Best Glissando Podcasts (2024)

1
Episode 143: People Have Done This with Jackfruit 1:03:30

9M ago1:03:30

1:03:30

John went to Canada; Ed stayed home. Neither of them had roast beef. Together, they discuss, yes, restaurants and books, but also John’s chummy surgeon, Oscar’s wounded toe, Ed’s brush with embezzlement, and more. Follow links to Maangchi’s shaved ice, Kim Jong Grillin, Demarco’s Sandwiches, Lorna Crozier, Ethel Rackin, The Beat Generation, Slim Ga…

1
Episode 142: Auk Schmears 1:16:39

1y ago1:16:39

1:16:39

Ed’s got brain fog and a bread machine, and John’s got a one-year-old and a lump under his ear. Both of them have a penchant for crime, more so in Scotland than elsewhere, and a list of favorite Lees and Riches. Follow links to H. G. Carillo in the New Yorker, Rose VL Deli, Oklahoma National Stockyards, Midsomer Murders, Malcolm Mackay’s Glasgow Tr…

1
Episode 141: If Pall Mall Cigarettes Were a Man 1:12:12

2+ y ago1:12:12

1:12:12

John just got back from a very sweet Rosh Hashanah. Ed has a new job. Together, they discuss John’s new novel manuscript and why he wrote it, Ed’s ongoing musical adventure, why it takes a while to write back, whether it’s OK to get rid of your friends’ books, John’s parents’ weird neighbors, the people who buy specialized hardware, and what it’s l…

1
Episode 140: Just the Glissandos from Disco 1:13:34

3y ago1:13:34

1:13:34

Ed’s on a diet and is mad at poetry. John’s worried about his new books going unnoticed. Together they discuss some pretty OK TV shows, a few books published during the pandemic, whether artists should edit themselves, and what’s the point of book criticism. Follow links to Bob James’s “Take Me to the Mardi Gras”, Klara and the Sun, John’s GbV play…

1
Episode 139: Their Certificate, Which Was a Pretzel 1:16:38

3+ y ago1:16:38

1:16:38

Ed’s washing machine has become sentient, and John is looking a little gaunt. Only Ed has acquired a tuba, but both of them have gochujang in the fridge; and nine months into the pandemic, they’re not sure what other people even are anymore. They discuss teaching online, what to name Ed’s brass quintet, good people who recently died, and recent boo…

1
Episode 138: The Guy Fieri Wig Riot 1:24:50

4y ago1:24:50

1:24:50

Covid-19 had Ed and John feeling low, but now they’re all riled up. John’s avoiding joggers, chopping vegetables, and working on his Grease 4 spec script. Ed’s in a logjam at Target, trying to remember the bones of the hand, and getting schooled on roller skates. Together they discuss the unproduced Grease 3, escalators for grocery carts, H. C. Car…

1
Episode 136: Flying by the Ermine of Their Capes 1:02:21

4y ago1:02:21

1:02:21

Here’s another episode nipping at the heels of the last, because why not? Ed prefers homeschooling to regular schooling, and John prefers fun tasks to following the rules. They reminisce about teachers good and bad, then discuss the superfluity of certain pre-pandemic rituals, Covid truthers, country-influenced easy rock, and the car crash that too…

1
Episode 135: Quarantine Rex 1:23:06

4y ago1:23:06

1:23:06

John’s under quarantine. Ed is now a full-time second-grade teacher. They discuss their respective escapes from their universities. All the restaurants are closed, so they don’t talk about that. John has been making electronic music; Ed has not softened his position on sports. John tries to persuade Ed to buy his kid Animal Crossing: New Horizons a…

1
Episode 134: Manuscripts Don't Burn, but Volvos Do 1:08:39

4y ago1:08:39

1:08:39

Ed’s eating sprouted breads for his high blood pressure. John’s lox and scrambled eggs were a little too salty. Together they discuss analog recording, men’s clothing, TV shows good and bad, seventies music, John’s daughter’s burning car, and upcoming literary events. Follow links to the guayabera, Joe Pera Talks with You, Jackson Browne’s “For Eve…

1
Episode 133: The Cat Fancy Special Dog Issue 1:12:25

4+ y ago1:12:25

1:12:25

Ed’s getting over a cold, John’s sabbatical is over, and they reunite for a mildly glum conversation about death, death, country music, mushroom cookery, editorial etiquette, good books, movies about writers, and death. Follow links to Bjork’s home studio, Ottolenghi’s mushroom recipes, Hands Across America, Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve, …

