May 31, 2013

DOCTOR DRE & ED LOVER - BACK UP OFF ME!  This was a fun little release from the guys who hosted MTVs Yo, MTV Raps. While not the best rappers out there, this record is just about having fun. Lots of different styles as each song matches the style of the producer/guest on the track. Just a fun 90s hip hop record. Crank it up and just chill. Songs worth checking out: Back Up Off Me, Tootin' On The Hooters and Recognize.

BROOKLYN BREWERY - BROOKLYN PENNANT ALE '55  This is an English Pale Ale. Lots of roasted malt aroma with a little peanut and caramel smell thrown in. Has a lot of malt taste with the a the light caramel coming at the end, and light hops too. This is light, well balanced and very drinkable. As with any ale, once you let it warm up a bit, the flavor really surfaces. One of the better Brooklyn beers i have tried.

2.5 miles on treadmill

May 30, 2013

DRIVE BY TRUCKERS - GANGSTABILLY  Probably one of my favorite bands, this is their debut album. When it was released, it was largely overlooked, but through time it is one of DBTs better records. This was a nice debut, great songs and guitar and they kind of revived Southern rock. A few of these songs are still in heavy rotation at their live shows: The Living Bubba, Panties In Your Purse, Steve McQueen, and Buttholeville. I really like 18 Wheels Of Love, but the live versions of it are much better as they usually tell the story of the song before they play it, which is pretty cool. While DBT is not for everyone i really enjoy them and their debut is great.

BOULEVARD BREWING CO. - UNFILTERED WHEAT This is a pretty nice beer. Heavy wheat smell with some nice citrus, mostly lemon. Smell is not real powerful but lets you know what is coming. Taste mirrors the smell almost exactly. It is light, crisp and refreshing.  Nothing real complex or amazing, but just a nice solid beer for a warm summer day. It doesnt have any wow factor, but it is highly drinkable.

2 miles on treadmill

May 29, 2013

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS - MELLON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS  While never a huge fan of the Smashing Pumpkins, even though i think i own all thwir albums, this one has always been a favorite for some reason. Over 2 hours long and with 28 songs, this was an ambitious album. Some aongs just dont work, but thankfully thise are few and far between, and overall it is a enjoyable listen. They cover all genres on this one; rock, pop, folk and even classical. Top songs were Bullet With Butterfly Wings, Tonight Tonight,  1979,  and Thirty Three. Dont be fooled by just the hits though, there are a lot of other solid tracks too. It has great depth and great range, thi was just one of those moments in time where the stars aligned and rhis great record came together. While alot of double records have too much filler, this one is close to perfect. Possibly one of the best 90s releases.

LAKEFRONT BREWERY INC - WISCONSINITE SUMMER WEISS BEER   This is a prett nice hefeweizen. Heavy smell of wheat and straw with a hint of bananas and lemon. Taste is about the same as the smell, which is good. This is a pretty refreshing and drinkable beer. Its a lighter beer that actually has alot of flavor. Its true to the style and its interesting that all the ingredients are home grown in Wisconsin. Nice one if you like the style.

2 miles on treadmill

May 28, 2013

SALTY DOG - EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY This is a great overlooked album from a great overlooked band. Released in 1989 during the hair/hard rock era, this was their debut and only album as far as i know. This is fun bluesy hard rock album. I'm not sure why these guys never got the acclaim they deserved, they were alot better than alot of bands from that era. I think they got lost in the shuffle when the grunge scene took off. I really enjoyed the whole album, in fact I listened to it twice today. Check out Come Along,  Heave Hard (She Comes Easy), Lonesome Fool, or Sacrifice Me for a taste. I think they are worth the time.

ANCHOR BREWING CO. - ANCHOR SMALL BEER  Labeled an English Bitter. I am not real sure about this one. Smell is faint, a little slightly toasted malt and a little grassy hops. Taste is kind of bland, tastes more like a lager along the lines of a Budweiser, but a little better. As expected, the aftertaste is a little bitter, but not as bad as i was expecting. Overall, just kind of a unmemorable one, I probably wouldnt seek it out again.

