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Over/underrated: a music podcast with Fran and Babs

Over/underrated: a music podcast with Fran and Babs

By Barbara Mendes-Jorge and Fran James

Do you believe the hype? Fran and Babs talk about bands and artists potentially given undue credit & musicians who should be more famous, by curating five or ten-track playlists to argue their case
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S2E3 - Special Episode: Eurovision 2021

Over/underrated: a music podcast with Fran and BabsMay 18, 2021

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01:23:15
S7E10 - Special Episode: Fran and Babs' Best of 2023

S7E10 - Special Episode: Fran and Babs' Best of 2023

The final episode of the season is our annual special where we each pick our favourite songs of the year!

Like in 2022, we have picked songs according to pre-determined categories: favourite song by a solo act, best song by a group, favourite track in a genre we don't normally like, favourite song not in English, best collaboration, best sync song, favourite song we'd like to hear live, best new artist, best rock song and favourite non-European song.

Which two artists come back again for Fran & Babs? Which artist is picked twice in two different categories? And which song is described by Babs as being "a drum’n’bass, trap metal nightmare?" 💘

Listen to our Best of 2022, ⁠Best of 2021⁠ and ⁠Best of 2020⁠ episodes to see our faves from previous years. 

You can find the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠ - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss.

Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky. We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram - and now also @overunderratedmusicpod on Threads although we have done nothing there yet! You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which we check on a semi-regular basis.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.

Dec 29, 202301:36:15
S7E9 - Avant-pop: Björk (Overrated) & Bat for Lashes (Underrated)
Dec 21, 202301:26:32
S7E8 - Australia Part III 🇦🇺 INXS (Overrated) & The Go-Betweens (Underrated) - with Bill Cummings

S7E8 - Australia Part III 🇦🇺 INXS (Overrated) & The Go-Betweens (Underrated) - with Bill Cummings

Joined by writer & broadcaster Bill Cummings, we're returning down under to discuss two bands who experienced wildly varying levels of success...

INXS have sold a whopping 95 million albums worldwide - they're one of Australia's most successful musical acts ever. With their crisp new wave sound and iconic frontman, will Fran & Babs feel the hype is nevertheless deserved?

Bill picked The Go-Betweens as "the quintessential underrated band" - with nine studio albums to their name, they never secured an Australian or UK Top 40 single (although the band has had a bridge named after them in their native Brisbane!). Fran & Babs knew almost nothing about the group, so will they join Bill on the other side of the Go Between Bridge?

Bill is the founder of God Is in the TV, an online music and culture fanzine which you should check out. He also hosts the Show Me Magic podcast, which is focused on new music.

You can find⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all songs from Bill's playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky - as well as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.


Dec 15, 202301:31:22
S7E7 - Special Episode: Overrated & Underrated Cover Versions
Dec 07, 202301:30:34
S7E6 - Britpop Part III: Stereophonics (Overrated) & Ash (Underrated) - with Robin Allender

S7E6 - Britpop Part III: Stereophonics (Overrated) & Ash (Underrated) - with Robin Allender

Joined by musician, comedian and podcaster Robin Allender, we are back feeling nostalgic about the late 90's...

Stereophonics are clearly one of the more successful acts to emerge from Wales - to date, their most famous song Dakota has had over 200 million streams on Spotify - but are Fran, Babs or Robin fans of the band?

Robin picked Ash as an underrated favourite in part due to the influence their Trailer EP had on him as a youth, especially the song Uncle Pat...Fran & Babs are Ash fans, but is their favourite Ash era the same as Robin's?

Check out Robin's music podcasts: on The Clientele Podcast Robin interviews the band and their fans about what makes The Clientele's music unique. On Your Own Personal Beatles, Robin and co-host Jack Pelling talk to guests about how their lives have been influenced "by the greatest band of them all."

Check out Robin's music on Bandcamp and his Linktree for all of Robin's creative endevours.

You can find⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠the playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all songs from Robin's playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also ⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky - as well as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.

Nov 30, 202301:39:39
S7E5 - Pop Singer-Songwriters: Billie Eilish (Overrated) & Charli XCX (Underrated)
Nov 23, 202301:50:46
S7E4 - Goth: The Cure (Overrated) & Xmal Deutschland (Underrated) - with Ryan Schaff

S7E4 - Goth: The Cure (Overrated) & Xmal Deutschland (Underrated) - with Ryan Schaff

Joined by our first ever returning guest - Ryan Schaff, host of ⁠The Broken Record Player podcast⁠ - we're breaking out the eyeliner, black nail varnish and discussing what makes a band truly goth...

Ryan is a huge fan of The Cure - they're in his top five favourite bands of all time - while Fran & Babs don't exactly muster the same level of enthusiasm...can he get them more on board? Xmal Deutschland's 'Incubus Succubus' might be considered a 'goth classic', but Ryan argues that this 80's band deserve more success and recognition beyond one song - and we discuss whether singing mostly in German may have hampered their success...

You should listen to ⁠The Broken Record Player podcast⁠ - Babs has guested three times, discussing ⁠⁠PJ Harvey's debut album Dry⁠⁠, ⁠Toxicity by System of a Down⁠ as well as ⁠The Chemical Brothers' Dig Your Own Hole⁠. You should also check out Ryan's previous guest stints on Over/underrated, where he talked about grunge bands Pearl Jam and L7.

