Stronger Yet

Here's a track from those Canadian indie rockers, Metric, from their brand new album Synthetica. I'm just on my first listen, but it feel more pop and less rock than than their previous releases, especially this track Clone, with its almost perfect 91 BPM runnable beat.

6 Free Running Songs for June 2012

Time for another 6 free running songs post.  As usual all songs are available on Epitonic for free and legal download.  To download the song, click on the name of the song.  The band name links to the Epitonic page about the band.  They all are close to 90 BPM so work for a 180 SPM (strides per minute) run.  


City of Electric Light by Chad VanGallen 91 BPM
Canadian folk / singer-songwriter with pop elements, lots of melody and smarts.

1330 Oak 1995 by Kind Of Like Spitting 90 BPM
Portland's Kind of Like Spitting don't get my attention for their band name, ick, but don't be put off, this is a very decent little indie rock song, with a nice strong run-able beat.

No Language by Owen 88 BPM
This track by American singer-songwriter Owen has really odd lyrics, I can't quite decide what I think of them, but the tune is good.  The song is very well constructed. 

Sinful Nature (Anika with BestMate Remix) by Bear In Heaven 90 BPM
I just discovered this track from Brooklyn based Bear In Heaven on Epitonic, and I LOVE it; rock, with some pop hooks, nice lyrics. 

How To Be Perfect Men by Songs: Ohia 90 BPM

America singer songwriter.  This is a really old song, came out in 1999 on the Axxess & Ace album.  I downloaded this song and Lioness from Epitonic way back then, and loved them both, so much I immediately ordered several Song: Ohia albums.  To be honest I never got completely into this band, all the songs sounded too much the same to me. This is a great song though, sound is great, good lyrics.  


Copper by Shellac  92 BPM
American indie rock, but sort of hard, almost metal...  they're literally singing about chemistry, the geek in me LOVES this!

Get Ready For the Race

Here's a sweet little pop song from Havergal.  I think its officially pop, but almost sounds almost singer-songwriter to me.  Even though with a BPM of 87 this song is a little on the slow side for a 180 SPM run, I had to include it, what with the title and all, Lungs For the Race. Oh and its a free download on Epitonic, just click here to start downloading.

Need a DJ for your run?

Just a quick heads up on a running dj app for those who own Android phones.

It sounds very interesting. It can detect the BPM of songs on your phone, and then while you're working out it detects your SPM using the phone's accelerometers (the same way a pedometer app works). Then it plays the songs whose BPM match your current SPM.  I have an iPhone so can't test this, but I have been seriously thinking of getting an Android phone and if I do I'll definitely have a closer look. The reviews look quite mixed, either it works and people love it or it just doesn't work at all. Just one final thought, in a way its doing things the wrong way round, its matching music to the SPM when what I want use music to help me keep SPM in a target range. Still I am very interested and think anything that takes SPM this seriously is worth some attention!

99% Radical

The last few days I've been listing to the album Peace Not War Vol. 2. I got volume 1 back around the time it came out, not long after the start of the 2002 US war on Afghanistan.  I just discovered that there is a second volume because I also just discovered Bill Hicks, and one of the songs on the album samples some of his stuff. Bill Hicks was a hilarious stand up comedian, go listen if you don't know him. Anyway using my tap for beats per minute tool, I found that quite a few of the tracks on the Peace Not War album are good for running.  The following are all close to 90BPM (88-92).

Disclaimer : This is protest music at its finest, so warning it's political, and some of the videos show quite violent war scenes. Might be offensive to some, although if you've got this far then I think we're safe.



Starship Trooper by The Herd





On The Face Of It by The Evens





True Nature by Jane's Addition





Counter War Terrorism by Train Of Thought





What Would You Do by Paris





The Last Trumpet (feat Lateef) by Lyrics Born and Lateef
I have posted this song before, here, but since its on this album here it is again.

Hip Freak

If you want to listen to all the recommendations from last month, check out this playlist on Spotify. Also I just noticed that Epitonic have put up the AlunaGeorge's track, that I recommend in the post My Every Move.  Click here to start the free and legal download.

So today's recommendation is for a piece by Zoë Keating called Exurgency.

Zoë is a cellist, that uses electronic sampling to make a sort of experimental music, that sounds classical but also with some structures you'd expect in electronic dance music. I am a total sucker for anything with a cello, well except straight up classical music. I discovered her, though being a big fan of Rasputina (who's already appeared on this blog here) and she also played on Amanda Palmer's album Who Killed Amanda Palmer.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE Amanda Palmer.   So Zoë is one hip cello freak woman!

Exurgency has a BPM  of 91, so good for a 180 SPM run.  

Go Read This

I just read Jason Robillard's post on stride length being the 'most important element of good form'. Go read it here.  Basically stride length and cadence are about the same thing, and he talks about the 180 SPM and how to find your own personalised perfect cadence. Also if you haven't read anything by Jason, well you're in for a treat.  I just love the his badass attitude authentic voice. He's literally one of my favourite people on the web.

I'll put a song up soon.