It's been a couple of weeks since the last installment, and honestly I think I was a little over-zealous in April. I should have saved some of those songs for May. Anyway, I wracked my brain and scoured the internet...and I think I've found some pretty darn good picks. I don't mind saying so myself.
This playlist has a little of everything. The first track sounds like a tribute to the 80's without coming right out and saying it. The third has a drum beat that'll resonate through your brain. When you get to the sixth track you'll soon realize that Green Day just put out a new single, and surprise, surprise...it sounds like Green Day. The eighth track will greet you with the familiar vocals of Zack De la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine....man, I miss that guy.
So listen to them all. Let me know what you like. Let me know what you dislike. Curse me for my horrible taste in music. Whatever, seriously I don't care...I'll appreciate the comments regardless.
And once again, the comments are now linked with Facebook, so there is no need to register for a separate account to comment on the blog anymore. See how easy we make it for you guys?
For years, swimmers have been relegated to swimming in silence, without music to fuel their workouts. Well, Pool Jockeys rejoice! Finis Inc has released a new MP3 player that uses bone conduction technology to give you crystal clear music underwater. The "speakers" clip onto your goggles and send the music through your cheek bone, to your ear drum. It sounds painful if you ask me, but apparently it's not....and it delivers the best quality sound in the water...whereas normal speakers just sound muffled and quiet.
While perusing the web I came across Fitness Magazine's "Top 100 Workout Songs"...let me re-iterate that. This is not my list and I do not claim to have created it, nor do I claim to even like half of the songs for that matter. However there are some great tracks on here, that may have fallen by the wayside over the years. I know I hadn't thought about a couple of them in a long time, and just seeing their name reminded me that they would indeed make good workout tunes.
Read through Fitness Magazine's Top 100 below and tell me which songs, from the list, would be your top 3.
I'd say mine are #'s 1, 64, & 90....but only listing top "3" is tough. Now let's hear yours in the comments.
First off, congrats to Bobby and Eric on completing Event #2 over the weekend! An Olympic Triathlon is no joke guys! Way to go.
Now its back to training for the next 9 events. That's where I come in....to hopefully provide new music to make everyone's workouts more enjoyable, more energetic, and less monotonous.
I threw together another playlist with 9 new songs, sandwiched by two older tracks. The first track is from about 2 years ago. It's by a band called Gogol Bordello and it sounds like a gypsy version of Punk. It also appeared in a commercial for a Nissan Xterra (I think) last year, so you may recognize the tune. The next 9 tracks are all pretty new...some are from albums that aren't even officially released yet. And finally, the last track is from The View, a British band. This song is actually from their 2007 debut album. Their sophomore album isn't officially out, but a few of the tracks have been leaked on the internet. I wanted to include one of the new tracks, but Lala of course couldn't include it, for "copyright reasons". If you like this track though, google the song "Double Yellow Lines"...it is my favorite of the leaked new songs.
Go ahead, check out the playlist below...its totally free. Listen to all of them though, because there are some real gems in there (or atleast I think so). And as always, let me know which ones you like/dis-like in the comments. Feel free to sound off....you won't hurt my feelings.
If you haven't signed up for Lala yet, you may want to do so. The tracks are cheaper than iTunes, and you can purchase any of the P-11 playlists with just one click.
There have been a bunch of new songs that have caught my ear lately. I went ahead and compiled 10 of them into a playlist so you can download them and listen while you train. It's a wide range of musical styles and moods, but it is all consistently upbeat...ideal for your general training purposes.
Below the Playlist I will give a little blurb about each track and maybe some info about the band that performs it.
Pearl Jam - Brother: This song sounds like it is straight off of "Ten", back in 1991. In fact it sort of is. Pearl Jam just re-released "Ten" with remastered tracks and a second disk full of remixes and bonus tracks. If you don't know Pearl Jam already, then I'm sorry, we can't be friends...this just isn't going to work out.
Mute Math - Spotlight: This the second single off of the "Twilight" Soundtrack...but please don't let that ruin it for you. Mute Math is actually a very good band, and they consistently churn out some catchy tunes. They are set to have a new album released in the next couple of months.
Cage the Elephant - Aint No Rest for the Wicked: This song has a sort of G. Love vibe to it. It almost reminds me of the Fun Loving Criminals (atleast Eric will get that reference). Apparently the band is out of Kentucky, and while they have enjoyed success in the UK and Europe, they are still relative unknowns here in the States.
