April 30, 2013

AC/DC - IRON MAN 2 SOUNDTRACK  I think you can pretty much consider this just a greatest hits record. It has most of their big hits with a couple rarities thrown in. Its actually a nice mixture from the 1st album to now with no more than one song from any one album. You cant ever go wrong with AC/DC so of course i really enjoyed it.

STONE BREWING CO. - VERTICAL EPIC 12  A little background on this beer first. Stone started the Vertical Epic beer series with the first one on 02-02-02 and 12-12-12 is the final one in the chapter. They were released one year, one month and one day from the previous years edition. Each year was different and unique. I have had the 09, 10, and 12 additions. I actually just picked up a 11 the other day, so will be sampling that one soon too.
Smell was very spicy with cinnamon standing out the most, but the taste has a lot more going on. Cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg and spice up front followed by some citrus and molasses. It is a very bold beer and the taste is very complex. For me it was a little harsh and heavy on the spices, but i think it was a great series and well worth trying, but this one just wasnt for me.

1 mile on treadmill

April 29, 2013

BAD RONALD - BAD RONALD  A rap-rock group who only released one album. I bought this after listening to the Orange County soundtrack which had their song "1st Time", which i really liked. This didnt dissapoint. A nice combo of rap, pop, rock and teenage humor, i still enjoy it. Ita just a lot of fun to listen to, great beats, great rhymes and funny lyrics. I wish they would have some other stuff. Check out: Lets Begin (Shoot The Shit), I Need Love, 1st Time, EZ Decision, Popcorn Titties, Imagine, and Bank. Just a straight up good time party record.

HORNY GOAT BREWING CO. - HORNY COPIA PUMPKIN ALE  I was a litle worried about this one as most "pumpkin" beers are brewed during the fall and i thought it might be a little old. However, i didnt see a date on the box or bottle. The smell is amazing, heavy pumpkin, spice and cinnamon. Taste follows the smell exactly. It seems a little on the thin side,  but in this case it helps it to be a nice smooth eady drinking beer. Its been awhile since i have had any pumpkin beers, but from what i remember this one holds up just fine.

2 miles on treadmill, 1 hour on bike

April 28, 2013

JIMMY BUFFETT - WELCOME TO FIN CITY, LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS 2011 This CD contains a collection of songs from two concerts at the MGM Grand on October 15th and  October 22nd 2011. Like anything from Jimmy, its a fun listen. Surpisingly it actualy doesnt have some of his biggest hits that you would expect, like Margaritaville. Because of that i probably like it a little more as its nice to hear some of his other songs. While they are all familer, they are just ones you dont always hear. This also contains a DVD of hilights also, but i have not viewed that yet. I would have loved to have been there.

STEVENS POINT BREWERY - POINT CASCADE PALE ALE  Bright citrus hoppy aroma. The taste is a fairly simple ale, but i dont get as much citrus on the tongue as the smell, more of a piney/grassy taste with a lemon finish. I enjoyed this one, as far as pale ales go, it had a nice balance and solid flavor.

3 miles on treadmill and 45 minutes on bike

April 27, 2013

TESLA - EXTENDED VERSIONS  First off, terrible packaging on this CD. No liner notes, nothing to explain what "extended versions" means. It appears to be just a compilation of their big hits recorded live at varios spots. Still, Tesla was one of the best hard rock bands out there and this has most of their bigger hits and is a fun listen if you like the band. Seems like something the record comany released just to make a few bucks though.

DARK HORSE BREWING COMPANY - RASPBERRY ALE  Smells pretty good, you can smell the raspberry, but it is not overwhelming. The raspberry  comes out a little more in the taste though, but not as much as i would like. Seems like a really nice balance overall though. Its a very light easy drinking beer and i would definatly try it again.

1 mile on treadmill

Lucero at First Avenue

April 26, 2013

METALLICA - RIDE THE LIGHTNING  If you like great metal this is one to have. One of the top hard rock albums of all time. All the songs are great, with hard hitting guitars and great lyrics. I actually like Fade To Black the best, which is probably the slowest song on the record, but you really cant go wrong with any if them. Good stuff here.

