Podfluence Podcast Reviews: Our Approach

April 6, 2021 Jon Rouillard 0 Comments

A Podfluence Podcast Review

To understand the Apology Line podcast, we first must understand a man named Allan Bridge. Allan was a conceptual artist best known by his pseudonym Mr. Apology. He used the new technology of the 1980s, the voicemail, to record apologies from strangers. The line was advertised as “an anonymous telephone line where strangers could come clean about their wrongdoings, ranging from infidelity to murder…” I don’t think I need to give this podcast any better lead than that. The Apology Line is one of the best true crime podcasts right now.

The Apology Line is the latest feature from podcast giant Wondery and has become an instant favorite that has shot up the charts to become one of the top podcasts of 2021. There’s no denying why true crime fans have loved The Apology Line. Not only is it backed by the power of Wondery, but this exploration of Allan Bridge is led by someone that would understand this story better than anyone else. Marissa Bridge met Allan a month after he had started the Apology Line and they quickly began their relationship which led to the marriage until Allan had passed unexpectedly in 1995.

Marissa leads the listener through the story of Allan and his “subjects” through the power of recorded phone calls and personal anecdotes. She is able to share Allan’s insights as he dove deeper into the world of anonymous phone calls, oftentimes calling people back and engaging in deeper discussions. Those are the moments any true crime fan will live for, as the calls are shrouded in a veil of grittiness. What I have found most fascinating about The Apology Line is how it transformed from an art project to a full-blown lifestyle for Allan. Marissa shares the effects that this had both on Allen and as a married couple.

The Apology Line is one of the overall best podcasts of 2021 so far and a top true crime podcast. Episodes typically clock in at around 45 minutes and often leave the listener on a cliffhanger making it easy to dive into the next episode. In doing some armchair detective work I noticed that the original Apology Line website is still active and will even allow visitors to listen to a select batch of calls. The Apology Line has become one of my favorite true crime podcasts in the last month and has been an instant binge-able classic for anyone that I have recommended it to. Let us know what you think! You can check out more on the socials- Instagram, Twitter and PODCHASER

Podfluence True Crime Tuesday: The Case

April 5, 2021 Jon Rouillard 1 Comment

The Case Season One: Boston

If you aren’t familiar with Kirk Minihane, a quick Google search will present you with a variety of search results highlighting his career in podcasting. I can summarize those search results quickly for you. Kirk Minihane is a podcasting and radio legend, who is well known for his raw, uncensored commentary on everything from sports to politics and pop culture. Although this is Kirk’s first true-crime podcast, it is not his first piece of investigative journalism. In 2018, Kirk unearthed a groundbreaking story about how Kevin Cullen of the Boston Globe falsely claimed to be at the site of the Boston Marathon Bombings. Since that article was published, it was only a matter of time until Kirk put his investigative skills to work again.

Kirk lets us know his intentions for The Case within minutes of the first episode: “This is not a true-crime podcast, this is an investigation.” He’s clearly someone that has familiarized himself with true-crime podcasts and identified what works well and what doesn’t work for listeners. The Case is jam-packed with interview snippets from journalists who covered the case, and friends and family members related to the subject of the case.

Kirk mentions early in the first episode that he had a desire to start a true-crime podcast, and outlines some of the criteria for the case he selected. He wanted to keep it local to Massachusetts, a state that he grew up in and has lived for most of his life. After exploring several cases he finally landed on a cold case that he had never heard of before. In Season 1 of The Case, Kirk and his producer Steve, explore the story of a missing teenage girl, Jennifer Fay. Jennifer Fay went missing on the night of November 14th, 1989 in Brockton, Massachusetts. Jennifer was your typical, playful, 80’s teenage girl that was the life of everywhere she went. For years police considered Jennifer a runaway, but Kirk quickly flips that theory on its head minutes into The Case’s first episode.

The first season of The Case is an eight-part investigative true-crime podcast that will explore and investigate the case of Jennifer Fay. The first episode clocks in just under 45 minutes and sets the precedent for The Case to become one of the best new true-crime podcasts. In just hours after the launch of The Case, it climbed to a top 10 spot across all podcast genres. The Case is poised to be one of the best podcasts of 2021. The combination of Kirk’s tenacity and dedication to the truth of the Jennifer Fay case make this a podcast you do not want to miss.

Check out the case on Barstool Sports, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Podcast Review: Mysterious Circumstances Podcast

March 28, 2021 Jon Rouillard 0 Comments

Mysterious Circumstances

I’ve noticed that there is a running theme in the podcasts I have been listening to recently. After months of limited human interaction during the lockdown, I’ve come to appreciate podcasts that bring a sense of humor and personality to each episode. This week’s feature, Mysterious Circumstances, is no different and has steadily become one of the best true-crime podcasts available.