1
Episode 132: The Bordello Under the Bordello Museum 1:18:44

4+ y ago1:18:44

1:18:44

Ed’s in Missoula, missing his family; John’s back from a couple of weeks out of town. They discuss the cuisine of the Canary Islands, passing a kidney stone on a bus trip, legendarily terrible literary readings, and good new fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Special guest Justin Taylor stops by to talk with John about video games. Follow links to Ca…

1
Episode 131: A Purpose-Driven Chair 1:13:29

4+ y ago1:13:29

1:13:29

Ed’s in Missoula; John’s uncomfortable. Changes have come to John’s office and posture, and Ed imagines being chased by tiny police. They discuss John’s wedding-celebration party in the Catskills and Ed’s culinary adventures in Missoula, a distinctive way of signing a book, chairs and people’s opinions about chairs, restaurants and thrift shops, an…

1
Episode 130: There Should Be A Robot Fund 1:18:21

5y ago1:18:21

1:18:21

John has given his graduation speech, to mixed reviews. Ed eats at a hibachi restaurant, to mixed reviews. The two of them mix it up over eggs fried and raw, cake that is also quiche that is also kugel, covering the Dead, androids that sweat and ants that don’t, how to learn to read and also fend off attackers, and whether Walt Whitman is great or …

1
Episode 129: A Bindle Full of Figgy Pudding 1:14:50

5y ago1:14:50

1:14:50

That’s right—Ed and John are back, sooner than expected. Ed’s doing better off of his diet than he was on it. John’s cooking up a bowl of revenge grits. Together they discuss Jane and Phil’s upstate vacation, elaboration in prose writing, trying not to repeat yourself, bluegrass innovation, passed appetizers both comestible and musical, John’s nove…

1
Episode 128: His Cassowary Had Been Sizing Him Up 1:13:35

5y ago1:13:35

1:13:35

John’s grappling with some technology. Ed’s got a child’s drum kit in his office. In this episode, they discuss AWP, graduation speeches, some good and underappreciated country music, the misery of social media, long-haul trucking, the most dangerous birds, Passover and other notable meal occasions, and John’s new ambient music act. Follow links to…

1
Episode 127: Hello Little Ghost Steak Restaurant 1:14:23

5y ago1:14:23

1:14:23

In this episode of America’s favorite imaginary restaurant, John has been visiting the haunted gym and went on a voyage to specious lagoon. Ed’s wearing maritime camouflage and receiving bacon from a mysterious cast member. They discuss eating in Disney World, returning to social media, diet and exercise (verdict: boring), and a bunch of good new b…

1
Episode 126: Unnamed Knife Fight Prequel 1:13:20

5+ y ago1:13:20

1:13:20

The holidays are done, and John has got himself a new desk and some opinions about Cheesecake Factory. Ed’s been furloughed and is taking liberties with dinner. He’s also planning a big party at AWP, and you should come. They’ve read a few good books and visited some artisanal web pages. Click through to follow links to Artie Butler, Around Midvale…

1
Episode 125: Good Enough for Stalin, Good Enough for Santa 55:17

5+ y ago55:17

55:17

Ed’s gotta run—it’s time to take the Cinnamon Bear Cruise. John impersonates a man twice his age by complaining about bureaucracy, and cannot believe what the Elf on the Shelf is actually about. Both of them have written songs about women in clerical roles, and they welcome a guest to the show, Oscar, co-host, with Ed, of the new podcast Water Adve…

1
Episode 124: Collusion of Undigested Beef and the Moon 1:18:37

5+ y ago1:18:37

1:18:37

In this snowy week before Thanksgiving, Ed’s been mushroom hunting and visiting a haunted mansion with his brother, and John’s been making brisket and cooking in a videogame. They discuss getting lost in the woods, creepy houses on creepy roads, synthesizer shops, what to put on popcorn, putting Pernod into a martini, and favorite spicy flavors. Fo…

1
Episode 2.1 - Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 30:16

5+ y ago30:16

30:16

On our Season 2 opener, our guest is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the United States Supreme Court. She talks about her love for the opera and about friends and family that have been part of her story, and she shares some of the wisdom she has gained during her long and productive career. Justice Ginsburg and many of her loved ones are presented a…

