I like the progressive elements in this report -- mainly here, coloring the report using pop music (three different songs talking about money). This attempt doesn't radically change the style of the report -- it's 95% the type of report you'll normally hear on public radio, with in-person and telephone interviews with experts, both sides of the topic, etc. But the music adds a little color the report wouldn't have otherwise. I liked it.

These are good solid flash reports, well written for maximum information in minimum time, hosted by a strong, deep, traditional voice. They could fit in anywhere, probably best during ME or ATC. The pieces are about an array of environmental issues -- I listened to three 1) Great Lakes environmental issues and updating a pact with Canada 2) H4H building "green" homes on a budget 3) home wind turbines.

These are interesting real world reports, not some sort of fanciful "we'll be in flying cars in 25 years" type reports. With the wide movement for environmental welfare, this report would fit on every public radio station around.

This is a radio drama read in front of a live audience. It has the sound of an old-time radio program, but wasn't as over-the-top as those productions. The actors were a little stiff at first, but as the production went on, they loosened up and it sounded great. There were some practiced one-liners and you could hear the audience get into the spirit. The plot was simple which made it easier to follow -- complex radio dramas always baffled me and I avoid them if I can. This production was easy to follow and fun to listen to. I'd love to be a part of a team like this. And as much fun as I had listening, I'm betting I'm not alone if I said I would like to hear more from Icebox radio.

One thing for PD's, though, this mentions it's local sponsors at the beginning, so it will need to be edited a little. Nothing major, and the whole thing's clean and family friendly.

This is a documentary piece, and even as I write, having heard the whole thing, I wonder if it's a mockumentary. There isn't anything really to be joking about, but throughout the piece had that Spinal Tap feeling... a homeless man singing for spare change, but a bit off-key. Homeless people with other homeless people in their posse. A man named Hans with an ever-present guitar on his back. I kept waiting for it to go to 11, but it never did, so I'm guessing this one's timeliness won't be April 1.

I do like the piece, about a group, well-described by the buttoned-down narrator, who might make for a fascinating serial, kind of a city-based homeless Lake Wobegon full of stories, problems, fables, and parables. If I am wrong and it's a straight documentary, then this is an interesting posse for sure.

Hans

This is a music-heavy show that opens with 20 straight minutes of American Roots music (twangy country, and they are picking some great songs I hadn't heard before). The show limitis replay possibilities by saying "good morning" and repeating their call letters. Perhaps that could be edited out if you wanted to have KSJD picking some good music for your audience but include your station information instead.

I used to listen to a local station that could pick great obscure country music, but they just changed their format to Tejano, so I'm missing my country & americana. KSJD's show will help my jones. They put together a good show.

I had to listen to another BB review. This one, like the Showdown review, is well organized, has some good humor and is an absolutely great way to review something -- games, movies, books, doesn't matter. I am thrilled to hear something like this and jealous I'm not doing it. Maybe it's just my insufficient hearing, but the narration is hard to understand. They are trying to sound like what a computer might sound like, but there is too much reverb. If they jacked the treble and completely eliminated bass, I think they'd be easier for me to understand and sound more like what humans think a computer voice might sound like.

These are good pieces. I don't know what kind of NPR station would air them -- they are definitely something out of the "NPR" sound norm, which makes me like them even more.

Winthrop Sherwin lives and works in a small town his whole life. Producer interviews many of Mr Sherwin's friends and customers. The strong theme is roots and familiarity and extended family.

This sounds a lot like something you might hear on Morning Edition, but it's probably too long for that format. The style is much like the recent "Mozart's Hidden Kitchen" I heard on ME. The Kitchen Sisters are a high comparison indeed, but it gives you an idea of the sound and editing style. I think with a little compression, this piece could be sharing Winthrop's retirement with the entire country.

This piece is a fairly straightforward report -- it's the subject of the piece that is unusual and experiemental. A producer has friends and family -- aged 3 to 80 -- read EE Cummings poetry and he puts non-melodic music to it. The reporter says most people react to this the way I did; a roll of the eyes, a quick dismissal. But I really liked what this sounded like. The effect of the combination of the overall production -- amateur poetry readers, solidly written poetry, experimental electronic music makes for a fresh sound.

For a PD, this piece fits in April's National Poetry month. It's an interesting piece any day of the year, though.

This piece takes off with a great first sentence. A woman witnesses a peach pit that looks like Jesus, quits drinking and examines all of the peach pits she runs across for the look of Jesus. The author goes from seeing a picture of the peach pit Jesus lady to making her own batch of eight jars of (eventual) Peach Wine, the color of honey with blobs of peaches pushing up against the glass of the jars as it ferments.

This is a fun listen. I would have put "Light" as a tone, but if it had background music, it would have been all minor chords. It's not a sad piece, but it feels like a rainy day made happier by a glass of peach wine. I'm going to go google a recipe.

I heard several of the episodes, and they all have in common the producer's love and knowledge of bluegrass. As a beginning guitar player, these kinds of shows always catch my ear. The series is consistent, pulling off fun, fresh information about bands and people most people have never heard of, or not heard enough of. Being confronted with bluegrass music is rare; most of the time you need to seek it out.

Interesting piece about what some agnostics do and think around Christmastime. Timely around the holidays. Not a rejoiceful piece, but it doesn't rip on Christians, either. I found the sections about the origins of the Christmas holiday and the strange timing to be the best part.

Straightforward public radio-ish piece about Buddy Holly... not so much that he would be 70, but his impact on music in general. There isn't a lot of new stuff -- a lot of people have made it known how important Holly was to every pop and rock, and country artist who survived him. But this is a good piece. They make good points and I sat in the garage for 3 minutes to hear it out (Station Showcase podcast). That's as good of a barometer as any to the quality of a piece. I love that they interviewed a Buddy Holly impersonator; and even better, the man had several very interesting things to say about Holly that only a man who has spent the last eight years trying to impersonate him could know.

This piece could fit any topic about Presley, die-too-young rock stars, the Beatles influences, etc.

A very good story, something that would sound familiar to any public radio audience. The focus seems at first to be a search for Tiger beetles, then about a program about getting kids into science in general. But that's the foyer to the real story as it morphs into a story about women in science, more specifically women in science, where workplace discrimination is rampant.

This story would work for any glass-ceiling theme or work-place discrimation, especially science.

I heard this on the PRX Station Showcase podcast. It is a very professional piece. Sara Fishko has a familiar sounding voice. This piece is fun to hear, features good sound, a good narrative and excellent writing. There is a line at the end to the effect 'If the walls could talk, they would make a toast across generations.' And Sara says it better than I write it.

For PDs, this is one that sounds like a public radio piece. It's solid and interesting in every way and would feel right with any theme about creative people (writers especially) or the "good ole days."

A way to save fuel by ... driving more? That's one option Peter covers in "The Gas Game".

Peter is a good talker, he knows the commentary and works it well, jumping right into the piece from the first sentence. He's totalled his car and rents a hybrid to check it out, becoming infatuated with the gauges and fuel efficiency. Then he turns it into a game.

This commentary fits alongside any fuel shortage story and could lighten bad news. There will probably be ample opportunities to use this piece in the coming years.