I don't know why I always smell nail polish remover when I run. I know its weird and I don't know why it happens, but its not cool. Anyways, the band of the day was One For The Team, which I had just heard that morning on Local Current and liked what I heard so I downloaded both their albums, Build it Up, and Good Boys Don't Make Noise. Together, the albums were a touch over an hour, which gave me a tad under 9 miles of running.
Since I heard them on the local current, I'm going to go ahead and venture to guess they're from the Minneapolis/ St. Paul area. I mean, the sound is familiar, which is not to say its not exciting. Its got that punk- ish personality to it, but its too soft to be actually punk. I think theres comfort in the familiarity-- like you've heard all the songs before. The first band that came to mind is Gob, if you've heard of them, even though they're nowhere near as loud as them. I liked the lyrics too, they were pretty funny in some songs and I could really relate most songs.
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday afternoon music sesh
I don't know about you, but I'm not partial to long runs at all. I mean, after 40 or 45 minutes of hard running I'm mentally checked out. So what do I do? I mean, I've sort of backed myself into a corner by my own doing. I've got the Eugene Marathon in 40- something days and just bought some trainers yesterday. Up until now my runs have been sub- 40 minute tempo runs in racing flats. So bottom line for me is that every third run for me will be boring as shit, AKA 11+ miles at a decently slow pace. So I've deemed long run days new music days-- the first of which was today.
So here's my plan to cut the boredom- I'll listen to a brand new album or two every time out. I think I've got enough albums to do it, and I've got Pitchfork and The Current in case I need more stuff. Now, normally I'll listen to more straightedge rock and stuff when I'm running-- Search The City, Rise Against, Blindside-- that kind of stuff. But I mean since I'm going to be going at an "accelerated jogging" pace, I can listen to whatever I want to. Today I listened to Attack! Attack!'s self titled CD (the UK band not the American one) and Polica's CD Give you the Ghost.
I've already seen Polica twice in concert- once at the Kitty Cat and once at First Ave so there's really nothing new there, but its still a killer CD. Its their music is kind of haunting I guess and its pretty slow, but its a nice, melodic slow. They're a little known band from the Minneapolis area, so there's a plus too. Attack! Attack! is a pretty sweet band that I'd never heard of until a week ago, but I'm glad I ran across them. Their music is a lot more up tempo than Polica but its good. I mean its kind of like a "once you've heard one, you've heard them all" alternative band, but you could tell the guys were having fun making it. Its far from mediocre, so worth a listen.
So here's my plan to cut the boredom- I'll listen to a brand new album or two every time out. I think I've got enough albums to do it, and I've got Pitchfork and The Current in case I need more stuff. Now, normally I'll listen to more straightedge rock and stuff when I'm running-- Search The City, Rise Against, Blindside-- that kind of stuff. But I mean since I'm going to be going at an "accelerated jogging" pace, I can listen to whatever I want to. Today I listened to Attack! Attack!'s self titled CD (the UK band not the American one) and Polica's CD Give you the Ghost.
I've already seen Polica twice in concert- once at the Kitty Cat and once at First Ave so there's really nothing new there, but its still a killer CD. Its their music is kind of haunting I guess and its pretty slow, but its a nice, melodic slow. They're a little known band from the Minneapolis area, so there's a plus too. Attack! Attack! is a pretty sweet band that I'd never heard of until a week ago, but I'm glad I ran across them. Their music is a lot more up tempo than Polica but its good. I mean its kind of like a "once you've heard one, you've heard them all" alternative band, but you could tell the guys were having fun making it. Its far from mediocre, so worth a listen.
It Was Good, For A While, And I Could Always Fake A Smile
That title really has no bearing on this post, but whatevs. Its a quote from a song by The Rassle called 21. I think if you go to their web site their EP is still free, or maybe not. If its not, feel free to spend the $5 or whatever and buy it. I'm getting no money for saying that, but as a general rule I only spend money on music I'll actually listen to. If its for a house party or whatever, just use spotify or groove shark or something but don't steal music. I'm not saying that because President Obama probably reads my blog on the reg being like "lets see what laws Matt incriminated himself on today" (even though he totes does) but think about it. If you're really going to listen to a song a lot, then you probably like the band, so support them. If you're only getting a song that you're going to play once in your life, why even waste the effort in getting it illegally? I mean if you get caught thats a whole 'nother barrel of wax, but, I mean whatever, do what you want, this argument is running out of steam fast.
So I guess I should get to the reason I'm actually writing. I was going to write this big long mellow dramatic post about how I'm such a loser and can't talk to girls and then drown my sorrows by eating thin mints while watching reruns of house hunters on HGTV on Saturday nights until one in the morning, but ya know, if I don't want to hear that I can't even imagine you guys, so I won't. Instead, I'm going to talk about yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
In order to get to a spot to do long runs, or even mid- distance runs, I have to run across a highway overpass. This is because our neighborhood is set into a valley and you have to go up a ridiculous hill that my car can barely get up to get out of my neighborhood the other ways. Anyways, people don't really obey traffic laws or common sense on that overpass. Its like when they laid out the plans for Edina they said "traffic laws will apply everywhere but here" and then circled the Valley View/ 169 overpass. Its ridiculous, man. You know how you're supposed to yield to pedestrians on a left turn where pedestrians have the walk sign? yeah... that went right out the window. I got plowed into by some idiot in a red Buick the other day on such an occasion. Okay, not plowed into, but I definitely got more than a love tap and some bruising. Not cool, bro. So I guess if there's a point to this story, its don't be an idiot. Just don't.