1
Episode 123: Warm Reassurances and March to the Sea 1:08:56

5+ y ago1:08:56

1:08:56

Ed’s birthday cake was consumed by ants. John’s delivering furniture and dining under sexy angels. In this conversational smörgåsbord, they discuss literary road trips, music festivals, meat experiences, and teaching unwoke books. Follow links to Rosie’s Bistro Italiano, Winter in the Blood, 49 Venezuelan Novels (again), The Bemus Point, Hardly Str…

1
Episode 122: Pigeon Stendhal Syndrome 1:28:43

5+ y ago1:28:43

1:28:43

Ed went to the Winfield Bluegrass Festival, and John went to the New York State Fair. They talk about pigeons, Aaron Neville’s farm, a good meal’s reliance on the right circumstances, why candy and Cool Whip constitute a salad, and the horror of the walking family taco. Follow links to Molly Tuttle, Maren Morris, frillback pigeons, Freville Farm, A…

1
Episode 121: Chive Me Twice, Chive's on Me 1:22:36

5+ y ago1:22:36

1:22:36

Ithaca has stolen Portland's weather, Ed's shed is nearing completion, and John is worried about how much context is too much. Also: Idyllwild nearly burned down, John's watching TV, and Ed plans to go to Missoula and to eat the whole bread bowl. Follow links to Cynan Jones's Cove, Nicole Krauss's Forest Dark, Dominique Fabre's The Waitress Was New…

1
Episode 120: Honk for Pigeons, Roll Slow for Ducks 50:48

6y ago50:48

50:48

Ed has to go build a shed with his father-in-law, so let this short episode be your sountrack to America's imminent demise. Hear about Ed's misbegotten road adventures and social media replacement plan, and John's amateur upholstery, covers gig, and and bumper-sticker grievances. Follow links to Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, The Lyres, Valley View Aut…

1
Episode 119: A Way to Soften Up Old Birds 1:18:03

6y ago1:18:03

1:18:03

John's new desk is kinda sticky. Ed's new desk is a large pile of books. They talk about John's move, funeral eats, Ed's hurt foot, the joys and pitfalls of rotisserie chicken and old houses, and some restaurants and books. Follow links to Rachel Cusk's Kudos, Sebastian Castillo's 49 Venezuelan Novels, Mother Foucault's Bookshop, Rodney Koeneke, Fr…

1
Episode 1.9 - Hannibal Lokumbe 51:51

6y ago51:51

51:51

On episode 1.9 we talk to trumpeter and composer Hannibal Lokumbe, whose compositions tell the stories of ordinary people with the courage and strength to stand up to racism and to fight for social justice. We take a look at two of his oratorios, one inspired by his own family's history and the other by Mrs. Rosa Parks. Our Deep Cut is James Price …

1
Episode 118: Analogous Taco Situation 1:13:19

6y ago1:13:19

1:13:19

Smelly ants are emerging from Ed's ceiling, and John is trying to eat fewer carbs. Not no carbs, just fewer. They talk about harmonicas; artisanal ice cream sandwiches; quitting a band and committing even harder to a band; what you get when you slice off a bit of pyramid; a bunch of books; and the imminent demise, or perhaps eternal eminence, of Do…

1
Episode 1.8 - Oliver Davis 48:14

6y ago48:14

48:14

On episode 1.8 we talk to composer Oliver Davis, whose extensive resume of television and film scoring includes the couch gag sequence for an episode of The Simpsons, which you can watch below. He's also released four highly regarded albums, the most recent of which, Liberty, came out in February 2018. Our Deep Cut is Kurt Atterberg's Suite No. 3, …

1
Episode 117: Lentilly-Ass Jowls 1:11:41

6y ago1:11:41

1:11:41

Ed's back from AWP in Tampa and sleeping peacefully, and John has brought a delicious beet dip to dinner for his low-carb friends to eat. They talk about Thai food, dessert hummus, archiving a writer's papers, eggs, Hershey's Gold, the boundaries of obscenity, and our glorious leader Donald J. Trump. They do not discuss the feature film The Florida…

1
Episode 116: Little Peggy Guggenheims 1:26:29

6y ago1:26:29

1:26:29

Ed and John are joined by frequent guest Alice Bolin, to talk about her forthcoming book, and also about good bookstores in Memphis, songs you write to sing at home, Los Angeles, terrible jokes, remote hoarding, ill-conceived cookbooks, and the state of Florida. Follow links to Joy Williams's Ill Nature, Karyna McGlynn's Hothouse, Alissa Nutting's …