You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠the playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all songs from Ryan's playlist, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also ⁠⁠⁠@OUmusicpod⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky - as well as ⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.


Nov 16, 202301:34:22
S7E3 - Special Episode: Underrated music from The Netherlands 🇳🇱 with Lieselotte Smets
Nov 09, 202301:28:28
S7E2 - Post-punk: U2 (Overrated) & The Psychedelic Furs (Underrated)
Nov 02, 202301:35:44
S7E1 - Special Episode: Interviewing Bob Stanley, music journalist and founder of Saint Etienne

S7E1 - Special Episode: Interviewing Bob Stanley, music journalist and founder of Saint Etienne

We're kicking off our new season with a very special episode! We're interviewing Bob Stanley, a very talented writer, musician, DJ, and film producer.

Since founding the band Saint Etienne, Bob has enjoyed a parallel career as a music journalist. He came on the podcast to talk about two of his books, which - together - span the entire history of pop, from the invention of the 78 rpm record at the end of the 19th century to the current modern pop age. This being Over/underrated, we still wanted to ask Bob for five of his most beloved underrated artists - and we have picks as far back as 1950!

Bob's book 'Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop' starts at the dawn of pop in the fifties to its increasingly digital existence in the 21st century. Re-released this year with a new chapter, Bob has successfully and engagingly charted the history of modern pop.

We also discussed Bob's latest book 'Let's Do It: The Birth of Pop' - a prequel to Yeah Yeah Yeah and "the only book that brings together all genres to tell the definitive story of the birth of Pop, from 1900 to the mid-fifties." Winner of the Penderyn Book Prize, Let's Do It shines an encyclopedic light on pop's pre-history.

Densely packed and consistently fascinating, we music nerds really enjoyed geeking out on both of Bob's books - and recommend you grab yourselves a copy of each also.

Check out Bob's website and find out more about his back catalogue of books and records. You can follow 'Rocking Bob' on Instagram, Twitter/X and Bluesky.

You can find ⁠the playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠ - it includes all songs from Bob's playlist, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media: it's ⁠@OUmusicpod⁠ on Twitter/X - and now also @OUmusicpod on Bluesky - as well as ⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠ on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠Mark Abbott⁠ for our logo.

Oct 30, 202301:13:19
S6E10 - Prog Rock: Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Overrated) & Marillion (Underrated) - with Joz Norris

S6E10 - Prog Rock: Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Overrated) & Marillion (Underrated) - with Joz Norris

Joined by comedian, writer & performer Joz Norris, we're finally delving into prog rock for our last episode of the season - and we hope, like us, that you don't take it TOO seriously...

Joz picked Emerson, Lake & Palmer as overrated because he feels that they represent the wildest excesses of prog and contribute to its pretentious reputation. With one of the songs on Joz's playlist called 'The Three Fates: i) Clotho ii) Lachesis iii) Atropos', will Fran & Babs agree they're too ostentatious - or will they get on board the ELP train?

The underrated pick this week is Marillion, who Joz feels are often unfairly treated as a joke band and should be better known for more than their smash 1985 hit 'Kayleigh' - especially as they were pioneers in fan-funded music and are still making records and touring to this day.

We recommend you checking out ⁠⁠Keith Emerson's flying piano on YouTube⁠⁠ - and we mentioned Zoltan Koscis playing Bartók's Allegro Barbaro and Khatia Buniatishvili playing Mussorgsky's The Hut on Hen's Legs (Baba-Yaga) as stunning piano highlights.

You can find Joz on Twitter and Instagram - he is @JozNorris in both places. If you're based in or near London, Joz will be recording a few comedy specials at the Moth Club on 16 July. Before that, he'll be hosting an all-day comedy workshop at The Bill Murray on 29 June. More of his shows, films and radio sitcoms are available on his Linktree.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from Joz's playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠.

We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too.

Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

Jun 01, 202301:32:35
S6E9 - Glam Rock: Queen (Overrated) & The Ark (Underrated) - with Christian Patrick

S6E9 - Glam Rock: Queen (Overrated) & The Ark (Underrated) - with Christian Patrick

Joined by content creator, musician, amateur historian, YouTuber, journalist & author Christian Patrick, we're discussing two glam bands on, arguably, the opposite of the fame spectrum this week...

First up, another sacred cow under the microscope - we're talking about behemoths Queen, specifically their output from the 70's...like most people, Christian, Fran & Babs like some of their output - but going into the discussion, we all agree that they're overrated...will a five-track playlist change anyone's mind?

Christian is close friends with his underrated pick - Swedish band and Eurovision participants The Ark - having met them when he was living in Milan. He's such a fan, he even wrote a book about them. Fran already knew the band - and says the best gig he probably has ever seen was their show at Barfly (!) - but Babs doesn't know them very well (although it turns out, she had known their Swedish-language song Kolla Kolla from the film Shortbus). Can she be convinced to become a fan on a similar level to Christian or Fran?

Christian is on Instagram @Obscurist_Tourist. Check out Christian's YouTube channel Obscurist Tourist, for "travel videos and reviews of hidden gems, quirky places, and all things off the beaten path." He also has a website. Christian's book on the Ark is called 'No End: The Story Of The Ark'.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠.

