Over/underrated: a music podcast with Fran and Babs Barbara Mendes-Jorge and Fran James

We're back to the noughties, discussing two British indie acts who have more than a flavour of electro in their tunes...

Babs never really got into Foals after their first record, so she asked Fran to make a wide-ranging playlist - how will they rate the Oxford band's career?

And Babs is delighted to finally delve deep into Tom Vek's back catalogue - so much so that her playlist includes not one, not two, but THREE b-sides - will she get Fran on board or is she just Pushing [Her] Luck?

You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all the songs from our playlist, plus bonus songs 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.

We're travelling to one of our favourite eras, joined by special guest George Pringle - a music producer, artist & gallery owner.

George made both playlists for this week's episode, and we start with a discussion about Eurythmics. Their influence in synth pop is undeniable - as was Annie Lennox's look, attitude and progressive politics - but is the hype justified?

Fran & Babs had never heard of Deux, a French synth-pop duo formed in Lyon, who determinedly made music to listen to in your bedroom. Will we want to join them with George at Paris / Orly, or is it all too much of a Game and Performance?

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

Follow George on Instagram @georgepringletv and listen to her music! Babs recommends starting with her personal favourite tune Physical Education.

The original version of No More "I Love You's" by The Lover Speaks is on YouTube, you should check it out.

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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.

Welcome back to Season 8! Delighted our lockdown project continues, thanks so much for listening.

We're back in the noughties, and our overrated pick is a hugely popular rock band that neither of us are particularly keen on, especially since their first album...nevertheless, Babs made a wide-ranging playlist of Arctic Monkeys songs so her and Fran could re-assess whether there's more gold in their back catalogue than previously thought...

Fran chose Berkshire band The Cooper Temple Clause as his underrated pick as he feels that they're a pretty solid act - with especially great singles - yet they are not included enough in the discussion of great British indie bands from the era. Babs owns one of their albums, but will she agree with Fran's assessment and enjoy his playlist?

You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all the songs from our playlist, plus bonus songs 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram & Threads. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.

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.

Fran & Babs listened to (almost) the entirety of Björk's discography - having only previously dipped in and out of her music - and collaborated on a ten-track playlist spanning the decades to properly deliberate on her music and legacy...

Natasha Khan a.k.a Bat for Lashes is this week's underrated artist - Fran thinks she has many good songs beyond her hits, while until now, Babs was mostly indifferent...will his ten-track playlist convince her otherwise?

You can find ⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - it includes all the songs from our playlist, plus bonus songs 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.

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.