1.5 miles on treadmill

May 27, 2013

TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS - MOJO  This release, from 2010, is the newest from Tom and the Heartbreakers and their first together since 2002. It was long overdo. They basically recorded it live in the studio with no overdubs and it sounds great to me. While most critics semed to dismiss it, i think it is underrated.  At a little over an hour, you would expect a few clunkers, but all the songs are solid. While it didnt have any huge hits they made a great album overall. The band is as good as they have ever been, and the songs are great. If you are a Petty fan and dont have this one, get it, you'll be surprised. Cant wait to see him in June, he puts on a great show.

ROGUE ALES - VOODOO DOUGHNUT MAPLE BACON ALE  Yes, you read that right. Comes in a 25oz bottle. Not sure where to begin with this one. Smell is heavy maple with lots of smoke. It almost smells sweet. I dont get anything bacon or pork related in the smell. Flavor is dominated by the smoke. I want to say it tastes like bacon grease, but all i really get is the smoke flavor that just dominates whatever else us trying to come out. There is slight maple in the flavor, but not much. Bacon, no. Doughnut, no. I cant get over how much the smoke dominates everything else. I am guessing this is a love it or hate it beer. Objectively, i think they hit the mark with what they were trying to do, but its just not going to be to everyones liking. I had high expectations, but was slightly dissapointed. Worth the try? Yes, but probably best to split a bottle with a few people.

3 miles on treadmill.

May 26, 2013

AC/DC - '74 JAILBREAK  This nice little EP was released in 1984. While Brian Johnson has been the lead singer since 1980, all 5 of these tracks feature the immortal Bon Scott. It was released as kind of a celebration of their 10th anniversary. All these song were previously unreleased in the US, but could be found on a few import albums in you could find them or afford them. Five classic sonvs featuring Bon Scott? You cant go wrong with this one.

NEW BELGIUM BREWING CO. - ROLLE BOLLE  This is New Belgiums new summer seasonal. It says its brewed with soursoap and monkfruit (whatever those are). Smell has a sweet light fruit smell, lemon stands out the most to me and also an earthy grass tone. Taste is fruity like the aroma up front with a little sourness. Overall, this is a nice light drinkable beer. A great summer ale, it would probalbly have tasted even better if it wasnt a mere 55 degrees out.

3.5 miles on treadmill

May 25, 2013

WC AND MAAD CIRCLE - CURB SERVIN'  Dub C is one of my favorite rappers of all time.  He has a strong raspy voice and at times he does a little sing rap and nobody sounds like him. A lot of songs rapping about the West Coast life. He does some nice stories in his lyrics. Put On The Set is a song about getting high and seeing himself on the TV, it brings up alot of 80s TV memories in that one. Other standouts are Feel Me and Wet Dream, but overall the album is solid. Too many rap/hip hop albums start strong but have a lit if weak songs as filler, not this one.

FLYING DOG BREWERY - PEARL NECKLACE OYSTER STOUT  The label  says its brewed with actual oysters. I get no oyster in the smell (which seems like a good thing to me), more of a coffee and slight chocolate smell typical of a stout. The taste starts with the hops and then the coffee taste kicks in. This is a nice easy drnking stout, overall a good beer. The variety pack i purchased has 4 of them in there, so i'll finish them up tonight.

3.5 miles on treadmill

May 24, 2013

BLEU EDMONDSON - SOUTHLAND  A little red dirt Texas country for a Friday afternoon. This is Bleu's debut album. This guy has a great voice and his music straddles the line between country and southern rock, he's got that perfect rasp to the voice. A lot of "springsteen" style stories in his songs with great lyrics.  My favorite is $50 And A Flask Of Crown, but album on a whole is pretty solid.

HORNY GOAT BREWING CO. - HORNY GOAT OKTOBERFEST  This one is a little old, but no drink by date on the bottle, so giving it shot. Smell is pretty basic, a little caramel but pretty flat. Flavor is o verall pretty weak, seems thin and watery. Just not much to it, i would try a fresher one just to see, but my guess is its just an average beer.

