I don't really keep-up with podcasts, or lately, my RSS feeds and friends list, but when I have taken the time to catch up on a couple of podcasts, I find two music-related podcasts compelling tonics to the general pap of modern music:

NPR's All Songs Considered.

Bob Boilen directs All Things Considered. As part of the show, he's responsible for the bumps between stories NPR calls "Musical Interludes." He's also the host of the podcast/streaming only NPR show, All Songs Considered. The show has two sides. First, a generally weekly podcast that Boilen curates more than anything. In roughly half-an-hour, he'll run through six or seven songs, talk about what an artist is doing and why he's putting it in the show.

Boilen is a gentle guide, sometimes critical, sometimes challenging, but overall retaining and conveying a sense of wonder about music. I won't buy everything in a given show, but it's a very rare show that I've ever thought there wasn't something I'd be interested in listening to again. Most valuably, it's never been a waste of my time.

The other half of the show are a number of shows from Washington DC's 9:30 club and other venues. Currently, Nigerian singer Femi Kuti is on. Not anything I'd pick out at Schoolkids or were I still in Sacramento, The Beat, but damn, it's a good listen. Other recent highlights: Sleeter-Kinney, Ben Gibbard, the Arcade Fire, Ted Leo + Pharmacists and Explosions in the Sky. All complete and downloadable or podcast. Other concerts are streaming only (Modest Mouse, Gogol Bordello), which is a disappointment, but I love, love, love that Boilen and NPR have the relationship with the 9:30 Club and artists to get any of these shows online at all.

The musical love is evident in both halves of ASC and it's the kind of thing that I miss from radio.

Podington Bear

Posting a new song every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in 2007, Podington has a set of CDs on offer. Electronic and interesting for exploring within the general keyboards of keyboard sequencing and having to have something unique to post every other weekday. Having taken a stab at my own 365-day self portrait project, I can say it's difficult to explore something in an disciplined manner on a regular basis with creativity. So, even if every song isn't tops, I'll say I like the ritual behind it.