SPOETZL BREWERY - SHINER HEFEWEIZEN  Very citrusy smell upon opening. Orange and lemon really come through in the flavor with some wheaty breadiness. Overall, kind of blah for a hefeweizen, i would like the flavor to be more aggressive. But its a nice light easy drink, would go be better on a warm summer day i think.

1 mile on treadmill

April 25, 2013

HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH - SCATTERED, SMOTHERED & COVERED  This CD is just a bunch of the bands favorite songs and some voted on by their fans. Kind of brings them back to their bar day roots. After listening to it, you can just imagine the fun at some small bar before they became big. I really like Hey Hey What Can I Do by Led Zepplein, Use Me by Bill Withers, Gravity Of The Situation by Vic Chestnutt, and I Hope I Dont Fall In Love With You by Tom Waits. I especially like the Tom Waits one, whenever i listen to this CD, i usually play that one 2-3 times. Love anhthing Darius does, even the newer more county stuff.

BRECKENBRIDGE BREWERY - LUCKY U IPA  Basically has no smell, some light grassy notes, but that is it. Flavor has some citrus and pine, but overall pretty basic. Really doesnt have anything that defines it as a IPA, more of a pale ale. Drinks pretty easily and goes down fine, but there a lit better IPAs out there.

1 mile on treadmill and 30 minutes in bike

April 24, 2013

JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS - FIT TO BE TIED GREAT HITS BY JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS   I have always been a fan of theirs, i just love Joan's voice. I always thought they would have been bigger than the were.  I started to list my favorites, but i really like every song on this compilation. Listening to it, you realize how many hits they did have. Just a great rock and roll band that is still kicking it today.

BOULEVARD BREWING CO. - BULLY! PORTER   Upon opening, the first smell is roasted malts with a hint of chocolate and coffee. I get very little chocolate in the flavor though, mostly the roasted malt with a light coffee and maybe toffee. Nothing far reaching, just a nice solid drinkable porter. Nice beer.

2 miles on treadmill

April 23, 2013

ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND - LIVE AT THE WETLANDS A nice quick live album from these guys. Randolph is know for playing the pedal steel guitar and doesnt disapoint here. Short at just 6 songs, but lots of jamming extends them all out. I have seen these guys live a few times and they are amazing. Tight rhythm section and if you like the pedal steel they are a lot of fun. The opening song, Ted's Jam and I Dont Know What You Come To Do are mg highlights, but the rest are fun too.

BROOKLYN BREWERY - EAST INDIA PALE ALE  Smells like a typical IPA, pine and citrus stand out. Tastes really hoppy and some honey stands out which makes it a little on the sweet side. It just seems to be lacking something. Its not an IPA i would probably drink regularly, but i wouldnt pass it up if it was offered though.

2 miles on treadmill

April 22, 2013

HICKMAN DALTON GANG - VOL. II  The Hickman Dalton Gang consists of Jim Dalton (from Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers) and Johhny Hickman (from Cracker).  Not sure how to label it, most say country, but it is pretty rocking. They take turns at the vocals.This album is all about fun. Great songs, great music, great recording. Wildcard, You Got A Problem, Mr. Wrong, and Lets Toke The Whole Day Off are my favorites. Check it out.

STEVENS POINT BREWERY - POINT 2012 BLACK ALE  The smell features roasted malts, caramel and a little chocolate. Taste is nuty with faint coffee. Something just seems a little off with the flavor. I was waiting for something to grab me, but it falls kind of flat and thin. OK beer, but would propably not seek it out.

2 miles on treadmill and 20 minutes on bike

April 21, 2013

ANTHRAX - ANTHEMS  This new EP has Anthrax doing 6 cover songs: Anthem by Rush, TNT BY AC/DC, Smokin' by Boston, Keep On Runnin' by Journey, Big Eyes by Cheap Trick, and Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy. They stayed pretty true to the originals on all of them which is nice. (instead of trying to make them their own).A fun listen to these guys paying tribute to some of their biggest influences. I really enjoyex it.

LAKEFRONT BREWING INC - INDIA PALE ALE  Aroma is very faint, maybe a little citrus and pine. The taste starts with a little bitter sweetness and finished with the citrus fruits. This is pretty much what the definition of an IPA is and what you should expect. This is a tasty brew and i would definately reccomend it. Too bad there was only 1 in the sampler i bought.