All the Saints - Sheffield: "Psychedelic yet direct, raging but tuneful"...This is how they describe themselves on their website. I don't know a whole lot about this band...only that they are a new comer to the scene and they appeared at this year's South By Southwest (SXSY) festival in Austin Texas last month.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Off with your Head: This particular Yeah Yeah Yeahs song is a little pop-ier than some of their older stuff. Its got a good beat though and will probably end up stuck in your head long after you've finished the playlist. If you like it, check out the rest of the "It's Blitz" album, which just came out last month.
The Heavy - That Kind of Man: These guys are hard to pin down. Its like blues rock meets Prince, meets Sly and the Family Stone, meets the Almighty Senators, meets the theme song from the Sopranos. For some reason, every time I listen to this song, I feel like I'm in stylistic heist movie, like Lock Stock or Ocean's Eleven. The entire Album, Great Vengeance and Furious Fire, is well worth a listen also.
Manchester Orchestra - I've Got Friends: This is the first single off of their forthcoming album, Mean Everything to Nothing. The build up is spectacular. The song starts off like a tame 80's jingle, and builds layer upon layer until it reaches a fervent pace. The album is due out later this spring. Keep your eyes out for it...its going to be a good one.
The BPA - Toe Jam: BPA (or Brighton Port Authority) is actually just another name for Fatboy Slim. The BPA project however is more of a collaboration, with appearances form David Byrne of the talking heads, Dizzee Rascal, and Iggy Pop.
Handsome Furs - I'm Confused: I'm Confused is the catchiest of tunes from this husband/wife band's latest album. If you like it, check out there latest album, Face Control, but also be sure to listen to their debut, Plague Park. And for any music geeks out there, yes that is the same singer as Wolf Parade. His name is Dan Boeckner and he is joined by his wife, Alexei Perry.
Iglu and Hartly - In This City: This track is part indie rock, part hip hop and was classified as "an anthem in the making" by NME magazine in the UK. It should make for the perfect song to take you home at the end of your workout.
There's really nothing better than downloading a new album and realizing that it's good enough to enjoy all the way through. It rarely happens...and the experience is like my "White Whale" that I chase as I buy album after album.
The latest case of Full-Album greatness came from an unexpected band out of Athens, GA...a band called Dead Confederate. The album's title is "Wrecking Ball", and you should really give it a listen. The majority of the songs are uptempo and work perfectly for a training soundtrack. The few, slower tracks that are scattered throughout, are textured and complex enough to keep you interested and keep your attention. In fact they may just subdue you into a perfect running groove, for a long distance pace.
What does it sound like exactly? I'd say it is equal parts southern rock and grunge, with a heavy Pink Floyd influence. I hear tinges of Pearl Jam in there, a little Soundgarden, and even some Kings of Leon-esque vocals at times.
The entire album is embedded below. I encourage you to listen from start to finish. If however you want to just listen to the single to get a feel for the band, start with the song called "The Rat".
This week, lets crank things up a notch with a little heavy metal/hard rock. Heavy music serves a purpose in my own personal training habits, so I wanted to share some of it with you.
Some days (usually Mondays...go figure), when I train I need something to really get me pumped. Something so raw and powerful that my muscle fibers have no choice but to get fired up and work. This can apply to lifting or running alike, but I find it's not necessarily good for long distance runs. Maybe it's just me, but the heavier music makes me expend my energy faster and I have a hard time pacing myself for longer distances. So lets just say that today's playlist is intended for an explosive or high intensity workout. This could include sprints, interval training, lifting, or just a short, fast-paced run.
Once again, this is meant to be an exploration into music that you may not already know. There are of course some classics that you may already rely on. AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" has always been a favorite for getting the adrenaline pumping. Rage Against the Machine's entire catalog can be used as well. Welcome To the Jungle, Enter Sandman, Kickstart My Heart, etc....We've heard them all before. We've all got our own personal favorites, and feel free to share yours in the comments. It is my hope that you can find one song in the playlist below, that you can adopt as part of your own personal "pump-up" soundtrack.
I've thrown together a list of ten tracks, some really new, others not so new. Either way though, I'd be surprised if you know more that half of them already...and if you do, Kudos. We should hang out. I hope you enjoy the music, and I hope it helps add some intensity to your next workout.