We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too.

Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

May 25, 202301:46:22
S6E8b - Record Label Special, Part II: Jade Tree Records (Underrated) - with Mark Fraser & Chris Cusack

S6E8b - Record Label Special, Part II: Jade Tree Records (Underrated) - with Mark Fraser & Chris Cusack

Joined by Chris & Mark from the Unsung Podcast, it's Part II of our Record Label special, where we're talking about Wilmington, Delaware's Jade Tree Records (check out Part I where we discussed Washington DC's Dischord Records).

Fran & Babs hadn't previously heard of Jade Tree Records - and didn't know many of the bands on their roster. Founded in 1990 and initially focused on post-hardcore and noise rock bands, Jade Tree began incorporating emo, punk, melodic hardcore, and experimental groups later on that decade. Chris & Mark make a good case for it being underrated, picking five interesting, diverse acts from the label.

Check out Chris & Mark's ⁠Unsung Podcast⁠, especially the two Muse episodes Fran & Babs guested on (Side A & Side B) as well as the Millionaire episode which sees Babs discuss some of her fave Belgian music in depth.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from Mark & Chris' playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram.

We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too. You can email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com.

Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

May 22, 202301:11:50
S6E8a - Record Label Special, Part I: Dischord Records (Overrated) - with Mark Fraser & Chris Cusack

S6E8a - Record Label Special, Part I: Dischord Records (Overrated) - with Mark Fraser & Chris Cusack

Joined by Chris & Mark from the Unsung Podcast, it's a different approach for today's episode - our guests have picked two different record labels and five bands who released records from them to make up each playlist, and we're all discussing whether a label can be classified as overrated or underrated.

In Part I we're talking about Washington DC's Dischord Records, an ⁠independent record label⁠ specializing in ⁠punk rock⁠, co-founded by Fugazi's Ian MacKaye & Minor Threat's Jeff Nelson.

As people involved in the punk scene, Mark & Chris have been extremely influenced by both the music and ethos of the label - Dischord is notable for employing a DIY ethic, producing all of its albums and selling them at discount prices without financial input from major distributors. While the label is undoubtedly important and produces some excellent music, does it completely deserve the high pedestal it's on?

Join us next week for Part II where we'll be talking about Wilmington, Delaware's Jade Tree Records.

Check out Chris & Mark's ⁠Unsung Podcast⁠, especially the two Muse episodes Fran & Babs guested on (Side A & Side B) as well as the Millionaire episode which sees Babs discuss some of her fave Belgian music in depth.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from Mark & Chris' playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram.

We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too. You can email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com.

Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

May 18, 202301:13:18
S6E7b - Special Episode, Reviewing Worst Kept Secret: The Subwoolfer Eurovision Documentary - with extra European guests 🇪🇺

S6E7b - Special Episode, Reviewing Worst Kept Secret: The Subwoolfer Eurovision Documentary - with extra European guests 🇪🇺

Following on from our Eurovision 2023 episode, we popped online for a quick chat to talk about an entertaining short film - Worst Kept Secret: The Subwoolfer Documentary which is available on the Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel.

Fans of Eurovision 2022 will definitely remember Subwoolfer, the yellow Norwegian space wolves who managed to keep their identities under wrap throughout the competition - or did they?

The documentary explores how the song was conceived at a writing camp, how A1's Ben Adams and Norwegian Idol runner-up Gaute Ormåsen became semi-permanent Subwoolfer members Keith and Jim, why they chose to hide their identity in the first place and how Norwegian journalists managed to uncover them way before they revealed themselves spectacularly at the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix 2023.

As with our previous episode, we invited some special guests to send us voice notes about this year's Eurovision competition - so thank you to François Diderrich, Ceri Mitchell, Paulo Mendes-Jorge as well as teacher Les Pemberton and students Elene and Sofia from the British International School of Tbilisi, Georgia for their contributions to this episode 🇪🇺

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes our Eurovision 2023 best and worst picks from our previous episode, plus bonus songs from other artists we've discussed during this episode...

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠.

We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too.

Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.


May 11, 202330:42
S6E7 - Special Episode: Eurovision 2023 - with extra European guests 🇪🇺

S6E7 - Special Episode: Eurovision 2023 - with extra European guests 🇪🇺

It's our yearly Eurovision special - we've listened to all 37 songs from this year's competition and picked our five favourite and least favourite tunes. This time, we're also joined by contributors across Europe giving their opinions on the competition and some of the entries we talk about!

If you enjoy this episode, you should check out our 2022 and 2021 episodes as well as our two-part special with Babs' dad, which analyses Eurovision 1958-2019 - both the underrated and overrated aspects, of course...

Thanks to Paula Wiseman, Shane McMenemy, Iva Babić, Riku Pudas, Sara Lucas, Georgette Cullum, Tena Lavrenčić, Daniel Bellqvist & George Thurley for their contributions to this episode 🇪🇺

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes our Eurovision 2023 best and worst picks, plus bonus songs from other artists we've discussed during this episode (as well as songs relating to an upcoming bonus episode)...

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠.

We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too.

Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

May 09, 202301:26:45
S6E6 - Southern Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Calvin Harris (Overrated) & Frightened Rabbit (Underrated) - with Shane McMenemy

S6E6 - Southern Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Calvin Harris (Overrated) & Frightened Rabbit (Underrated) - with Shane McMenemy

Joined by Shane McMenemy from the Mixtaping Identity podcast, we're talking about one of his all-time favourite bands - as well as a DJ he's not super-keen on.

It's not that Shane massively dislikes Calvin Harris (Dumfries), but he feels his music is "cynically-produced and commercially-driven" - Shane feels Calvin is good at capitalising on trends, but there's little substance. Will Fran & Babs agree - or is his music hitting them right in the feels?

Frightened Rabbit (Selkirk) are a hugely important band for Shane - for the music as well as lead singer Scott Hutchison's heartfelt lyrics. Falling under the indie folk category, the band is much more up Fran's street than Babs' - so can Shane's playlist soften her hardened heart?

You should check out Shane's excellent ⁠Mixtaping Identity podcast⁠, especially - of course - the episode that Babs guested on, picking a fifteen-track playlist that defines her life so far.

The charity set up following Scott Hutchinson's death, Tiny Changes, aims to "transform young people’s mental health in Scotland". Check out their website and their shop to find out more.

Shane is YakEnemy on Twitch and he also wanted to shout out Jacqui Lumsden's song Closer.

Please also enjoy some Calvin Harris memes: wenomechainsama and Me As A Professional Pianist For Calvin Harris.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from Shane's playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠.

We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too.

Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.



May 04, 202301:37:18
S6E5b - British Singer-Songwriters, Part II: Nick Drake (Underrated) - with Tom Haigh

S6E5b - British Singer-Songwriters, Part II: Nick Drake (Underrated) - with Tom Haigh

Friend of the podcast Tom Haigh joins us again - he previously talked about David Bowie in Part I of this British Singer-Songwriters theme - and this time he's talking about musician Nick Drake. An influence on many big artists like R.E.M., Kate Bush and The Cure, Nick Drake's profile was low during his short lifetime - and, argues Tom, still not high enough these days for such a talented musician...

Tom's brother Jack is an extremely talented guitarist - you should check out his videos and follow him on Instagram @jackhaighmusic.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from Tom's playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at ⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠.

We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too.

Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.


May 01, 202301:01:13
S6E5a - British Singer-Songwriters, Part I: David Bowie (Overrated) - with Tom Haigh
Apr 27, 202301:12:35
S6E4 - Electro: Kraftwerk (Overrated) & Henric de la Cour (Underrated)
Apr 20, 202301:29:12
S6E3 - Australia Part II 🇦🇺 Jet (Overrated) & King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard (Underrated) - with Brad LeBaron

S6E3 - Australia Part II 🇦🇺 Jet (Overrated) & King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard (Underrated) - with Brad LeBaron

Joined by Wisconsinite podcaster and YouTuber Brad LeBaron, we're heading back down under...

Melbournites Jet are obviously best known for their smash hit 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl' - but they produced three albums and supported huge acts like the Rolling Stones, Oasis, Green Day and Bruce Springsteen...however, do Fran & Babs agree that a lot of their music sounds derivative?

Brad is a huge King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard fan and with 23 studio albums to their name, it was tricky for him to narrow his playlist down to five tracks showing the breadth of the band's back catalogue - but he's done his best to entice Fran & Babs over to the Gizzverse...

Check out Brad's podcast The Album Concept Hour where he discusses concept albums in depth - of course, we'd recommend starting with the episode we guested on, talking about Radiohead's Kid A. You should also check out Brad's YouTube channel Flyover State Park.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from Brad's playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too. You can email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.


Apr 13, 202301:33:28
S6E2 - 90's Rock: Foo Fighters (Overrated) & Feeder (Underrated) - with Jen Dixon

S6E2 - 90's Rock: Foo Fighters (Overrated) & Feeder (Underrated) - with Jen Dixon

We're joined by Teesside-based singer songwriter Jen Dixon this week, who brings two nostalgic rock bands for discussion..

.Jen is a huge Foo Fighters fan - drumming from a young age, she was especially in awe of Taylor Hawkins...Fran is a Foo Fighters fan and says they're excellent live - but Babs has always felt they're overplayed (and that Dave Grohl shouts a bit too much in songs). Will Jen's playlist and Fran's arguments help change her mind?

Welsh band Feeder have been going for almost thirty years and released an album as recently as 2022. However, Jen has chosen them as her underrated pick because she feels that too many people only associate the band with their biggest hit, Buck Rogers...hopefully, her playlist will introduce more people to some of their lesser-known songs...

We highly recommend checking out the original and the new videos for Feeder's track Just a Day to make you feel better...

Follow Jen on Instagram and Twitter - her handle is @JenDixonMusic. Jen's EP Less Than a Feeling is coming out digitally on June 30 and you can pre-order it as a beautiful blue vinyl here. You can also already listen to and buy Jen's music on Bandcamp.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. We're slowly adding our episodes to YouTube and would love it if you could subscribe to our channel there too. You can email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.