3 miles treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

April 20, 2013

ZAC BROWN BAND - UNCAGED The newest album from them sticks to the same formula as their previous albums: tight harmonies and great songs. They  are evolving from the "country" label somewhat and this album has a little of everything; bluegrass, reggae, blues, and staight up rock. Even with all the different influences it flows great and is just a fun listen from beginning to end. I think my favorites are Jump Right In, Island Song, and Overnight. Incidentally, i just saw them live a couple of weeks ago and they pulled off a sweet Enter Sandman by Metallica. Great band live.

FLYING DOG BREWERY - OLD SCRATCH AMBER LAGER  Smells good, but i cant really note anything of significance. Solid tasting malt with some hints of fruit and caramel. Seems light for a lager and goes down smooth and easy. Seems like a nice blend, i could drink more of these pretty easily. This is my first beer from Flying Dog and i am looking forward to trying some others now.

3.5 miles on treadmill and 1 hour on bike

April 19, 2013

THE LUMINEERS - THE LUMINEERS  I picked this album up the other day after hearing such good reviews. I had only heard one sing before, Ho Hey, before i bought it. They are a folk rock trio with an interesting sound. Kind of a gospel, rock folk mix. Kind of an up and down album, some songs are really good and some just dont work. I like, Ho Hey, Classy Girls, Dead Sea and Stubborn Love. Will look forward to their next one though.

SAMUEL ADAMS - HOILDAY PORTER A really dark beer that smells like chocolate and coffee. Taste is roasred malts and chocolate with a hint of caramel. Seems a litle thin though for a stout. Its a decent porter, but nothing really stands out about it. It was enjoyable to drink, but i probably wouldnt seek it out again.

1 mile on treadmill

April 18, 2013

UNCLE KRACKER - MIDNIGHT SPECIAL Krackers newest sticks with the country-rock vibe rather than the hip hop of his earlier albums, kind of a Zac Brown Band sound. I really enjoy this one, just a fun laid back listen. I like Four Letter Word, Blue Skies, In Between Disasters, Nobodys Sad On A Saturday Night and the closer, It Is What It Is. The closer is a duet with Sonia Leigh whose voice is incredible, i need to see what shes got available, i really like her voice.

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. - CELEBRATION ALE  This is a winter seasonal. Smell is very hoppy with some pine and citurs too. Taste is a slightly bitter with a little sweet grapefruit. Very smooth, creamy and well balanced. This is a really nice American IPA, one to look forward to each year.

3 miles on treadmill

April 17, 2013

ERIC CHURCH - CAUGHT IN THE ACT  His most recent release is a live album which contains all his big hits. Surprisingly i didnt care much for this version of Drink In My Hand, i didnt care for the crowd participation part in it, made it slightly hard to listen to, but i am sure it would have been fun live. Really liked the closing version of Springsteen, he actually did part of Bruce's Born To Run during it. Really fun listen though, makes me wish i was there.

SUMMIT BREWING CO. - FINNEGANS BLONDE ALE  Not much to the smell, malt and wheat grains. Flavor is pretty simple and basic, but overall a decent tasting beer. Its not going to wow you, but is a solid take on the style and a good example of a blonde ale.

2 miles on treadmill and 30 minutes on bike

April 16, 2013

TRISTAN PRETTYMAN - CEFAR + GOLD The newest album from San Diegos Tristan Prettyman has a more full band sound than her earlier more acoustuc albums. A lot of the songs seem to be inspired by her break up with Jason Mraz. Lyrically it is introspective and raw with emotion. My, Oh,My and The Rebound are my favorites, but i just love her voice, i think she could sing anything and it would grab my attention.

ROGUE ALES - CAPTAIN SIG'S NORTHWESTERN ALE  I have been saving this one to coincide with the season premier of The Deadliest Catch tonight on Discovery.  This is a nice bold red ale. Smells malty with light hops with a hint of caramel and citrus. Goes down smooth with a little bitterness in the aftertaste. A nice tasty ale, good, but just a little above average, but definatly worth a try.

1 mile on treadmill

April 15, 2013

BLUES TRAVELER - BLUES TRAVELER  The classic debut album from Blues Traveler. Many songs on this album are still in heavy rotation in their live shows including But Anyway, Gina, 100 Years, Dropping Some NYC, and Sweet Talking Hippie. Almost 25 years since this came out and it still sounds good. I like this one more than some of their more commercially successful records.

