I’ve blogged before about music mixes and podcasts I like. Here’s a quick update of what I’ve been up to recently.
Music for the Appreciation of Nature
I was running on a wooded trail a few weeks back and realized I didn’t have the right mix for appreciating nature. Such a mix would be more subtle than other running inspiration I’ve used. Its dulce tones would foster quiet reflection. To contrast, a few bombastic, awe-inspiring anthems would enrich the soul with energy and joy … the aural equivalent of the bright sunshine warming my face. Voilà!
There’s some African stuff in there, southern Asian (Indian), Icelandic … as well as East Asian and electronica sounds. And a touch of Latin in the second track. I tried it out on a run last Sunday, and it sounded great.
TaRANtino
A bunch of songs I liked from the movies Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill (did you know they’re making a 3rd?) and Inglourious Basterds. It’s meant to be shuffled; I don’t have a set play order for these tracks. Of particular note is that Santa Esmeralda version of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” It’s a 10 minute version, but miraculously never wanes in excitement!
Podcasts (I’ve linked their websites, but it’s probably easiest to grab these feeds through iTunes. Just type the title into the search bar.)
Stuff You Should Know – Hosts Josh and Chuck take on a new topic almost daily on a podcast which is now near the top of the iTunes Most Popular list. Ranging from totem poles to geocaching to the CIA testing LSD on the public, each episode will teach you something in a fun, informal manner. Yeah, learning!
All Songs Considered – Ripping the name from All Things Considered, this National Public Radio production looks into the modern music scene with an informed perspective. The commentators can periodically come off a bit pretentious, but I’ve realized the good aspects of the show more than outweigh the bad.
Live Concerts (from All Songs Considered) – Speaking of NPR, they publish live concerts for free online. Some short sets are even on video. ‘Nuff said.
Musicheads – New music album commentary from a local radio station. Their schtick is to ask if an album is “working” for them. Unfortunately, over the last six months or so, more and more albums seem to work, meaning the show is becoming something of a promotion vehicle for the music they’re playing on the station. Also, they repeat shows a little too often for my tastes. In a perfect world they’d have more shows and use the space to rip on a couple albums once in a while. Especially the ones I don’t like!
The Dinner Party Download – I just started listening to this one, and it has promise. Each short episode has a quick joke and some fun stories from the past week. And a drink recipe. The idea is to prep you with stories and banter for your next dinner party. Not a bad angle.
The Five Minute Linguist – Being that I’m a language nerd, this show has really peaked my interest. But it’s not all grammar rules. Topics range from how do languages spread, to what’s up with Esperanto, to was German almost the official American language?
That Sucks – This is a video blog that highlights little-known comedians. Each short episode is centered around the theme of something that sucks. Very funny.
Peder with a D 