Mysterious Circumstance is a bi-weekly podcast that explores unsolved events that span true crime cases, the paranormal, and anything mysterious in between. As a frequent true-crime podcast listener, what I have found so refreshing is that Mysterious Circumstances is a bit unpolished, and that is a compliment. Which is exactly the approach that host Justin takes to this great true-crime podcast. Mysterious Circumstances is described as taking a “pirate radio” style approach. Pirate radio or a pirate radio station is a radio station that operates without a valid license, allowing the station to broadcast whatever they would, which can be lawless at times. And let me tell you, with the cases and approach Justin takes, Mysterious Circumstances is unquestionably a lawless podcast.

Since its launch in 2017, Mysterious Circumstances has grown its following over the last few years with good old grit and determination, and volume. Since 2017, Justin has released over 165 episodes of Mysterious Circumstances. And given the types of cases that are discussed, there is definitely plenty of content to support that type of volume. Justin’s approach is clearly that of a passionate podcaster and fan of the mysterious. Listeners will have fun listening to cases ranging from the mysterious death of rockstar Bobby Fuller, the life of Marlyn Monroe, the life and death of Wyatt Earp, and quite a few focused on UFOs and the paranormal. Mysterious Circumstances also offers a wide variety of interviews with true crime and paranormal authors.

Justin’s approach might not be for everyone, especially those who listen to their podcasts with kids in the car. But that’s what makes Mysterious Circumstances one of the best true crime podcasts of 2021. Justin doesn’t hold back in his approach and comments during case discussions, keeping the podcast extremely entertaining. Episodes can range from 30 minutes to over an hour based on the type of case being covered. Mysterious Circumstances has moved its way into my weekly rotation and will continue to be one of my favorite podcasts of 2021.

Check out Mysterious Circumstances on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Let us know what you think in the comments!

Podcast Review: Those Murder Girls

March 23, 2021 Jon Rouillard 0 Comments

Those Murder Girls

We know that tons of people took the time in 2020 to focus on themselves and their passions. Luckily, a lot of people seem to be extremely passionate about podcasting. Which is great news for podcast fans. So far in 2021, Podfluence has reviewed a variety of great new podcasts that have launched over the past year. One podcast, in particular, has brightened up my Fridays with their weekly releases. Those Murder Girls has quickly become one of the best new podcasts of the last year and we couldn’t be more excited to share our thoughts.

Launching in July of 2020, Those Murder Girls is a narrative-based true-crime podcast that combines deep factual research with lighthearted commentary. Listeners will also be excited to learn about new cases that they may not be as familiar with. Those Murder Girls is hosted and written by co-creators Reyna and Marie. Reyna and Marie create an easy listening experience for true-crime podcast fans as they have undeniable chemistry and fantastic tonality on the microphone. Aside from having great hosts, Those Murder Girls is driven by great production.

It’s clear that this is a true-crime podcast that was created by some serious true crime enthusiasts. Each week Reyna and Marie will walk listeners through some of the countries most mysterious cases, cold case files, and unsolved murder cases. Each case is approached with deep research and often times with help from the families in hopes to shed light and bring justice to some lesser-known cases.

Since their launch in 2020, Those Murder Girls have released over 30 episodes, with new episodes dropping each Friday. Listeners will expect to hear cases like that of Tina Faelz, a young girl whose life was cut short in a tragic manner; Arlis Perry, whose body was discovered at Stanford University; and a story of a Russian serial killer known as the “Granny Ripper.” As you can tell, there are a wide variety of cases for listeners to check out.

Those Murder Girls is quickly becoming one of the best podcasts of 2021. I look forward to their new episode every Friday. It also makes for the perfect Friday/Weekend podcast as episodes typically run anywhere from 20-30 minutes, making this the perfect podcast to binge while running errands or doing some chores around the house. Check out Those Murder Girls as their website, Instagram, and Facebook!

Podfluence True Crime Tuesday: 90s Crime Time

March 15, 2021 Jon Rouillard 0 Comments

90s Crime Time

As a product of the ’90s, it’s easily my favorite decade. I mean who couldn’t love a decade that had Space Jam, Pokemon, Titanic, and MTV’s TRL, among a billion other awesome things. That’s why it’s no surprise that one of the best podcasts of 2021 is the 90s Crime Time podcast.

What started out as a simple Instagram page has blown up to be one of the fastest-growing podcasts in the last year. 90s Crime Time is a narrative-style true-crime podcast that covers cases that have taken place during the 1990s. Specifically, 1990-1999. But what’s particularly fantastic about 90s True Crime is its host, Simone.

Simone had started 90s Crime Time as in Instagram page posting about cases in October 2019. As she gained followers and people became more interested in the content, they kept asking for a podcast. So Simone blessed all of her followers in February of 2019 with her first episode. And let me tell you, 90s fans have flocked to 90s Crime Time. What fans will love about 90s Crime Time is that Simone will explore a wide variety of cases: from theft to kidnapping and murder to name a few. Listeners will likely hear about cases they are both familiar and unfamiliar with. Some of the more popular cases that Simone will cover are cases like the Stardust Casino casino robbery, the murder of Diane Nash, and the murder of journalist Jill Dando.

