flux.

Rather than creating a Top 10 or Top 100 Records of 2008, I figured that I’d do something different this year by putting together a list of favorite podcasts from ’08.

These are all free podcasts that I subscribe and listen to on a regular basis (admittedly, mostly while doing cardio at the gym). Enjoy, and don’t forget to leave your comments by clicking at the top right hand corner of the post – I’d love to hear what you think!

*Note: Clicking on the title of the podcast will take you directly to the feed in iTunes.

1. La Blogothèque’s Takeaway Shows (video)

I’ve been subscribing for a few years and it’s still a fave. The folks behind the french blog La Blogothèque capture musicians performing in interesting and quirky places around Paris, from Andrew Bird strolling through Monmartre playing the violin to Bloc Party doing an acoustic set in front of a pub. Each show is simply wonderful and intimately beautiful.

2. KCRW Guest DJ Project 
KCRW DJs interview a variety of celebrities from chefs to athletes, actors to comedians on the music that has shaped their life. The interviews are witty, surprising and often quite touching. I know the podcast well as I serve as the online producer for it at KCRW.com.

3. RCRD LBL

Each week the folks at RCRD LBL put together highlights from the week’s selections. I sometimes find it difficult to keep up with the amount of music they post during the week and this podcast offers a nice recap.

3. East Village Radio – Authentic Sh*t
The feed went down as of mid December. But if it comes back (God-willing) this is the ultimate way to get your Marc Ronson fix and hear some fresh bangers to get your Friday night started.  

4. Stones Throw podcast

A hidden gem, the folks at Stones Throw regularly offer up treats like a rare DJ set from Peanut Butter Wolfs’ famed area codes tour, album previews and even the Badd Santa mixtape.

5. Ghostly Cast
The Ghostly International label – perhaps the best electronic label stateside – provide choice live sets and DJ mixes from Ghostly and Spectral artists.

6. Gilles Peterson Worldwide

Gilles brings in guest DJs and producers to discuss upcoming projects and new releases. The podcast is updated intermittently but each one is a treat.

7. Fader Magazine
The folks at Fader offer up an electronic version of their magazine via iTunes.

8. Morning Becomes Eclectic (video) 
MBE provides a glimpse behind the scenes at the KCRW studios. The video podcast offers the entire live session from each artist along with the full 2-part interview.

9. Resident Advisor
A weekly podcast of continuous DJ mixes from online dance and electronic music magazine residentadvisor.net.

10. Woxy.com Lounge Acts Podcast
Performances from emerging indie artists taped live from the WOXY lounge in Cincinnati, Ohio. They offer additional podcasts too featuring unsigned artists, music news, and local bands.

Also:

KCRW Today’s Top Tune
A free song a day from KCRW.

The Interface (video)
The weekly videocast offers live performances from new artists.

Better Propaganda
Every month resident DJ Jonah Sharp Phil produces a podcast of the choicest tunes from all genres and forward thinking labels.

Daytrotter
Daytrotter features an indie band each week, performing four of their songs in-studio.

KEXP Music That Matters
Full-length songs offering a snapshot of what’s new in music.

Taking in the presidential election results on Tuesday happened in different places in various ways.  Beginning at 4pm at work we tuned the TV to CNN.  NPR was on the radio. and I had npr.org and the NY Times both open on my computer.

Later on I went home to twitter the unfolding results for KCRW, the Santa Monica-based radio station where I work.  I felt particularly anxious – preferring to avoid the parties and mayhem on the streets of LA to enjoy and reflect upon on the outcome at home. But I didn’t feel alone, and I wasn’t.

I twittered as the results came in and people responded with comments like “Ooh. I like this show. One of my faves. Thanks.” and “Spanky, Spanky, Spanky, Ms Dole. Naughty campaign.”  Twitter allowed for real-time conversation fostered among strangers and among friends.  On Facebook, friends’ status messages lit up with their reactions and observations. My cell phone rang with calls from friends and family from Ohio and Los Angeles. It bleeped with incoming text messages from Paris, Boston, San Fran, and  Columbus, OH. I excitedly chatted with friends on IM.

CNN’s live video feed was broadcasting in one window and Twitter’s election page was running in another. The NYTimes election module, San Fran Chronicle, and Current TV’s election coverage were open in other tabs. NPR was blasting through the apartment (and a few of my neighbors). When the final results were announced, people were dancing, shouting and hollering with joy in the streets on the sleepy block in the beach town of Santa Monica where I live.

I think back to how this relates to the last election.  Sites like Twitter, FB, and Current TV were still babies – if they had even been born yet. The technology required to build nimble news modules was not nearly as evolved.

The ability to communicate with others with lightning speed and accuracy was nothing like it is now. The very way we communicate with one another has totally evolved. As Seth Godin recently said, “The transformation of communication is real, it’s permanent and it’s more powerful than most of us notice”.

The last administration was a secretive club that could easily manipulate voters perceptions.  We’re entering a new era where we’re constantly being informed and always plugged-in, whether we like it or not.

The internet has finally become a forum for public discourse. I can quickly and easily express who I am voting for and why. I’m not going to try to convince you to do anything – just give you reasons why I think the way I do. And because we think in a similar way, maybe you’ll be open to what I say compared to, oh I don’t know, Fox News. When election time rolls around, being from Ohio becomes especially important to me. I grew up knowing lots of people (including myself at one point) who can be easily swayed by what they hear in their sheltered communities at church or around the dinner table. It’s a self-perpetuating  mechanism with no incoming feed from the outside world.

Not anymore.