A whole lot of people have gone whale watching. But not many folks have gone whale listening. In this half-hour "Plan," Barrett Golding of Hearing Voices does just that. With the help of radio veteran Jay Allison, performance artist Laurie Anderson, Mr. Scruff and independent producer Molly Menschel, Golding has put together an impressive lineup of sounds, music, essays and experimental radio. My favorite contribution is Molly Menschel's "Just Another Story About a Fish," about a dead whale that washed up on a Maine beach. It's a complex piece that bobs and weaves, collapses in on itself and ultimately, shines. I wasn't crazy about the National Lampoon piece that's included here, but that's a minor complaint. Menschel and Allison make it worth licensing.
You want me to review a 29-minute radio feature about whales? My kids have grown up and I don't have to do cuddly whales anymore!
I entered this 29-minute program with a bad attitude and arrived at the other end with a smile on my face and feeling a little bit smarter.
Now, I have no idea where I would place this in my lineup but it mostly held my attention and I found the experience amusing, entertaining and at times informative. It is difficult to find shelf space for half-hour programs let alone half-hour programs about whales.
This was a 9 segment half-hour of trippy, odd, humorous and human stories. It ranges from the angelic singing of Laura Anderson to the flatulent sound of a killer whale as recorded by Jay Allison.
Looking subjectively, I might have stacked the 9 elements differently by putting the brilliant 'Just Another Fish Story' closer to the top. This is an example of how slick editing of multiple voices- first hand accounts- an instrumental bed and a pregnant pause can be used to tell an interesting story without narration. Loved it. What a clear mental image Molly Menschel created.
And Jay Allison had me in stitches as he dryly told the story of love...between his wife and whale.
I could have done without the National Lampoon Radio Hour bit but that's probably because I wore out my Lampoon records years ago.
Comments for The Whale Plan
This piece belongs to the series "The Plan"
Produced by Barrett Golding/KGLT
Other pieces by Hearing Voices
Rating Summary
2 comments
Todd Melby
Posted on May 03, 2006 at 09:13 AM | Permalink
Review of The Whale Plan
A whole lot of people have gone whale watching. But not many folks have gone whale listening. In this half-hour "Plan," Barrett Golding of Hearing Voices does just that. With the help of radio veteran Jay Allison, performance artist Laurie Anderson, Mr. Scruff and independent producer Molly Menschel, Golding has put together an impressive lineup of sounds, music, essays and experimental radio. My favorite contribution is Molly Menschel's "Just Another Story About a Fish," about a dead whale that washed up on a Maine beach. It's a complex piece that bobs and weaves, collapses in on itself and ultimately, shines. I wasn't crazy about the National Lampoon piece that's included here, but that's a minor complaint. Menschel and Allison make it worth licensing.
Bill Anderson
Posted on April 12, 2006 at 02:49 PM | Permalink
Review of The Plan- Whale
You want me to review a 29-minute radio feature about whales? My kids have grown up and I don't have to do cuddly whales anymore!
I entered this 29-minute program with a bad attitude and arrived at the other end with a smile on my face and feeling a little bit smarter.
Now, I have no idea where I would place this in my lineup but it mostly held my attention and I found the experience amusing, entertaining and at times informative. It is difficult to find shelf space for half-hour programs let alone half-hour programs about whales.
This was a 9 segment half-hour of trippy, odd, humorous and human stories. It ranges from the angelic singing of Laura Anderson to the flatulent sound of a killer whale as recorded by Jay Allison.
Looking subjectively, I might have stacked the 9 elements differently by putting the brilliant 'Just Another Fish Story' closer to the top. This is an example of how slick editing of multiple voices- first hand accounts- an instrumental bed and a pregnant pause can be used to tell an interesting story without narration. Loved it. What a clear mental image Molly Menschel created.
And Jay Allison had me in stitches as he dryly told the story of love...between his wife and whale.
I could have done without the National Lampoon Radio Hour bit but that's probably because I wore out my Lampoon records years ago.