ABITA BREWING CO. - MARDI GRAS BOCK Smell is really malty with sime floral hops. Taste lacks from what you initially smell. It does drink easily though, but not very complex. Not one of Abitas better beers in my opinion.

1 hour on bike

April 14, 2013

AC / DC - LIVE AT RIVER PLATE  Their newest record is a collection of live songs performed in Argentina from 3 concerts in 2009. It is not a single complete show, but the highlights of the 3 shows put together to look like one show. No matter, it sounds like one show and AC/DC never dissapoints. It has most of their big hits and a few songs from their latest studio album, Black Ice. These guys always put on a great show, one day i need to see them live.

BOULEVARD BREWING CO - NUT CRACKER ALE   This is Boulevards holiday offering. The smell has a lot going on; pine, caramel, cinnamon and some citrus. Upon the first sip, the pine stands out with a fruit following. Easy drinking beer, actually one of my favorite "holiday" beers i have tried.

1 mile on treadmill

April 13, 2013

THE DEAD MILKMEN - BIG LIZARD IN MY BACKYARD Yes, that is the vinyl and the CD. 99% sure if i dig the cassette box out i have it there too. Probably in my top 10 favorite albums. Classic punk rock and roll that is just fun to listen to. Playing it today, it still sounds as fresh as it did in 1985 when it was released. Tiny Town, Plum Dumb, Swordsfish, Big Lizard, Bitchin' Camaro, Takin' Retards To The Zoo, Right Wing Pigeons: all classics. Actually, all the rest are great too. Still putting music out today, these guys are just plain fun to listen to. While none of their other albums were as good as this one, they are all worth checking out.

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. - RUTHLESS RYE IPA  Has a spicy rye and fruity grapefruit smell. Pours a nice reddish amber color. Flavor is tasty, it has the rye bread up front but finishes with piney citrus hops. Good stuff, rye IPAs are not for everyone, but if you want to try one, this is a good start.

3 miles in treadmill and 30 minutes on bike

April 12, 2013

PUDDLE OF MUDD - RE(DISC)OVERED  This CD is the band doing 11 of their favorite covers. The Rolling Stones: Gimme Shelter. AC/DC: TNT. Tom Petty: Stop Draggin My Heart Around. Steve Miller Band: The Joker. Billy Squier: Everbody Wants You. And a bunch of others. Nothing real surprising, just a straight up solid rock and roll record that is a really fun listen.

O'DELL BREWING CO. - CUTTHROAT PORTER  Smells smoky with a hint of coffee and chocolate. The flavor follows the nose. A nice porter, a little on the thin side but is very drinkable and smooth. Overall a pretty solid beer. Beginning to become a big fan of most O'dell products.

1 mile on treadmill

April 11, 2013

DYNAMITE HACK - SUPERFAST  I loved this CD by this little known band when it came out. Still love it today. Kind of punk-rock mix between Green Day, Sublime and the lyrical humor of Weezer. Their cover of the rap hit Boyz-In-The-Hood is classic. Otherwise, Switcheroo, Alvin, Dear Kate, Wussypuff and Anway are all great tracks. I think they have put out a couple more albums since this, would love to find them.

O'DELL BREWING CO. - LUGENE CHOCOLATE MILK STOUT  Where to begin. I love this beer. After cracking it the smell is a chocolate milk cocoa sweetness. Very smooth and easy drinking. Taste is milk chocolate all the way through. Overall, i think this is a great beer, and could easily toss back a few (and probably will tonight) in one sitting. Has a nice 8.5% ABV. Too bad its a seasonal and only available through March. Hoping i can grab a few more 4 packs before it disapears until next year. Try this one, it wont dissapoint.

1 mile on treadmill

April 10, 2013

THE BLACK CROWES - SHAKE YOUR MONEYMAKER  This morning i heard they were on tour again, so thought u would dig out their debut album. Just some nice straight up pure rock and roll album. The big hits were Twice As Hard, Hard To Handle and She Talks To Angels, which i all like, but it think my favorites are Sister Luck and Think N' Thin. Great band, glad to see they are back together again. Turn this one up loud.