1 mile on treadmill

May 23, 2013

JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP - UH HUH  I think this is my favorite album of his. The big hits were Crumblin' Down, Pink Houses and Authority Song, the first 3 songs on the record, but i actually like the next 6 even more with Jackie O and Play Guitar being my favorites. Short a only 9 songs  but it doesnt matter when they are as good as these 9. This is Mellencamp at his best.

ROGUE ALES - CHOCOLATE STOUT  Typical of a Rogue product, this one comes in a 22oz bottle. Surpise, this has a big chocolate smell.  The taste reverses it a little though, toasted malts up front and the chocolate taste finishes it up. I was a bit surprised as i was expecting more chocolate taste is this one . Its a well rounded beer with a hint of chocolate. If your expecting a nice beer with a hint of chocolate ut s a nice beer, if you are expecting a chocolate stout you might be a little dissapointed. Its above averagw, but just seems to be lacking a little something.

1 mile in treadmill

May 22, 2013

BEASTIE BOYS - BEASTIE BOYS ANTHOLOGY: THE SOUNDS OF SCIENCE  This collection from 1999 has 2 CDs containing 42 tracks. Not really a greatest hits collection as there are some big hits missing, but its just a great overview of their career up to that point in time. I like that its not chronological either and all over the map. I think that is part of what makes it such a fun listen, you really dont know whats coming next. I think my favorite part of the collection is actually the booklet that comes with it. Almost 80 pages of pictures and each sing has a little editirial written by ine of the guys. Even if your not a rap or hip hop fan this one is well worth  checking out.

GOOSE ISLAND BEER CO. - 312 URBAN WHEAT ALE  This is an american pale wheat ale. The smell is kind of bland,  wheaty with a hint of lemon. The taste is betrer than the smell, it is sweet and simple. A little lemon up front and the bitterness of the hops evens the lemon out and leaves a nice balanced finish. This is actually a fairly easy drinking and light beer. Perfect for a nice summer day.

1 mile on treadmill

May 21, 2013

LIVING COLOUR - VIVID  I forgot how good this album is. Released when hard rock and rap was at the top of the charts, this debut from an all black rock band was groundbreaking. This set the table for alot of future rap/rock acts. Unless you lived under a rock in 1989 you should remember their breakthrough hit Cult Of Personality, which has become a classic. Most of this album is good, there are a couple clunkers, but that is acceptable on a debut. They had better albums, but this is a great start to get familiar with their work. This one rocks and has stood the test of time.

RUSH RIVER BREWING CO - INDIA PALE ALE  I just had a single bottle of this, the smell is kind of blah. A little grassy and citrusy/lemony, but not much there. Hops hops hops, that is all i get on the taste and i dont get any of the citrus at all. Seems a little for my taste and is a little on the bitter side too. There are a lot better IPAs out there, so no need for this one again.

1 mile on treadmill

May 20, 2013

BRANDI CARLILE - BRANDI CARLILE  This is her self titled debut album. Brandi has an amazing voice and could probably sing anything and i would like it. Its hard to believe this is a debut album. Every song is good and the production is amazing for a debut. A very interesting mix of genres; rock, pop, folk and country and her unique voice pulls them all off. The big hit was Closer To You, but i think they are all good. I have been lucky enough to see her live quite a few times, with her full band and her just solo. She puts on a great show and is definately worth checking out. If your not familier with her, this is as good a spot to start as any.

ABITA BREWING CO. - 25TH ANNIVERSARY VANILLA DOUBLEDOG  This comes in a 22 oz bottle. I actually found this one in a gas station in Sioux Falls, SD yesterday. I didnt see a born on date on the bottle, but their 25th anniversary was in 2011, so i am not sure if they are still making it (too lazy to Google it) or if it is aged. It really doesnt matter though as it tasted just fine. The smell is not particularly strong but the vanilla leads the way with a little caramel and chocolate too. The flavor is delicious vanilla and slight caramel and toffee also. With a name like Vanilla Doubledog i was expecting the vanilla to dominate, but it doesnt and lets the other flavors shine. It balances out quite nicely. I really liked this one, vanilla beers seem hard to do right and Abita did a good job on this one, one of their better beers.