Apr 06, 202301:06:52
S6E1 - Leeds Part II: Kaiser Chiefs (Overrated) & The Music (Underrated)

S6E1 - Leeds Part II: Kaiser Chiefs (Overrated) & The Music (Underrated)

'Ow do! We're back in Yorkshire to discuss two more Leodensian rock bands, having talked about Alt-J and Duels back in our first season...

Kaiser Chiefs might be best known for their songs and albums of the noughties, but the band has continued to release music as recently as 2022...Fran has put together a playlist spanning most of their albums so he and Babs can talk about whether their top tunes have been overplayed - and whether they should be better-known for their most recent hits.

Fran & Babs have been fans of difficult-to-Google band The Music for ages and are keen to discuss them - they were very hyped before their first album even came out, described by some as "the best unsigned band in Britain", but the British music press was not always kind to them after the fame hit a high...

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.


Mar 30, 202301:36:52
S6 Trailer

S6 Trailer

We will be back next week with the first episode of Season Six! Bands we'll be discussing in this series include David Bowie, Queen, Nick Drake, The Ark, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Jet, The Music, Kaiser Chiefs, Kraftwerk, Calvin Harris, Henric de la Cour and Frightened Rabbit.


In the meantime, find out what some of our BIGGEST FANS have to say about the podcast....

Mar 23, 202300:59
S5E13 - Special Episode: Interviewing Chris Olley, Six by Seven

S5E13 - Special Episode: Interviewing Chris Olley, Six by Seven

Rounding off this season is a special bumper episode with Chris Olley, musician and lead singer/guitarist from Six by Seven. If these names sound familiar, it's because Fran picked Six by Seven as an underrated band in our previous Nottingham episode - so this conversation is an Over/underrated first! 

Chris listened to our episode, got in touch and we invited him to come on to talk about whether he agreed with our assessment of the band and hear more about the music he's making now. We also asked Chris to pick five songs from acts he thinks are underrated to add to the episode's playlist.

In our longest ever episode, conversations include what it was like for Six by Seven to play on Later...with Jools Holland - but miss out on Top of the Pops - Chris' visits to the legendary Rockfield Studios with his fans, his collaboration Walls of Dada with Pete Holmstöm from the Dandy Warhols, what he makes of Six by Seven comparisons to The Church's Under the Milky Way, how Chris makes music every day and, even, what Chris was planning to take to the tip the next day...stay tuned for this and some other fantastic rock'n'roll stories.

Six by Seven are on Bandcamp, Facebook and Instagram. On the episode, Chris mentioned the Radio Bremen sessions and the books he has written - one of which, in his words, "details his mental breakdown over seven albums...!"

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes Chris' underrated picks, plus bonus songs from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram or you can subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.


Jan 19, 202301:53:52
S5E12 - Christmas Special 🎄 with Richard Delahay
Dec 24, 202201:20:20
S5E11b - Special Episode: Fran & Babs' Best of 2022, Part II

S5E11b - Special Episode: Fran & Babs' Best of 2022, Part II

We've wrapped up the year once again, each picking our ten favourite tracks from 2022 and discussing our musical highlights and lowlights. However, this year we've mixed it up a little 🍸 and assigned each of our picks to ten categories...

In Part II, we have five more categories to discuss: best sync song, favourite song you'd like to hear live, best new artist, best rock song and favourite non-European song.

Check out the accompanying Best of 2022 Part I episode which came out last week - you can also listen to our Best of 2021 and Best of 2020 episodes to see our faves from previous years.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram or on our YouTube channel. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

Dec 19, 202201:08:07
S5E11a - Special Episode: Fran & Babs' Best of 2022, Part I
Dec 15, 202257:34
S5E10 - Sweden Part II 🇸🇪 The Cardigans (Overrated) & The Tiny (Underrated) - with Daniel Bellqvist

S5E10 - Sweden Part II 🇸🇪 The Cardigans (Overrated) & The Tiny (Underrated) - with Daniel Bellqvist

Välkomna alla till säsongens sista avsnitt! This week we are joined by Daniel Bellqvist, lead singer of Swedish indie band Eskobar

Daniel shares some great rock'n'roll anecdotes in this episode, including those relating to this week's overrated act, The Cardigans. While we all agree that Lovefool was extremely popular and played non-stop, is it fair to label The Cardigans overrated - or are there more underrated gems in their back catalogue?

Fran & Babs are also introduced to The Tiny, Daniel's favourite Swedish band of all time - he discovered them live and loves the atmosphere they create, despite their sound being very different to Eskobar's. 

Check out Daniel's band Eskobar, as well as Danny the Swedish Musixian on YouTube, a channel where he regularly livestreams and shares videos of him reacting to music.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. We've also added five of Fran's favourite Eskobar songs, so we really recommend checking it out.

Download, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

Nov 17, 202201:27:52
S5E9 - Theatrical Americans: Prince (Overrated) & Jill Tracy (Underrated) - with Dr Becky Alexis-Martin and Annie Greatorex

S5E9 - Theatrical Americans: Prince (Overrated) & Jill Tracy (Underrated) - with Dr Becky Alexis-Martin and Annie Greatorex

Hello DARLINGS and welcome to a most flamboyant episode! We're joined by Dr Becky Alexis-Martin and Annie Greatorex to discuss one of the most famous theatrical American musicians of all time and one rather more unknown...