Simone is a fantastic host who is a dedicated true crime fan that focuses on the facts of each case and discusses the societal impact at the time. It’s clear why 90s Crime Time has become one of the best new podcasts. Not only is Simone a die-hard fan of the 90s, but her passion shines through in each episode. Episodes typically range anywhere from 30-40 minutes making this the perfect podcast to binge on the weekend for new fans. 90s Crime Time has grown so quickly that it has even been featured by Cosmopolitan and Newsweek!

Check out 90s Crime Time on Instagram, Facebook, and the podcast homepage. Don’t miss one of the fastest-growing true crime podcasts and one of our early picks as our best new podcast of 2021.

Podcast Review: Killer Babes

March 9, 2021 Jon Rouillard 0 Comments

Killer Babes

The New England region of the US is located in the northeast part of the country and is compromised of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. It’s an incredible area and known for its historical landmarks, sports teams, foliage, and Podfluence. Yes, we are biased in our love for the area. But New England is also home to tons of unsolved cases, mysteries, and shocking crimes. And that’s exactly why we think Killer Babes is one of the best new true-crime podcasts around.

Who better to take for a trip through New England other than a few hometown girls. Candidly, hosts Katie and Kirby are the friends you didn’t know you needed. These best friends bring you right into the group with their relaxed and no holds barred approach. Katie and Kirby start their process by doing some initial research on a case, then when possible, travel to the location of a case to get a better feel for it. Killer Babes is a story of their experience and exploration and discussion on case details.

Given how big the New England region is and how much history the area holds, there is a ton of material for Killer Babes to cover. Some of the famous cases you will hear about range from Aaron Hernandez to Lizzie Borden. They also even explore spooky towns in the area like Salem, MA. One of the episodes I was most interested in checking out was about the mysterious Danvers State Hospital.

Since their first episode in February of 2019, Killer Babes has over 50 episodes and cemented its footprint as a great comedy true-crime podcast. I think it could become one of the best podcasts in the genre as they continue to grow and become great podcasters. With episodes ranging from 30-60 minutes, listeners will be able to throw an episode on at any time of the day.

Killer Babes might be creeping up on our list of best podcasts of 2021 so don’t sleep on these Killer Babes and check them out weekly for new episodes! Check them out on Twitter and Instagram!

Podcast Review: Morbid Podcast

March 2, 2021 Jon Rouillard 0 Comments

Morbid: A True Crime Podcast is an American true crime anthology podcast hosted by Alaina Urquhart and Ashleigh “Ash” Kelley. Urquhart is an autopsy technician and Kelley is a hairdresser. The podcast premiered in May 2018. Morbid has been included on best-of lists by Erie Reader, Vogue, The Post, and Bleeding Coo

Podcast Review: THE APOLOGY LINE

February 2, 2021 Jon Rouillard 0 Comments

If you could call a number and say you’re sorry, and no one would know…what would you apologize for? For fifteen years, you could call a number in Manhattan and do just that. This is the story of the line, and the man at the other end who became consumed by his own creation. He was known as “Mr. Apology.

Podcast Review: They Will Kill

January 19, 2021 Jon Rouillard 0 Comments

THEY WILL KILL

They Will Kill is one of the best true crime podcasts. There is no denying the power of siblings. Think about it. There are endless combination of talented and famous siblings: Venus & Serena Williams, John and Joan Cusack, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen – simply to name a few! So it’s not surprising that sisters Courtney and Sadie Eck have teamed up for one of the best independent top true crime podcasts out there and a top podcast of 2021.

They Will Kill is not only the product of two sisters, but it is also a podcast for true-crime podcast fans by true-crime podcast fans. These two sisters are such fans of true crime podcasts that to keep up with their rate of listening, they decided to start their own. From their time growing up in a rural town in central Indiana, they constantly relied on each other for entertainment. Which is one of the most appealing aspects of They Will Kill. Not only do these sisters have undeniable chemistry, but it’s the combination of chemistry and banter that makes it so entertaining as a listener.

Since launching in February of 2020 it’s clear that each episode of They Will Kill will come with a disclaimer. The episode will be well researched, and it will likely be a case you are unfamiliar with. Courtney and Sadie’s undeniable passion for all things true crime is apparent given the depth of research they provide for each topic. What I have enjoyed most about listening to They Will Kill is that each case covered is one that I have been unfamiliar with. Courtney and Sadie will explore cases ranging from a mass shooting in a bowling alley to a man that botched a planned heist on Halloween night. Some of the cases include Chris Marquis murder, Jamison Family death murders and others!

They Will Kill offers a balance of both case investigation and host commentary. Where some podcasts never quite find this balance, Courtney and Sadie both do a great job of staying on track with the case but also providing a level of brevity with their commentary. With episodes typically clocking in at around 45 minutes, They Will Kill makes for a great listen to get some weekend chores done or just throw on and have a relaxing cup of tea or coffee. Regardless of how you take your true-crime podcast, don’t miss out on one of our favorite podcasts from 2020. Check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Podchaser.

Podcast Review: Drinking the Koolaid

January 12, 2021 Jon Rouillard 0 Comments

PodFluence podcast review for #truecrimetuesday featuring “Drinking the Koolaid”