1 mile on treadmill

May 19, 2013

LED ZEPPELIN - CELEBRATION DAY  This release is the most recent from the mighty Led Zeppelin. It is a live shkw from 2007 that they reunited for a tribute concert for a friend. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones reunited with Jason Bonham the son of their late drummer John Bonham. This is a great recoding of that show, 16 songs and all the hits. I also got the version with  Blu Ray of the show, but have not watched that yet. Not much more needs to be said, this is a must have.

VICTORY BREWING COMPANY - SUMMER LOVE  This is an American Blonde Ale i picked up based on a reccomendation from The Ale Jail in St. Paul. Smell is a some grassiness and fruit, with lemon standing out the most. Its a really nice smelling beer, but the taste wasnt quite as good as the smell. This is a pretty good summer beer overall. Its very drinkable, but nothing really gets it above average. But, you  cant go wrong with a 6 pack of it on a nice summer day, you coukd definately do worse.

1 mile on treadmill

May 18, 2013

VICCI MARTINEZ - VICCI  This is her first CD since she was on The Voice. I actually liked her earlier albums a little better. They were more blues oriented and this is more geared towards top 40, which is to be expected after being on  a music competition show. My least favorite song on it is the one with her coach CeeLo.  I think my favorites are Run Run Run and I Want Your Kiss. I wish her nothing but success as she has put out a good handful of albums before getting her break on The Voice. This one wasnt bad, just not what i was expecting.

BLUE DAWG BREWING - WILD BLUE PREMIUM BLUEBERRY LAGER  This is an odd one. Smell is strong blueberry. I was expecting the taste to be strong in bluberries, but it didnt. I cant really describe it. It was more like a grape gatorade, pop or kool aid. It has a high ABV at 8%, but the taste has nothing that resembles a beer. It has a very sweet taste. I am glad i bought it as a single bottle as i probably wouldnt try it again.

8 miles on bike (first bike ride outside of the year)

May 17, 2013

PRINCE - PRINCE  A little classic Prince for the ride to the cities this morning. I still enjoy this album today. Some classics on here including I Wanna Be Your Lover, Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?, Sexy Dancer, Bambi and I Feel For You. This was a great early album from Prince and was a good indicator of what was to come. I am still a huge fan today, i have 100s of bootlegs of live shows and unreleased stuff. One artist on my bucket list i would like to see live still. Someday.

STONE BREWING CO - IPA This is a real nice American IPA from Stone. Inital smell is fresh citrus and grapefruit and strong hops, just as you would suspect. The taste is alot like the smell, a nice strong hoppy taste with the citrus in the background. This is what an IPA should be.  If you like IPAs, this is well worth checking out.

1 mile on treadmill

May 16, 2013

KISS - CREATURES OF THE NIGHT  I think this is an underappreciated album from Kiss. Their previous couple albums were pretty bad and this was almost a make it or break it album.  I think it did the job and is actually one of their better albums overall. A bunch of solid songs on it: Creatures Of The Night, I Love It Loud, I Still Love You, and War Machine lead the way. Love the earlier Kiss stuff.

ASS KISSER ALES - ASS KISSER TIGHT ASS HEFEWIEZEN  First off, thanks to Jeff and Todd at Vantage for donating this one.  Well, this is supposed to be a German style Hefewiezen. Smell is actually a good mix of citrus, floral hops and wheat, but the taste loses me a little. Not really too flavorful, pretty simple. If it was advertised as a wheat or pale ale, it would be ok, but as a hefewiezen  it doesnt do much for me. Its just not in line with what a hefewiezen should be.

