wood and his producer buddy Daniel Noah bring an interview podcast that talks to some of the most interesting players in genre filmmaking and television.  They have unprecedented access to some amazing creative folk– people like The Rodarte Sisters, Panos Cosmatos and Guillermo Del Toro and the result is a fascinating collection of conversations about horror film that are a must listen for horror fans or anyone interested in the creative process.

Hitman

In 1983 a book was published that purported to be a manual for hitmen– a book that wreaked havoc amongst the lives of families and caused many to question the meaning of free speech.  Jasmyn Morris has produced a very sensitive story following the history of a book and the real life people who have been affected by it.

Dressed: The History of Fashion

As the hosts April and Cassidy tell us– we all have one thing in common; each day we all get dressed.  Dressed covers fashion history from the inside out– from the big haute couture stories to the history of jandals.  Absolutely a must listen for anyone wears clothes!

Other big mentions for the year are Ephemeral – which is like a passport back to the 90s when in the pre-digital age collectors were a special breed- if you love found footage, odd audio, the miscellanea of the past then Ephemeral is the podcast for you.  Retrogasm has a special place in Eclectic Ladyland’s heart– ‘retronauts’ D.D. Deluxe and Hettie La Bombe bring together everything vintage in New Zealand from muscle cars to music.  Family Secrets (as the name suggests) brings some heavy subject matter into the light– the content might be full on but the podcast is so gentle and real that it is relatable to all humans who have families.

What have been your favourite podcasts this year?  I’m always looking suggestions so give me yours!