1
Episode 1.7 - Anna Thorvaldsdottir 47:55

6y ago47:55

47:55

On episode 1.7 we talk to composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir about her work In the Light of Air, which will be performed by the International Contemporary Ensemble at the upcoming Big Ears Festival. We also discuss the music scene in her homeland of Iceland. Our Deep Cut is Rued Langgaard's Music of the Spheres, a stunning work for orchestra and choir t…

1
Episode 115: She's on Horse Time Now 1:17:02

6+ y ago1:17:02

1:17:02

Ed's thinking about getting a non-poetry job, and John has been living in an alien-infested space station for three weeks. They discuss Ray Bradbury, smokey cheesers, chocolate chip cookies, keeping your car alive, and café menus from distant towns; John describes his dream about a haunted hallway, and Ed describes his dream about getting a ride ho…

1
Episode 1.6 - Cristina Spinei 44:29

6+ y ago44:29

44:29

On episode 1.6 we talk to Cristina Spinei, a rising composer who makes her home in Nashville, Tennessee. We discuss her album Music For Dance, her Blind Ear Music project, and the classical scene in Music City. In place of a Deep Cut, we're featuring a Grammy-nominated recording by Nashville's ALIAS Chamber Ensemble of Gabriela Lena Frank's Hilos f…

1
Episode 114: The Night that Larry Freaked Out on Pickled Fennel

6+ y ago

—

Christmas is coming, and John and Ed are decorating their trees with ornaments and lights. Ed played a gig that went just right, and John is a little embarrassed at his collection of LPs. They discuss the feminist divorce ballads of the seventies, guitar amplifiers, the tension between the sentence and the line in poetry, typography, and the Micros…

1
Episode 113: There's a Haint in My Scarecrow 1:17:58

6+ y ago1:17:58

1:17:58

Back from Thanksgiving travels, Ed and John discuss school library preoccupations, works in progress, the toxicity of twitter, rock and roll reunions, bookstores and record stores, and John's encounters with death and renewed life. Also, Ed has some thoughts about John's novel-in-progress. Follow links to Borne, The Sou'Wester, Michael Hurley, Moth…

1
Episode 1.5 - Marin Alsop 36:06

6+ y ago36:06

36:06

On episode 1.5 we talk to Marin Alsop, one of the top conductors in the world. We discuss her recent Prokofiev recording on Naxos as well as the work she does promoting and encouraging classical music in Sao Paulo. Our Deep Cut is Symphony No. 1 in E Minor by Florence Beatrice Price, which upon its premiere in 1933 became the first work by an Afric…

1
Episode 1.4 - Boris Giltburg 44:43

6+ y ago44:43

44:43

On episode 1.4 we talk to pianist Boris Giltburg about his newest release on Naxos Records, a recording of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2, and about what it's like to be a top-level pianist. Our Deep Cut is the Piano Concerto in G Minor by Croatia's Dora Pejacevic, composed in 1913.

1
Episode 112: Schröedinger's Heartbreaker 1:13:08

6+ y ago1:13:08

1:13:08

Ed's headed for the Harry Potter Orchestra, and John is trying to throw a tennis ball through a brick wall. Together, they talk about a controversy involving pizza, no-league baseball, date night at a mediocre restaurant, fasting for Yom Kippur, Tom Petty and Kazuo Ishiguro, and wet-hop ale. Follow links to the thorn, Geoff Edgers on "American Girl…

1
Episode 111: Sprigs to Mind 1:09:22

6+ y ago1:09:22

1:09:22

Ed has volunteered to help kindergartners punch numbers into a keypad, and John is gearing up for a holiday fast. They discuss Trump's war against football, school lunches, library book marginalia, whether or not to trust seafood, how to cook a lot of scallops all at once, and the cryptozoology of Australia. Follow links to Rachel Ingalls's Mrs. Ca…

1
Episode 110: Fragile Feelings of Tentative Growth 1:05:09

6+ y ago1:05:09

1:05:09

Ed's writing in coffee shops before the rainy season begins, and John doesn't know what to do with his rosebush. They discuss the challenges of writer social media, aversion to your old apartment, prize resentment, Twin Peaks: The Return, tiny chairs at the kindergarten, putting hot dogs in miso soup, and fryin' up a fennel bulb. Follow links to Da…

