Retro Radio: Old Time Radio in the Dark · Darren Marlar

She Went to a Church Dance. She Came Back in a Stolen Car With No Memory.

March 31, 2026·5 hr 4 min·5 clips

A new album features ghost stories, murder ballads, and a nine-foot bat ape with a purple nose.

This episode serves as an announcement for the host's new music album. The host introduces the album with a rapid-fire list of its contents, starting with ghost stories and murder ballads. It mentions specific tracks or themes, such as a time traveler party that nobody attended and a nine-foot bat ape with a purple nose. Historical references include Harriet Tubman and a Revolutionary War soldier haunting a college dormitory. The narrative includes bizarre elements like a man who keeps calling women Dana and Alfred Hitchcock ruining someone's love life. The album also features a love song, contrasting with its darker themes. The host reveals the album's title, 'Why Do I Keep Doing This?', and reflects on their creative journey since 2015. They describe the album as written and produced by themselves, performed by the podcast's in-house band, Dark Weirdness. Availability details are provided, listing platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and others. The episode emphasizes the album's global reach through these services. It concludes with the host reiterating the self-reflective question about their ongoing creative efforts. The tone is promotional yet personal, blending dark humor with earnest promotion. No guests are featured; it is a solo announcement. The format is straightforward, with the host directly addressing listeners about the album's release. Recurring themes include darkness, mystery, and introspection. Key moments include the vivid description of album contents and the availability announcement. The episode lacks a traditional narrative arc, focusing instead on informational delivery. It connects back to the podcast's broader theme of dark genres from the Golden Age of Radio.

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