The podcasts you should be listening to

I particularly like ‘grassroots’ podcasts: ones that, rather than being commissioned by a big publisher, are the result of a couple of people who started a pod because they had a bit of free time and an abundance of passion for their subject, and who’ve gained a steady followership as they’ve honed their craft. In this case, hosts Joe Shervell and Chris Morris (not that one) evidently got bored of shouting “Don’t go in there!” at their TV screens and instead decided to do something about it – namely to delve into the machine of horror movies and pick out what their characters are doing so wrong as to continually snuff it. It’s geeky without being overtly academic, light and funny without being wacky, and if you’re not a horror fan, don’t fear: it regularly crosses over into mainstream territory, with disaster, thriller and action movies like Titanic, The Hunger Games, Speed and The Revenant having been explored so far.

Try out: How to Survive: The Omen (1976)

Catch it here: player.fm/series/how-to-survive

The major difficulty of an office job is the inability to dissect the minutiae of a weekend of top-flight football until you’re fully sated, especially when you work with Tottenham fans. Enter Andrew Mangan and James McNicholas, two titans of the Arsenal blogging world, whose twice-weekly dollop of banter, insight and occasional absurdity injects a much needed three hours of gooner-related badinage into your week, just when you need it. As well as answering the big questions like ‘will Wenger ever leave?’, ‘is Xhaka as dirty as the world thinks he is?’ and ‘who the hell is Cohen Bramall?’, you’ll also be treated to surrealist jaunts like jam tastings, comedy sketches and an unhealthy obsession with Jamon Ruffles crisps. Sure, it’s partisan (and you can try The Football Ramble if that bothers you) but boy is it necessary.

Try out: Begin with an optimistic episode at the start of the season followed by a slump by January.

Catch it here: arseblog.com/arsecast

I don’t pretend to know what it feels like to take one of the most feared waves in the world on the head, and I’m guessing you don’t either, but I sure as hell want to hear from someone who does. Enter Looking Sideways – a new(ish) podcast from action sports industry vet Matt Barr that I was put onto recently and have been churning through since. The concept’s really simple: each episode features Barr in conversation with someone from the world of action sports (so surfing, skateboarding, snowsports etc) about their life and experiences. The freewheeling chats clock in at anything from 45 minutes to 2 hours – which, let’s face it, is really long – but Barr’s hyper-laid-back tone and the engrossing, wandering conversations suit the long-form approach. Looking Sideways is an intriguing bit of escapism, whether you’re an action sports fan or just like hearing about interesting people with fully lived lives.

Try out: The interview with writer and surfer Jamie Brisick, who offers a frank and open insight into his own life, as well as that of the subject of his book Becoming Westerly – controversial transgender surf icon Westerly Windina.

Catch here it: wearelookingsideways.com

The second season of Malcom Gladwell's podcast, Revisionist History, continues to be one of the most engagingly told, thoughtful and carefully researched casts available. Much like his books Outliers, Blink or David and Goliath he specialises here in finding stories you think you know - and understand the meaning of - and demonstrate that at best you have a sketchy idea of what happened, and more often than not reality is violently different from what you imagined. The new season is as varied as the last - ranging from the story behind McDonald's french fries, via Churchill's WWII machinations, to statues erected to commemorate the civil rights movement.

Try it out: The Prime Minister and the Prof.  

Catch it here: revisionisthistory.com

It may not be the most polished podcast on the internet but New Age Boxing delivers forthright opinions, intelligent analysis and some frankly unspeakable jokes on a weekly basis. Host Andi White plays the straight-man to Martin Theobald and Terry Chapendama, two men who know the industry from the bottom-up. If you’re used to the typical Sky coverage – in which every defeated British boxer is ‘brave’, and even the worst matchups are ‘intriguing’ – there is a real freshness to hearing some alternative views. Whether dissecting the state of Matchroom Promotions, celebrating a rising prospect, or speculating what really happened to Kell Brook in Tenerife, New Age is never less than a blast. 

Try it out: the discussion of Kell Brook's loss to Gennady Golovkin is brutally uncompromising, and very funny. 

Catch it here: soundcloud.com/ewgeoxing

If New Age Boxing is an evening down the pub with your mates, the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast is a dinner party of very nice people, all of whom are far, far more intelligent than you. The current occupant of the White House provides plenty of good material for the political pundit. Statistical guru and FiveThirtyEight editor Nate Silver considers the latest upheavals in Trump’s America with Jody Avirgan, Clare Malone, and Harry Enten. In an increasingly hysterical world, the value of sober and balanced perspectives cannot be overstated.  

Try it out: the post-election edition brilliantly examines Trump's victory, and how the misreading of data contributed to the assumption of his certain defeat. 

Catch it here: fivethirtyeight.com

Game of Thrones has made nerds of us all; so you might as well go the whole hog and listen to two experts unpick the most recent events of Westeros. Bald Move devotes three separate podcasts to each episode: a short ‘Instant Take’ published immediately after broadcast, a more in-depth examination a day later, and a Friday edition with spoilers and theories from the books. Hosts Jim and A.Ron know their stuff but do not take the material too seriously; criticism is normally qualified, any mocking is done with affection. 

Try out: whichever one correlates to the episode you most recently watched. 

Catch it here: baldmove.com

ONBeing tackles the complexities of our existence, in the most digestible and down to earth of ways. Each episode invites you into the mind of an influential thinker, whether it be your favourite literary figure, artist or some new teacher you’d never heard of. The conversations are thought-provoking and contemplative. Hearing such inspirational humans grapple with the big questions of meaning is also comforting. The host Krista Tippet is incredibly well versed in her guests work and is a pleasure to listen to.

Try it out: The Art of Stillness with Pico Iyer.

Catch it here: onbeing.org

A weekly radio show hosted by Ira Glass - whose voice alone makes it (or breaks it) worth the listen. Each episode has a theme with stories within that theme, these can include short fiction, comedy sketches, published articles, found footage, memoirs, field recordings etc. The episodes take the subject and find multiple views and avenues to it. It is educational and insightful, good for your imagination and your conversation points.

Try it out: 556: Same Bed, Different Dreams

Catch it here: thisamericanlife.org