In a shock move, for once I’m not plugging my own stuff here.
I’m slightly biased about this ‘unsettling and comfortingly’ creepy comedy podcast as a fellow Teessider, but disclaimer: I’m not involved in its production or promotion beyond this mini review. I’m just a fan, loving their work. And if it does make the leap to a bigger platform and a wider audience, I’ll hopefully gain kudos points by saying I was a listener from the start…
LISTEN THROUGH THE BROWN WINDOW
There’s some very interesting audio stuff coming out of Teesside. Anyone familiar with Hauntology will know it’s the home of Fortean Times writer Bob Fischer and of Mulgrave Audio, where he’s part of the team behind Simon Perkin’s Lurgy, an unsettling audio drama two-hander throwing back to Television for Schools, closedowns at 1am and plummy-voiced continuity announcers who suddenly start speaking directly to the protagonist.
Listen through the Brown Window also has links with Scarred for Life, the darkly satirical blog Scarfolk by Richard Littler, whose own spoof poster was accidentally used in the London Evening Standard, and a band of contributors consisting of comics and writers with credits on well-known comedy series spanning several decades.
OK. All that should set you up nicely.
A static-riddled list of numbers immediately puts you in the hauntology territory of number stations and the original music is so reminiscent of 1970’s and 80s production music, it’s both unsettling and comfortingly creepy.
It’s also very funny. Radio and telly anoraks will love the fake commercials, trailers, political broadcasts and voiceover parodies, and a continuity announcer’s rundown of the BBC’s evening entertainment is perfectly and ridiculously observed.
The sketches, some of which land better than others, as is often the case and everyone has their favourite bits – include a Dad’s Army parody that almost convinced me it was a real extract until a certain punchline caused me to cackle loudly; and the Rocky 4 “Blockbuster at Bedtime” on Radio 4 is a chef’s kiss of genius. A lengthy and deliberately slow buildup to a joke in which only one side of a telephone conversation is heard also rewards your patience.
If I had one criticism, its strength is also its weakness. Where the atmospheric analogue radio sound design and long establishing soundscapes are brilliantly done and make the payoffs worth waiting for, for me, one or two more traditional-style sketches do continue a little too long after the funniest moment has passed. Editing might be painful, but it can make something good even better…
There are tonal nods to Monty Python, Look Around You and from the radio world, Blue Jam and The Skewer. It already stands out as something uniquely weird, nostalgic, dark and very, very funny and I can’t wait for more episodes.
Listen Through the Brown Window is available on Mixcloud and Spotify.