Dr Becky is keen to discuss mega-famous, revered Prince - she thinks he's written great songs for women (Sinead O'Connor, The Bangles) but feels many of his own tunes are TOO LONG! Will Fran, Babs & Annie agree - or will they be too busy doing the Batdance?

Annie introduces us to Jill Tracy, who describes herself as a "musical conjurer, storyteller, sonic archeologist". Her music is undeniably atmospheric and she has an incredible voice - but will we all want to spend an "Evil Night Together" with her?

Dr Becky is a lecturer in cultural and political geography and an expert nuclear warfare. Check out her Nuclear Geography website and her book Disarming Doomsday, which explores "the secret history of nuclear weapons by studying the places they build and tear apart", and won the 2020 LHM Ling Outstanding First Book Prize.

Annie is a multi-disciplinary artist who works across the genres of music and visual arts. She opened the Wiseheart & Wild gallery and textile art studio in 2019, located in New Mills, Derbyshire - check out the events they're currently hosting.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.


Nov 10, 202201:21:60
S5E8 - British Blue-Eyed Soul: Rod Stewart (Overrated) & Robert Palmer (Underrated) - with Paula Wiseman

S5E8 - British Blue-Eyed Soul: Rod Stewart (Overrated) & Robert Palmer (Underrated) - with Paula Wiseman

Joined by Paula Wiseman, journalist and host of the Divine Comedians podcast, we're back in the UK this week talking about two singer-songwriters some might not realise are even British...

Rod Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he started busking with a harmonica - and he's not stopped making music since. But are his songs interesting enough to deserve the worldwide fame? Fran investigates by making a five-track playlist of hits to discuss...

Paula has been a huge Robert Palmer fan for many years and is very keen to introduce Fran, Babs and our listeners to more than just the hits. Will we all become Addicted to Robert - or has she left us just Looking for Clues?

As well as loving Robert Palmer, Paula is also the "Official No.1 Divine Comedy fan" - and we recommend checking out her Divine Comedians podcast, where Paula talks to comedians about their life, career and the music they like. Previous guests include Ardal O'Hanlon, Marek Larwood and Phill Jupitus.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.


Nov 03, 202201:17:47
S5E7b - New Wave, Part II: Indochine (Underrated)

S5E7b - New Wave, Part II: Indochine (Underrated)

Following on from Part I of our new wave episode, focused on The Cars, we're crossing the Atlantic and travelling to Paris to discuss our underrated pick, Indochine.

The best-selling French band of all time, Indochine released their first album in 1982 and have continued to make music ever since - but remain fairly unknown in English-speaking countries. Babs fell in love with the band when living in Luxembourg in 2002, following the release of their smash album Paradize - and also credits their music with motivating her to improve her French. Will Monsieur Fran agree that les rosbifs should embrace the sound of Nicola Sirkis and co - or will he be saying 'sacré bleu!' instead?

You should definitely check out the live versions of Indochine's tracks, such as this one. Babs also recommends the hella catchy Paixão by Hérois do Mar as an introduction to Portuguese new wave.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

Oct 31, 202201:05:25
S5E7a - New Wave, Part I: The Cars (Overrated)
Oct 27, 202248:32
S5E6 - Brighton Part II: Royal Blood (Overrated) & The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster (Underrated) - with Mike Lash

S5E6 - Brighton Part II: Royal Blood (Overrated) & The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster (Underrated) - with Mike Lash

Joined by Mike Lash from the Playlist Yeah! podcast, we're heading back to the sea - but is it boring?

Mike certainly thinks that the hype surrounding two-piece behemoths Royal Blood is undeserved - while some of their songs are certainly overplayed, will Fran & Babs agree they're overrated?

Babs & Mike also get excited about The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, a difficult to categorise band who clearly influenced many of their contemporaries. This episode was recorded before the news that the band are releasing an expanded reissue of ‘Hörse Of The Dög’, with liner notes by Edgar Wright. Will Fran jump onboard the TEMBD spooky train or has he decided to stay on the platform?

You should really check out Guy McKnight's side project The DSM IV, especially SCUMBAG

Check out Mike's podcast Playlist Yeah!, especially the episode that Babs guested on - Episode 14, Over/Underplayed! YEAH.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, rate us, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

Oct 20, 202201:21:30
S5E5 - Nottingham: London Grammar (Overrated) & Six by Seven (Underrated)
Oct 13, 202201:16:17
S5E4 - New York Indie Rock: Vampire Weekend (Overrated) & Nation of Language (Underrated) - with George Thurley
Oct 06, 202201:14:12
S5E3 - Australia 🇦🇺 AC/DC (Overrated) & The Vines (Underrated)
Sep 29, 202201:30:28
S5E2b - Jazz Rock Fusion, Part II: Steely Dan (Underrated) - with Matthew Crosby

S5E2b - Jazz Rock Fusion, Part II: Steely Dan (Underrated) - with Matthew Crosby

We are joined once again by writer, comedian, broadcaster and podcasting legend Matthew Crosby for Part II of our jazz rock fusion-themed episodes. This time, Matthew is talking about one of his all-time favourite bands - Steely Dan.

