What’s new to listen to
Ximena Smith rounds up the latest podcasts.
Undetermined
This new investigative podcast from Tenderfoot TV and Resonate Recordings looks into the unsolved death of New Orleans woman Jessica Easterly Durning, who died in 2019. The coroner’s ambiguous ruling – due to insufficient evidence – understandably left her friends and family in a frustrating limbo. Hosted by the investigative journalist Jessica Noll and former State Police Detective Todd McComas, Undetermined revisits the puzzling circumstances surrounding Durning’s death and speaks to her loved ones about their desperate search for answers. So far, the style feels very reminiscent of To Live and Die in LA, another Tenderfoot TV/ Resonate Recordings podcast. It’s pacy and intriguing. Available on all major podcast platforms.
Stopping To Notice with Miranda Keeling
Hosted by author, actor and social media personality Miranda Keeling, this is a unique new series that pushes the boundaries of audio storytelling in a simple-yet-effective way. Each episode of Stopping To Notice is less than five minutes long and involves Keeling going for a walk around London with her microphone, making observations along the way of the small details she sees. From the man with tattoos showing under his rustcoloured arm hair, to the small child gleefully examining a manhole while his mother waits patiently, Keeling’s remarks of her surroundings are elegant and poetic, and they sit beautifully overtop of soothing atmospheric sound. I would describe the series as being somewhat akin to guided mindfulness meditations, therefore it’s not one to listen to while at the gym or running errands – instead, make yourself a cup of tea, put your headphones on, sit down and close your eyes before pressing play. If you like what you hear and want more, Keeling has recently released an illustrated book called The Year I Stopped to Notice, which is full of similar musings on everyday life. New episodes out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, wherever you get your podcasts.
Book Chat
Broadcaster Pandora Sykes and author Bobby Palmer are the hosts of this new conversational podcast about noteworthy books. Every episode, Sykes and Palmer bring a book with them to talk about, with only one rule: each book has to be more than two years old. It’s a refreshingly slow antidote to the constant vortex of hot new releases that I’m sure even the quickest of readers must have trouble keeping up with. What’s more, episodes only come out once a month, suggesting Palmer and Sykes are only featuring books that they really think are worthwhile reads. Palmer and Sykes have a relaxed and organic rapport, so right from the first episode, it feels like you’re listening-in on a conversation between two good friends. Keep in mind that episodes are approximately an hour long and the conversation gets quite in-depth about each book, so spoilers are therefore inevitable. You can subscribe to Book Chat wherever you get your podcasts.