Here's the playable list. (See below for some notes about each of the tracks)
***Update*** Due to copyright restrictions at Lala.com #'s 6 and 7 cannot be streamed in their entirety in the playlist. The tracks can be found on Youtube though. Here you go... #6 and #7
Rise Against -Re-Education (Through Labor) - These guys are great. They have a great punk groove. If you like this, you will like pretty much all of their stuff.
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole - Muse is a great band from the UK. They made waves with their last album here in the US, but the two albums prior to that were really good too.
Alexisonfire - We are the End - This one is a little extreme. Don't turn it off! The band describes their sound as "a couple of cartoon-character angels and devils sitting on your shoulders, offering 2 very different interpretations of the same musical message." Give the song a listen all the way through and you will know what they mean. Somehow it ends up being very melodic, while being aggressive at the same time....atleast that's my opinion. If you hate it, feel free to tell me in the comments
Two Tongues - Wowee Zowee - This is a new one. the band is a combo effort with members of Saves the Day and Say Anything. Catchy tune. Not too heavy. Its a good release after the overt aggression from that last track.
Sparta - Taking Back Control - this is an oldie but a goodie. I think the song is about 5 years old, but still one of Sparta's best. If you don't know Sparta, go check out their entire catalog. I could give you the whole long story of where they came form and how they are connected to other bands like Mars Volta and At the Drive-in, but I'll skip it. Google them if you are interested.
Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 - One of my all time favorite songs. No, it is not a girl singing...and yes, I realize it sounds like Geddy Lee from Rush. Listen to the track the whole way through. It will be stuck in your head, guaranteed.
Metallica - The End of the Line - I could have listed about 15 older Metallica songs, but I wanted to throw something new out there. If you haven't actually heard their entire new Album, please go listen. It's actually pretty darn good.
Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles - This band showed up about 2 years ago, and got very little attention. Lately though, their songs have been featured in commercials and on the video games Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Keep an eye out for their new album in April 2009.
Against Me! - Thrash Unreal - A good heavy punk track with some really catchy parts. Just enough to keep you moving.
American Steel - Mean Streak - Another Punk-y group who can write one hell of a catchy tune. Try not to sing along with that chorus...I dare you
Everyone has different musical tastes, which makes recommending something for your training routines a little tricky. Some people (like Eric for instance) like to "rock out" to the classics...with a little Bob Seger...Maybe some AC/DC... a little G'n'R...with maybe a twist of new stuff like the Killers. Other people tend to prefer music with more of a beat, like hip-hop or even flat out pop music. And then finally, some people can even get pumped up by Kelly Clarkson or Britney Spears(ugh). I say, to each his own right? (and yes...I realize I left off a few genres from the list, but really? Who trains to country or Jazz?)
I personally have the musical attention span of an ant. I listen to a new album, love it for a week or two, then move on to the next tasty morsel. Unfortunately between tasty morsels, there are quite a few sour bits and rotten parts that I need to sift through. This entire process can be pretty time consuming and expensive, but maybe it can prove to be beneficial to us all. I'll try to skim through the crap that I download and give you just the highlights. Basically, just to tell you just about the tracks that I think should be on that training playlist of yours.
That being said, why don't we get started with Volume 1 of what I hope ends up being a regular occurrence on Project 11?
This first installment is a little outside my normal listening range. It would be considered "Hip-Hop", which isn't usually my thing. However, for the last week or so, I've been obsessed with an album by a group called N.A.S.A...which stands for "North America South America". The name brings attention to the fact that the album was actually a colla boration of many artists from all over the globe and from various genres. Two DJs from the LA worked with other artists ranging from David Byrne (of the Talking Heads), to George Clinton, for over two years. The collaboration took place with the various artists submitting their own ideas and these two DJs that are "NASA", compiling them into cohesive pieces of music. The entire album is really a great listen, so if you are up for it, just download the whole thing and get to the gym. However, if you are too skeptical to go with all 14 songs, look below for a couple of choice tracks so you can get a taste.
The first 3 tracks are from NASA's album, but I've also included a few other recent notables. The other tracks include:
TV on the Radio - Golden Age Kings of Leon - Sex on fire Black Mountain - Stormy High Black Ghosts - Full Moon
I hope you enjoy at least a couple of the tracks. And as always, do the right thing and please purchase your music through legitimate channels...My new personal favorite is Lala.com.
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