1
Episode 1.3 - Christopher D. Lewis 47:09

6+ y ago47:09

47:09

On episode 1.3 we talk to Welsh harpsichordist Christopher D. Lewis about his love for the instrument, and about his recordings on Naxos Records. Our Deep Cut is a cantata for soprano, violin, and continuo by French composer Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, which was published in 1708.By Glissando

1
Episode 109: Americana Elsewhere in the World 1:24:49

7y ago1:24:49

1:24:49

Ed and John briefly land simultaneously at home, and get on the horn to reflect on the pressing issues of the day, such as a 65-year old barbecue chicken recipe, eating cereal with drool in it, why food suggestions are totalitarian, and teaching poetry in prison. Follow links to Cornell chicken on Atlas Obscura, Act V from This American Life, David…

1
Episode 1.2 - Steven Fox 38:09

7y ago38:09

38:09

Special guest: Steven Fox Deep cuts: Jon Leifs - Requiem; Erfiljoð On our second episode we talk to American conductor Steven Fox about his recent recording of Maximilian Steinberg's Passion Week with The Clarion Choir from New York City. Our Deep Cuts are two choral works by Icelandic composer Jon Leifs, titled Requiem and Erfiljoð.…

1
Episode 108: She Puts A Lotion in Some Baskets 1:15:28

7y ago1:15:28

1:15:28

Ed's had a root canal and couldn't be happier. John's 47 and has a new microphone. They talk about John's upcoming book tour, the pleasures of not very good television, the greatest product placement of all time, the Pinesburger, writer/artist dialogues, and New Jersey Pronunciation. Follow links to S. P. Dinsmoor's Garden of Eden, The Log Cabin Mo…

1
Episode 1.1 - Jennifer Higdon 37:52

7y ago37:52

37:52

Special guest: Jennifer Higdon Deep cut: Grazyna Bacewicz - Violin Concerto No. 3 On our very first episode we talk to American composer Jennifer Higdon about her new release All Things Majestic featuring Giancarlo Guerrero and the Nashville Symphony, along with soloists Roberto Diaz (viola) and James Button (oboe). Our Deep Cut is Grazyna Bacewicz…

1
Episode 107: The Roast Grasshopper Economy 1:13:05

7y ago1:13:05

1:13:05

Ed's in training for the Oscarlympics, John's bemoaning the global rise in dangling modifier tolerance, and the Skype Stormtroopers are on the march. Nevertheless they manage to discuss coffeemakers, the literary form disappointingly known as flash fiction, career regrets, Vladimir Putin's magic Antarctic potion, and postapocalypse eats. Follow lin…

1
Episode 106: Gilligan's Island of Adjunct Professors 1:21:08

7y ago1:21:08

1:21:08

John is frustrated by changes in hat culture. Ed is calmly weathering a dog vomit situation. They talk about recent political catastophes, why small presses should sell books at Jiffy Lube, the midwest's greatest big and tall stores, and Ed's collages and tuba longings. Follow links to Garden and Gun, Dave's Fox Head Tavern, Guitar Moves with Dean …

1
Episode 105: Stupid Skoog House Burn Burn Burn! Sad! 1:12:52

7+ y ago1:12:52

1:12:52

Ed's dog ate his mic cable, and John is infected by buzz. On this lo-fi, future-friendly episode, they discuss the coming darkness, shooting deer from your livingroom window, Chekhov and Beckett and Proust, and good cheap meat. Follow links to Laurel Diner, the rufous-sided towhee, Dapifer, Sixth Finch, Human Skin font, The Sandy Hut is not dead, "…

1
Episode 104: Skooter, Ricky, and Living Fluff 1:11:20

7+ y ago1:11:20

1:11:20

Ed and John are joined once again by Alice Bolin, for a sometimes jolly, sometimes morose conversation about funny names, Russian heavy metal, New Jersey delicacies, and the complicated history of McDonaldland and Barbie. Follow links to Ghosts and Projectors, Josh Fruhlinger's tweets, McDonaldland, Emily Jones on Trump, dreamy cream scones, Alice'…

1
Episode 103: The Places That Make You Feel Like You're Not There 1:18:14

7+ y ago1:18:14

1:18:14

Castro's dead, Trump's president, and everything's falling to pieces. What better time to read actor Michael Paré's fan mail? That's what Ed and John do, as well as discuss the diners of New England, the seafood of Seattle, favorite skillets, how to get good customer service, and how to hang out with deer. Follow links to the 15 best diners in New …

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