Matthew admires how Steely Dan manage to make music which is simultaneously "interesting, weird, complex" as well as "singable, hummable, pop" - and loves how their tunes are also accompanied by arch, witty lyrics.

However, he's had some difficulty in generating a similar level of enthusiasm about Steely Dan amongst his friends. Will he be able to convince Fran (dad rock specialist) & Babs (melody sceptic who previously thought they were an Americana band from the late 80s) to get on board the yacht rock boat? 

We recommend checking out the "The Very Best of Jazz Club" (presented by Louis Balfour) from the 90's TV show Fast Show on YouTube.

Listen to both of Matthew’s shows - become a neighbour on Pappy’s Flatshare, which Matthew presents alongside his Pappy’s sketch troupe colleagues Tom Parry and Ben Clark. You can catch Matthew every Sunday morning (8am-11am UK time) on the Ed Gamble & Matthew Crosby on Radio X show - and if you can’t listen live, there’s also a podcast of the show available for all you Lazy Snoozans. You can also follow Matthew on Twitter and Instagram

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from Matthew’s playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

Sep 26, 202201:03:53
S5E2a - Jazz Rock Fusion, Part I: Red Hot Chili Peppers (Overrated) - with Matthew Crosby

S5E2a - Jazz Rock Fusion, Part I: Red Hot Chili Peppers (Overrated) - with Matthew Crosby

Joined by writer, comedian, broadcaster and podcasting legend Matthew Crosby, we’re diving deep into the discography of two darn groovy bands…

Abracadabracalifornication to all you jazz fusion funk hoppers! Or maybe not, because on this episode we find out why Matthew takes such umbrage with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Despite acknowledging they’re brilliant musicians, “everybody seems to like them” and he’s not quite sure why…

Fran & Babs have made fun of RHCP and Anthony Kiedis in the past - but will they agree with Matthew? Or do they believe there are some gems buried in the Deserts of California? Whatever you think, Babs definitely recommends watching Josh Weller’s “Every Red Hot Chili Peppers Song” video.

Matthew will be back in Part II to discuss his underrated pick, Steely Dan.

Listen to both of Matthew’s shows - become a neighbour on Pappy’s Flatshare, which Matthew presents alongside his Pappy’s sketch troupe colleagues Tom Parry and Ben Clark. You can catch Matthew every Sunday morning (8am-11am UK time) on the Ed Gamble & Matthew Crosby on Radio X show - and if you can’t listen live, there’s also a podcast of the show available for all the Lazy Snoozans. You can also follow Matthew on Twitter and Instagram.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from Matthew’s playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter and @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

Sep 22, 202201:03:18
S5E1 - New Romantics: Spandau Ballet (Overrated) & Japan (Underrated)
Sep 15, 202201:23:21
S4E10 - Cardiff: Manic Street Preachers (Overrated) and Mclusky (Underrated) - with Ceri Mitchell

S4E10 - Cardiff: Manic Street Preachers (Overrated) and Mclusky (Underrated) - with Ceri Mitchell

Joined by Ceri Mitchell from the Playlist Yeah! podcast, we're swooping over The Valleys and landing in Wales' capital..

Ceri studied in Wales and felt the Manic Street Preachers' presence even more strongly there...but it didn't make him a big fan. Despite loving their androgynous image, will Fran & Babs agree that they're overhyped?

For his underrated pick, Ceri introduces Fran & Babs to Cardiff-based band Mclusky. It turns out Babs had saved a couple of their songs back in 2016 but hadn't explored further, so will she get on board the Andrew "Falco" Falkous train? And is there perhaps too much shouting for Fran's taste?

Check out Ceri's podcast Playlist Yeah! where he and co-host Mike "shove a mixtape down their guests' throats" (sound familiar...?) 😄 and he was in the band Threatmantics - check out their album.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, rate us, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

May 19, 202201:25:18
S4E9 - Special Episode: Eurovision 2022

S4E9 - Special Episode: Eurovision 2022

It's that time of year again! Fran & Babs listen to all 40 songs from this year's competition and pick their top five best and worst tunes. Who does Babs accuse of greenwashing? Which region of Europe do a lot of Fran's selections come from? And like in our 2021 episode, will some picks appear in opposing lists?

If you enjoy this episode, you should check out our 2021 episode and our two-part special with Babs' dad, which analyses Eurovision 1958-2019 - both the underrated and overrated aspects, of course...

The incredible 2017 Ukrainian interval act Babs keeps banging on about is ONUKA with the NAONI Orchestra - you can watch them on YouTube. Слава Україні! 🇺🇦

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

May 10, 202201:11:51
S4E8 - Blues: The Rolling Stones (Overrated) and Memphis Minnie (Underrated) - with Karlyn King

S4E8 - Blues: The Rolling Stones (Overrated) and Memphis Minnie (Underrated) - with Karlyn King

We're joined by music lecturer, writer and podcaster Karlyn King in our latest episode, tackling one of the biggest rock bands in the world - and talking about a blues musician who should definitely be better-known...

With blues as the theme, Fran has picked five early songs by The Rolling Stones to argue that they are an overhyped band in this genre. Will Babs & Karlyn agree that they continue to receive way too many accolades?