NEW BELGIUM BREWING - SNOW DAY WINTER ALE  Smell has a lot going on; pine, chocolate, caramel, coffee and a hint of fruit. For me, the pine stands our the most in the taste with the other flavors lingering in the background, but its a really nice balance and well blended. Very drinkable beer that i will have again

1 mile on treadmill

April 9, 2013

ANTHRAX - SPREADING THE DISEASE  Their second album, but first with Joey Belladonna as the vocalist. This is one of my favorite of theirs and one of the best thrash metal albums of all time. A combination of lightning fast riffs, melodic vocals and punk attitude with great songs, a solid record from beginning to end. A.I.R., Madhouse and Medusa are my favorites. If you like your mysic hard fast and aggressive, this ones for you.

SPOETZL BREWERY - SHINER BOHEMIAN BLACK LAGER  Smell is a hint of chocolate and coffee. Flavor is pretty mild, basically roasted malts. Seems a little light for a lager but is easy drinking and a little better than i was expecting. Overall a good solid beer.

1 mile on treadmill

April 8, 2013

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC - WEIRD AL YANKOVIC  Weird Als debut album from 1983 which made me a fan for life. The king of parody started it all with this album. Contains the classics Ricky, I Love Rocky Road, Stop Draggin' My Car Around, My Bologna and Another One Rides The Bus. Weird Al is still putting our great albums today. From what i remember, (99% sure) he was the first concert i ever went to and have seen him a few times since too.

GUINNESS - SMITHWICKS   An irish red ale. I kind of want to really like this one, but nothing really stands out about it. There isn't really anything wrong with it, it drinks nice and easy, a little on the heavy side, its just a solid irish ale but has nothing real remarkable about it.

1 mile on treadmill

April 7, 2013

GRACE POTTER AND THE NOCTURNALS - ITUNES SESSION

ATLANTA BREWING COMPANY - RED BRICK HOP LANTA

A few miles walking

April 6, 2013

CASSADEE POPE - EP

MILLER - MILLER LITE

many miles of waljng

April 5, 2013

TIFT MERRIT - TRAVELLING ALONE

ROGUE - DEAD GUY ALE

many miles walking

April 4, 2013

CIVIL WARS - FORGET ME NOT, LIVE AT SUNDANCE

SWEETWATER - 420

many miles of walking

April 3, 2013

BLACK STONE CHERRY - BLACK STONE CHERRY  I never had heard of these guys until I saw them open foe Sammy Hagar and Chickenfoot. What u heard impressed me so I went out and bought their CDs. A little cross between metal and southern rock. Lonely Train, Rollin' On and Tired Of the Rain give a good range of what they sound like.

SUMMIT BREWING - SUMMER ALE  A nice simple beer, very summery. Has a hint of lemon. Overall its a nice light, refreshing and wasy to drink summer seasonal.

1 mile on treadmill

April 2,2013

VERUCA SALT - AMERICAN THIGHS  I was a big fan of this, their debut album. The breakout hit was Seether, which was good, but i really liked Forsythia, Spiderman '79, and All Hail Me too. Kind of labeled "alternative", but more pop to me. They put out 4-5 more records, but none were as big as this one. Still was fun to listen to again.

SAMUEL ADAMS - OLD FEZZIG ALE Smells  spicy with caramel and cinnamon standing out the most. Also a hint of orange. Nice balanced beer, its got a lot going on but doesn't overwhelm. A great winter seasonal. One of Samuel Adams best.

1 mile on tradmill

April 1, 2013

THE REFRESHMENTS - THE BOTTLE & FRESH HORSES  Their debut album was so good, there was alot of pressure to put the next one out. While it doesnt have the big hits the debut had, i think overall this is a really solid record. I can listen to this one at any time, but its not quite the go to as the debut. I saw them perform this whole album in Vegas last year as their opening set and it opened my eyes again to how good it actually was still. Solid 2nd record, but unfortunatly it was the last under this name. Worth checking out though.

ABITA BREWING CO. - PURPLE HAZE  Big raspberry smell upon opening and a pretty big raspberry taste too. Light bodied and smooth without being too sweet. I really like the Abita Strawberry Harvest and this is pretty good too. If you like fruit beers, this is a good one to try.

1 mile on treadmill