Review: She Will Rock You
Before I review this podcast I feel like I should talk about a few things. One, is that part of my blog is to differentiate between long form “deep dives” and short form “skimming” styles. I think they’re both really important for podcasting. I feel like I need to say: it’s okay if you prefer one over the other.
What is not okay is saying you don’t like a podcast because you don’t like any show in that format. If you don’t like blueberries don’t order the blueberry pie and then complain about it? We have the choice of what we interact with and how. Please consider that before you listen. Also, when ordering pie.
The other thing is that I live with a guy that knows music and sound. He works professionally as an audio engineer. He can pick up a string instrument, figure it out after a few minutes. Further, when he likes a band- he knows a lot about it. This is not me. I can play the violin, but can’t manage to figure out the F chord on my guitar. Who sings this again?
Anyway.
She Will Rock You is one of the “skimming” podcasts. I thought it was a good idea to listen to it with my boyfriend over breakfast. I chose Elton John, and Rage Against the Machine. It was a good idea but didn’t work out the way I had intended.
I found if you are more than a casual fan of a band, this may not be show for you. My boyfriend caught some inaccuracies in their Rage episode. However, if I had known about this podcast earlier- I may have listened to the Rage episode to understand more. Where you sit on this spectrum of casual interest (or not) will determine if you like this show.
After listening to a few newer episodes- notably their discussion of Queen: these ladies improve their research and audio skills over their adventure leaps. I love seeing this, especially in independent podcasts. I will continue to listen to see where they go. She Will Rock You has also been releasing interviews with artists- an excellent addition to what they already have going.
The hosts, Bethanne and Leah, have a great dynamic. They play off of each other with a gentle energy that conveys their love and excitement. In the episodes I’ve listened to these hosts do an unusually great job of keeping on-topic. Even if an episode can stray towards referencing another, they don’t dive too deep into the intermingling. They write well, with content that is getting more thoroughly researched. In general, I think they’re a wonderful starting point for people who know music- but not who’s behind it. Let’s be real, you don’t always realize who wrote or performed what. Looking specifically at Queen for that one. The people behind the music are important and don’t always get recognized. Or they are over-lauded. She Will Rock You balances out the great of rock and roll with the realities of being human. Call it a
I also appreciate that they don’t have the long, rambling introductions. These ladies get to the point in a reasonable amount of time, make you chuckle, and really blend well. These two are easy to listen to with excellent energy, they aren’t too bouncy without droning. The length of the episodes vary, Queen was nearly an hour and a half. Some of their shorter episodes sit around 25 minutes. This is certainly a podcast to take a look at length wise before you decide your commitment.
She Will Rock You has a great balance of heart, content, and growth throughout their seasons. They make you feel like you’re listening to two well informed friends chat over coffee. Which for me, really is what appeals to me about the medium. Bethanne and Leah have created an atmosphere of easy listening with joy and deep appreciation for the music industry. Seeing their growth over just a few episodes, and the adjustments they’re making – it makes me feel like they’ll be around for a while. I look forward to seeing where these women end up going.