Podcast roundup: From The Art Newspaper to SI Media and The Urbanist, the best this week

Podcasts have seen a rapid upsurge in popularity in recent years. From true crime to design, popular culture and modern relationships, fiction to in-depth reportage, podcasts have proliferated to the point where no matter how esoteric the subject, there’s bound to be a show that deals with it. Amid this cornucopia of audio delights, however, how do you pick the podcast that’s most worth your while? This is where our weekly curated playlist steps in; it’s a lowdown on the best episodes from a selection of podcasts that deserve a listen. Ready to tune in? *** — The Art Newspaper Weekly Van Gogh in the asylum. Plus, Christian Marclay on The Clock About the podcast: Hosted by Ben Luke, the weekly podcast delves into the art world’s biggest stories — from breaking news to insights into the exhibitions and the events around the world — with the help of special guests. About the episode: In an absorbing episode — the first of a new season — The Art Newspaper’s Martin Bailey and art historian Martin Gayford (The Yellow House) talk about Van Gogh’s time at the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole. The duo discusses everything from the painter’s inspirations at the time to the accuracy of the night sky in The Starry Night to his final days after he left the asylum. Later, artist Christian Marclay talks about his fascinating and ground-breaking work, The Clock. Runtime: 47 minutes Listen to the episode here.

—  The Documentary Iceland: What Happened Next? About the podcast: From the BBC World Service, documentaries investigating global developments, issues and affairs. About the episode: Ten years since the global financial crisis, journalist  Edwin Lane visits Iceland, the small island nation of just 3,40,000 people, and also the scene of one of the biggest banking collapses in history. A decade on, the economy has recovered, thanks to the millions of tourists who now visit every year, but scars have been left on the close-knit island nation’s collective psyche and pride. Speaking to a wide range of Icelanders from all walks of life, Lane investigates the causes of the crisis, what lies ahead and if lessons of the past haven’t been learned. Runtime: 51 minutes Listen to the episode here.

—  Radio Atlantic Is Democracy Dying? About the podcast: Each week, The Atlantic’s top editors —  Jeffrey Goldberg,  Matt Thompson, and  Alex Wagner — sit down with leading voices to explore what’s happening in the world, how things became the way they are, and where they’re going next. About the episode: With authoritarianism and populism on the rise around the world, The Atlantic’s October issue examines the fate of democracy. This week’s episode features two contributors from the issue,  Anne Applebaum (who writes that Poland shows how quickly things can fall apart) and Jeffrey Rosen (who writes that the state of American politics is one Founder’s worst nightmare), discuss this perilous moment. Runtime: 44 minutes Listen to the episode here.

— Monocle 24: The Urbanist Tall Stories 124: The Melnikov House About the podcast: With an audience of city mayors, urban planners and architects, The Urbanist is _Monocle’_s guide to making better cities, be it new technology, state-of-the-art subways or compact apartments. About the episode: Russian architect Konstantin Melnikov’s most significant building was the house he built for himself in 1929. It remained in the Melnikov family for decades until, in 2014 after much legal wrangling, it was taken over by the Moscow Museum of Architecture. In this mini-episode, host Andrew Tuck explores the avant-garde house and what has become of it today. Runtime: 7 minutes Listen to the episode here.

— SI Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch Rolling Stone chief TV critic Alan Sepinwall & New York Post sports media columnist Andrew Marchand About the podcast: Hosted by Richard Deitsch, the podcast features conversations with people who shape the sports media and the process of behind it. About the episode: Moving away from sports for this one, Rolling Stone chief TV critic, Alan Sepinwall talks about the daily routine of a TV critic, how much TV he watches each day and the shelf life of broadcast TV and how this could affect sports in the feature. He also discusses the shows you should be watching right now, and his top 10 shows of all time before taking a deep dive into The Sopranos. Runtime: 80 minutes Listen to the episode here.

Other episodes of note this week: • In Our Time —  Automata • Vogue Podcast —  Class & Values: Nicole Phelps • Dumb People Town —  88: Jon Hamm - Cookie Chaser