Mixed Up

Here's another list of song from the amazing music site Epitonic. All tracks are available for free and legal download. Click on the song name to start the download, the band name to be taken to the page about the band on Epitonic. The BPM is around 90, so perfect for a 180 SPM run.

Everything on the list is American and there is no theme this month, just a mixed up list of songs I like. I've added a video when I could find one, so that you can have a listen without downloading.

No Parties by Fergus & Geronimo 87bpm
These guys are from Texas, but they sound English. This is a fun, driving, smart almost comical track. Lyrics are intelligent, or at least very timely. Genre: experimental rock.



Lasers Vs. Lizards by Blasted Canyons 92bpm
From San Francisco. Fast, hard, short. Genre: hard-rock.


Croquet by Bitch and Animal 94bpm
Bitch and Animal are, well were, signed to Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe Records label. I discovered them when they opened for Ani at a show in Munich, Germany in 2004. They are so adorable and funny and serious and entertaining. I was charmed. In this song I think they are taking the piss of rap songs. I fucking love that! Genre: queercore.

Cold Feet by Lost Lander 93bpm
American from the Pacific Northwest totally sound like they do, well in the folk-rock sense not the grunge sense. Sweet song, lyrics will appeal to introverts. Genre: indie-folk.


Highest Echo by Pontiak 88bpm
Pontiak are brothers from Warrenton, Virgina, USA. The track has a bit of a long intro, it really kicks in at 38secs, so might be interesting to trim. Genre: rock

The Breathing Machine by Greenhorse 87bpm
Like dark grey clouds on the horizon, this track feels like it is ushering in some gloom. They are in the L.A. scene, but according to Epitonic also have connections to London and South Africa. Genre: electronic rock. During my search for more info on this band I discovered that they did a cover of the Ellie Goulding song Lights. It is really different from the original. Even though Ellie's in the same category of stuff I don't like (Ke$ha, ...) she is a runner and so I'm allowed to like her and still be cool. Here's the video of that cover, its not runnable but worth a listen.

6 Free Running Songs for July 2012

At the end of June I bought an apartment and since spent every spare minute tearing down wallpaper (wallpaper is evil people), painting, going to Ikea, putting up blinds, curtains, shelves and lots more. I am exhausted and this blog has suffered.  I am leaving on a two week, Internet free holiday this weekend, and I don't want to let July go by without at least one post.  So here's 6 free running songs for July to tide you over.  I promise in August and September to post a lot, I actually have a bunch of songs backed-up that I want you all to know about.

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.  

Angels by The xx 91 BPM
British indie pop, catchy enough to be a hit, real enough for me to like it.

Sinful Nature (Anika with BestMate Remix) by Bear In Heaven 90 BPM
Booklyn indie pop / electronica.  According to last.fm, "the sound of the band incorporates influences from psychedelic music, electronic music and krautrock."

Love (Epitonic saki Sessions) by Secret Colours 91 BPM
From Chicago, Secret Colours,  sounds like an American version of Ride to me.  Garage rock.

Baze by The-Drum 90 BPM
Again from Chicago, The-Drum play and ambient electronic This is my favourite track on the list.

Ghostsong by Daniel Knox 91 BPM
Chicago singer songwriter with a carbaret twist, would sound nice on a mix tape with some Shayer James and Dresden Dolls.

Ex-Dreams by The Men 91 BPM
Booklyn indie rock, very good high-energy fast-sounding runnable track.

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!

No Stopping It

A year or two ago I went through a few weeks of being obsessed with The White Stripes. I listened to them on repeat, but as suddenly as go into them I got out of them. I haven't listened to them since, except for a couple of songs that are on my running playlist. Of theses songs, The Denial Twist, is my favourite.  The BPM is 91, so your feet will go 180SPM or so...

Why try to run away?

Its Sunday, its sunny, I'm leaving on holidays tomorrow, so time for a hit song: Slow Cheetah by Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Perfect 90 BPM for a 180 SPM run, where you unleash your inner slow cheetah.

Oh and in case you haven't had the pleasure to see this Runner's World Magazine video with freshly converted runner Flea, check it out.  Oh and pay close attention to his shoes!

I run to get a perfect soul

I can't believe I haven't done this song yet, Creep by Radiohead. Its BPM is 92 so its a tad fast, but worth making an exception for!!

I don't care if it hurts
I want to have control
I want a perfect body
I want a perfect soul

Between Me and the Rain

Often I have run to withstand, no release the pressures of my life; motherhood and my 'real' job and a difficult marriage.  Almost a year ago now I had a serious running injury, fractured cuboid.  Don't fracture your cuboid, it takes forever to heal.  Its been only recently I have done a few short runs and I can still feel the injury is not healed.  So I've been biking a lot and that's fun, but its just not the same as running, it doesn't 'excercise my demons' in the same way.  And without the intoxication of running I had to take a sober look at my marriage, and it did not survive that.   So ironically this injury saved my life.  But still some things, motherhood especially, I don't want to quit!  So if running can release some of the pressure of that and bring me back to it calm and full again, well that's just great.  Some of my running music is kind of dark, maybe even angry, or wild, because that's how I sometimes start my runs, so these songs are usually at the beginning of my running play list, like this one Hurricane Drunk by Florence And The Machine.

No walls can keep me protected
No sleep
Nothing in between me and the rain
And you can't save me now
I'm in the grip of a hurricane
I'm gonna blow myself away

Its at a BPM of 90 so works for a SPM (strides per minute) of 180.  Oh and plus the album's called Between Two Lungs. 

Battle Song for Running Warriors

Today's song is Leyendecker from the band Battles. The BPM is 91, so just a little on the fast side to tempo your 180 strides per minute run. It has a crunchy, driving electro sound that will make you run strong and hard, like the warrior you are.  You can download it for free from the AMAZING music site Epitonic.

I run to find my peace of mind

In this post I am recommending a hit song, or what we call in France a 'tube', Soul To Squeeze by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  My musical taste is reasonably diverse, but probably a little obscure - I don't usually like hit songs.  That's good, since it means lots of stuff to discover for most people, but every now and again its good to be normal.  That said I hope this isn't already on you run list...

Oh and the BPM is 90, so it'll get you in the perfect 180 strides per minute running cadence.