Karlyn also introduces Fran & Babs to Memphis Minnie, a fascinating genius who wrote around 200 songs, including the Led Zeppelin-covered When the Levee Breaks. How is it possible that she's not more famous? And which animals does she like writing songs about?

Listen to Karlyn's podcast Songs are Spells, where she talks to people in the music industry about what music and magic means to them. Karlyn is also a music lecturer and is about to complete her PhD at University of Birmingham which explores the enduring format of vinyl records in the digital era - find out more on her website.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

May 05, 202201:08:57
S4E7 - UK 00's Indie Explosion: Kasabian (Overrated) & (British) Sea Power (Underrated)
Apr 28, 202201:31:57
S4E6 - Indie Folk: The National (Overrated) & Sharon van Etten (Underrated) - with Helen Sadler

S4E6 - Indie Folk: The National (Overrated) & Sharon van Etten (Underrated) - with Helen Sadler

Joined by Helen Sadler from the Flixwatcher podcast, she has curated two eclectic playlists which arguably fall under the indie folk umbrella...

Helen got on board The National train when she saw them live - however, Babs didn't have a great experience watching them during a heatwave at a festival, she felt they were quite boring....will her mind be changed by Helen's picks?

Sharon van Etten is this week's underrated pick - hailing from New Jersey, Sharon has recently moved further away from her country/Americana origins by incorporating more synths into her music, which sounds like it could be right up Fran & Babs' streets...

Listen to Helen's podcast Flixwatcher, which reviews films available on Netflix in the UK and assigns them a unique scoring system - Babs & Fran have both guested on it, talking about Beats, Superbad and School of Rock. Follow Helen on Twitter @TheCatFilmFan.

Check out The Horrors brilliantly covering Your Love at Glastonbury on YouTube. And of course - support live music 🤘🏻

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

Apr 21, 202201:13:17
S4E5 - Depeche Mode Special
Apr 14, 202201:12:06
S4E4 - New York Art Rock: Talking Heads (Overrated) & They Might be Giants (Underrated) - with Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay

S4E4 - New York Art Rock: Talking Heads (Overrated) & They Might be Giants (Underrated) - with Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay

Our first episode with two guests! We're joined by Sam Pay and Martin Zaltz Austwick from the Song by Song podcast to chat arty NYC musicians.

Martin & Sam & Fran & Babs differ in opinion on how much - and why - they think Talking Heads are overrated. Discussions centre around whether the band's attitude is a bit elitist, David Byrne's standing in pop culture and how many different types of sounds DB can emit (Fran is deffo compiling a spreadsheet).

As for They Might Be Giants - who have, at time of recording, released 23 studio albums - Sam & Martin are keen fans, joking that they could devote another podcast to discussing TMBG's eclectic back catalogue. Fran was already a fan - he had the TMBG documentary on DVD, natch - but will they get Babs on board, given the occasional melodic playlist pick?

Martin is a musician, podcaster, performer, and Honorary Associate Professor at CASA (UCL) - find out more about his work on his website. You can also tweet him @martinaustwick.

Sam is an actor/musician working mostly in theatre. He's a pianist, accordionist and a "technically incompetent brass player who keeps his own songwriting as secretive as possible." You can tweet him @SamPay

Check out their Song by Song podcast, devoted to the music of Tom Waits. Sam & Martin have set themselves the goal of listening to Tom Waits' back catalogue from beginning to end, devoting each episode to discussing each track. We obviously recommend starting with the Blood Money episodes Fran & Babs guested on.

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode.

Download, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.

Apr 07, 202201:37:13
S4E3 - Canada 🇨🇦 Alanis Morissette (Overrated) & Nelly Furtado (Underrated)
Mar 31, 202201:33:01
S4E2 - K-Pop: BTS (Overrated) & NCT (Underrated) - with Reggie C Crawford

S4E2 - K-Pop: BTS (Overrated) & NCT (Underrated) - with Reggie C Crawford

A.k.a. some oldies talk about that newfangled music making waves across the world!

We're joined by the lovely Reggie C Crawford - an audio editor, podcaster, audio engineer and voice-artist - who got into K-Pop thanks to his daughters and provides an excellent introduction to the genre to n00bs Fran & Babs.

Reggie wants to make clear he is a BIG BTS fan - but nominated them as overrated because, well, they're one of the biggest bands in the world at the moment! Do Fran & Babs think they're too hyped up or will they be won round to the charms of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook?

Fran & Babs are also introduced to mega-group NCT, which consists of 23 members divided into four different sub-units 🤯 Reggie's music picks are mostly from Seoul-based NCT 127 who have some undeniably catchy tunes...

We recommend checking out Reggie's company and podcast Sonic Embassy - Babs has guested on two episodes talking about potatoes and pasta!

You can find the playlist for this episode on Spotify - it includes all songs from our playlists, plus bonus ones from other artists we've discussed during the episode. We also recommend watching dance practice videos for all these songs because they are INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE!

Download, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss! Follow us on social media - it's @OUmusicpod on Twitter, @overunderratedmusicpod on Instagram. You can also email us at overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com. Thanks to Mark Abbott for our logo.


Mar 24, 202201:31:19
S4E1 - Trip-hop: Massive Attack (Overrated) & Sneaker Pimps (Underrated)
Mar 17, 202201:35:39