Over/underrated: a music podcast with Fran and Babs

Do you believe the hype? Fran and Babs talk about bands and artists potentially given undue credit & musicians who should be more famous, by curating five or ten-track playlists to argue their case

Over/underrated: a music podcast with Fran and Babs is a music podcast hosted by Barbara Mendes-Jorge and Fran James, with 110 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Barbara Mendes-Jorge and Fran James hosts Over/underrated: a music podcast with Fran and Babs, a music show with 110 episodes published.

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  Episode #3

  S10E3 - Australia Part V: Kylie Minogue (Overrated) & The Veronicas (Underrated) - with Sophie Davies

  Sep 9, 20261h 16mS10

  We clearly never tire of going Down Under, so we're back discussing Aussie pop with Sophie Davies from the ⁠It's an S Pod Thing! podcast⁠ (who was previously on discussing S Club 7 and Liberty X with us). With the new Kylie Minogue documentary out on Netflix, we thought it was a good moment to analyse an Australian icon gone global - can we get her out of our heads or do we want her to get outta our way? Sophie chose The Veronicas as an underrated pop pick because while they are quite big in their home country - rating highly on Triple J charts and having their own reality TV show - they're definitely not as well known in other countries. We discuss whether they have a unique sound (or not) and whether, as often happens, record label shenanigans may have dented their full potential... Listen to Sophie's podcast ⁠⁠It's an S Pod Thing! - Babs has guested on there quite a few times! Sophie also has another podcast ⁠Smashed Prawns in a Milky Basket⁠ , which celebrates the work of "comedy writer/performer/director/all-round genius Julia Davis". You can ⁠⁠⁠find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠the ⁠⁠⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠- it includes the ten songs chosen by Sophie, 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oumusicpod.bsky.social⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.

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  Episode #2

  S10E2 - Special Episode: What is shoegaze? Interviewing Simon Reynolds, music journalist and author

  Jul 23, 20261h 32mS10

  If you've ever wondered what the origins of shoegaze are - and how it is used as a classification - then this episode is for you! We're joined for an interesting discussion by someone who was there as the scene was unfolding in the UK: author and music journalist Simon Reynolds. Simon began his career at Melody Maker in the mid-1980s and has contributed to publications such as Spin, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Pitchfork and others. He has also written a range of music books, his latest one being Still In A Dream: Shoegaze, Slackers And The Reinvention Of Rock, 1984–1994 . In this episode, we discuss how Simon sees the arguably slippery label of shoegaze, what it was like to be an "inkie" music journalist in the pre-internet age and whether the role of the music critic has changed in recent years. We also asked Simon to provide five underrated shoegaze songs for discussion - listen to find out which one he describes as feeling "like standing in a wind tunnel and being buffeted by blossom petals" Simon is on Instagram and writes a range of blogs , including the most recent Blissblog. We recommend checking out his back catalogue , especially the book which now serves as a prequel to Still in a Dream , Rip it Up and Start Again: Post-punk 1978-1984 . You can ⁠⁠⁠find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the ⁠⁠⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠- it includes the five songs discussed during the recording, 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oumusicpod.bsky.social⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.

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  Episode #1

  S10E1 - Placebo Album Showdown Special: Black Market Music vs. Sleeping With Ghosts

  Jun 25, 20261h 10mS10

  We're back with another Album Showdown Special™! Having previously discussed their two favourite Radiohead albums back in 2021, this time Fran & Babs are discussing their favourite records from another band that originated in the 90s, Placebo. They've picked their five fave songs from each album (Fran - Black Market Music, Babs - Sleeping With Ghosts) and, as ever, try and convince each other they're right. Discussions include their time capsule music videos, homophobia in music reviews and why Brian Molko is such an important figure (who went to Babs's school! And knew her violin teacher!!). You can ⁠⁠⁠find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the ⁠⁠⁠playlist for this episode on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠- it includes all ten songs discussed on the episodes, 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@overunderratedmusicpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oumusicpod.bsky.social⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Bluesky. You can also email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠overunderratedmusicpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark Abbott⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our logo.

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  Over/underrated: a music podcast with Fran and Babs

  S9E10 - Sad Indie: The Smiths (Overrated) and Gene (Underrated)

  Mar 8, 20261h 17mS0

  <p>This week we're tackling one of the UK's most sacred musical cows and a 90s band on a similar wavelength...</p><p>We knew that one day we'd talk about The Smiths, which we discovered at different times in our lives, likely shaping our differing opinions of them. Fran's playlist aims to best showcase the breadth of their sound (and Johnny Marr's skills)....</p><p>Underrated pick Gene were discovered by Fran after the height of their career, and he can't understand why they weren't better known at the time...can he convince Babs this British band - who...

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  Episode #9

  S9E9c - Special Episode: Albums of the Decade (So Far)

  Dec 30, 202539 minS9

  <p>As we're halfway through the decade, we decided to each share our top five albums of the 2020s...</p><p>We also talk about other great songs from 2025 that didn't make our Best Of shortlist and round up our year in gigs...</p><p>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.</p><p>Download, review, subscribe and get in touch - especially if you have any suggestions for future themes or musicians to discuss. </p><p>Follow us on social media: it's⁠...

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