So I guess I should get to the reason I'm actually writing. I was going to write this big long mellow dramatic post about how I'm such a loser and can't talk to girls and then drown my sorrows by eating thin mints while watching reruns of house hunters on HGTV on Saturday nights until one in the morning, but ya know, if I don't want to hear that I can't even imagine you guys, so I won't. Instead, I'm going to talk about yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
In order to get to a spot to do long runs, or even mid- distance runs, I have to run across a highway overpass. This is because our neighborhood is set into a valley and you have to go up a ridiculous hill that my car can barely get up to get out of my neighborhood the other ways. Anyways, people don't really obey traffic laws or common sense on that overpass. Its like when they laid out the plans for Edina they said "traffic laws will apply everywhere but here" and then circled the Valley View/ 169 overpass. Its ridiculous, man. You know how you're supposed to yield to pedestrians on a left turn where pedestrians have the walk sign? yeah... that went right out the window. I got plowed into by some idiot in a red Buick the other day on such an occasion. Okay, not plowed into, but I definitely got more than a love tap and some bruising. Not cool, bro. So I guess if there's a point to this story, its don't be an idiot. Just don't.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Old enough to know, but too young to care
That title doesn't really have any bearing on this post, its a lyric from a song called Haight St. by Anberlin that I'm really into right now. The whole CD really- called New Surrender, check it out. Also, its 11pm when I'm starting this, so spelling mistakes will be abound. I have to get up at 6 for work and I'm running on diet snapple, but whatevs, I'll brew myself another pot of coffee.
Anyways, "Spring" break is over. Spring was in quotes because it isn't very spring- ish at all. In fact, we got a good 3'' of snow when I was at home, which kind of threw a wrench into my running plans. Not that much though. Other than running, break was all researching and Madden '10. I took the Vikings to the Super Bowl, I know you're all proud of me. Sage Rosenfels was the MVP. Place your bets for this season, I'm going to be running T- Jack and Pat White out of the wildcat a lot. Enough about that though. I changed my research topic too, now its going to be the effect of the Biological Weapons Conference on Biological Weapons proliferation. I'm reading this book called Biohazard by Ken Alibeck (not his real name), the second in Command of the Soviet Union's Biopreparat facility, a clandestine BW complex masquerading as a pharmaceutical research complex. I don't know how to describe it- eye opening? scarry? fascinating? probably all of the above.
So today I went on a legit long run, my first in a week. I was planning to go 18, but I went 14 instead. The run started out terrible. I was running on Cleveland Ave about a half mile into the run, slipped on a patch of ice, and tripped headfirst over a planter on the sidewalk. I run past that planter every freakin day and it never gives me any trouble. Why now? Anyways, I went over headfirst, but ended up landing on the side of my hip. I was wearing my running tights which somehow weren't ripped. However, my side is all scarred up and red toward my butt. I bet my iPod that I just bought is broken too since I was wearing it on that hip. Scratch that, the screen is cracked something awful, but I can still use it and it still works. So, that was the excitement, I was up and off after that. No blood, thankfully, and I was able to breeze through 14 miles relatively easily. Tomorrow's run is going to suck though, since its already getting stiff and still stings like no other.
I'm going to try to wear my new Ravenna 2's to class tomorrow to break them in and then run in them, so look for a review of those in a while.
Anyways, "Spring" break is over. Spring was in quotes because it isn't very spring- ish at all. In fact, we got a good 3'' of snow when I was at home, which kind of threw a wrench into my running plans. Not that much though. Other than running, break was all researching and Madden '10. I took the Vikings to the Super Bowl, I know you're all proud of me. Sage Rosenfels was the MVP. Place your bets for this season, I'm going to be running T- Jack and Pat White out of the wildcat a lot. Enough about that though. I changed my research topic too, now its going to be the effect of the Biological Weapons Conference on Biological Weapons proliferation. I'm reading this book called Biohazard by Ken Alibeck (not his real name), the second in Command of the Soviet Union's Biopreparat facility, a clandestine BW complex masquerading as a pharmaceutical research complex. I don't know how to describe it- eye opening? scarry? fascinating? probably all of the above.
So today I went on a legit long run, my first in a week. I was planning to go 18, but I went 14 instead. The run started out terrible. I was running on Cleveland Ave about a half mile into the run, slipped on a patch of ice, and tripped headfirst over a planter on the sidewalk. I run past that planter every freakin day and it never gives me any trouble. Why now? Anyways, I went over headfirst, but ended up landing on the side of my hip. I was wearing my running tights which somehow weren't ripped. However, my side is all scarred up and red toward my butt. I bet my iPod that I just bought is broken too since I was wearing it on that hip. Scratch that, the screen is cracked something awful, but I can still use it and it still works. So, that was the excitement, I was up and off after that. No blood, thankfully, and I was able to breeze through 14 miles relatively easily. Tomorrow's run is going to suck though, since its already getting stiff and still stings like no other.
I'm going to try to wear my new Ravenna 2's to class tomorrow to break them in and then run in them, so look for a review of those in a while.
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