1 mile on treadmill

May 15, 2013

LITTLE BIG TOWN - TORNADO  This is the newest and i think the best record from Little Big Town. I have been a big fan since day one, but i think each album they have grown. Their harmonies are great and one of a kind. Every song on this one is solid, the big hit was Pontoon, but i dont think that is even the best song on the CD. I am glad these guys are finally getting the recognition they deserve as they are so good. Check out their YouTube channel and search "scattered smothered and covered." They cover a bunch of modern songs and give them the Little Big Town touch, they are pretty entertaining. Great band, you should check them out if you havent before.

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. - 2012 NORTHERN HEMISPHERE HARVEST WET HOP ALE  I just picked this one up and was a little nervous as it is a fall seasonal release and thought it might be old. I didnt see a best by date, so i gave it a shot. Sure glad i did, everything was just fine and this was onw of the best Sierra Nevada beers i have had. Their selling point is eveything is harvested in one day and sent to the brewery and the process starts right away. It is considered a American IPA. The smell is interesting, a little citrus, some caramel, but mostly the grassy smell stands out to me. The taste is a lot better than the smell sounds. This is a great IPA that is very well balanced, and i highly reccomend it. I will be on the lookout for it next fall when it is released again.

2 miles on treadmill

May 14, 2013

CARRIE UNDERWOOD - SOME HEARTS  This is the debut album from Carrie after she won American Idol (incidentally, a show i have never seen). I'll admit, i was late to get on the bandwagon, but glad i did. Her voice is incredible and powerful and as a bonus she is damn fine on the eyes too. This is actually a really good album for a debut. My favorites are Wasted, Dont Forget To Remember Me, Jesus Take The Wheel, and Before He Cheats. A few too many 'slow' songs for my taste, but i think they were really trying to hit both the country and pop markets and get mass appeal, which they definately did. Well worth checking out.

WELLS & YOUNGS LTD - BANANA BREAD BEER  First off, this 4 pack didnt last me long, as i really enjoyed this one. I think this could be a real hit and miss for people depending on how big a fan of bananas you are. Smell is strong banana bread. The taste is very refreshing, a little hops up front with the banana flavor coming through at the end. I found it smooth and easy to drink and would definately have it again. I think of it as a fun beer to try as there are only a few breweries i am aware of that are doing this style. I would like to find some of the others to compare, but for now i am pretty happy with this one.

2 miles on treadmill

May 13, 2013

NEIL YOUNG - GREATEST HITS First off, i am not a huge Neil Young fan, in fact this is his only album i own, but he does have some classics that everyone should have. So, for mw this greatest hits collection is perfect. This one came out in 2004 and was his first greatest hits collection released, so it covers his first 35 years. This has all the classics; Down By The River, Cinnamon Girl, Southern Man, The Needle And The Damage Done, Like A Hurricane, Hey Hey My My, Rockin' In The Free World and more. Its actually a fun listen, and its easy to forget how many good sings he has had.

STEVENS POINT BREWERY - BURLY BROWN  This is an American brown ale. Smell is dominated by caramel malt. Taste is smooth with the roated malt dominating and not much else, its pretty light. Its easy to drink, but just kind of average, if it had some more flavor it could be really nice, but as it is, i probably wouldnt try again.

2 miles on treadmill

May 12, 2013

THE BILLYS - ROSES AND FLOWERS AND PLANTS  The Billys were a great little band from Minnesota. They released 4 albums and this was their debut and probably their best. Kind of considered alternative country or american rock, in the lines of The Gear Daddies. I was turned on to them by one of my best friends who knew them in college and actually had them play at his wedding. I love this album and it is still in heavy rotation for me today. Fourteen songs and all of them are good. I think Holiday and Weatherman  are my favorites, but as i said, the whole album is solid. They are not too active anymore, but still get together every now and then for a live show. Its too rare though, i would love to see them more. Check this one out if you can find it.

WELLS & YOUNGS LTD - YOUNG'S DOUBLE CHOCOLATE STOUT  Smell is rich and chocolatly and with a hint of coffee. Taste is not too bad, but kind of bland, i was expecting more as i had heard pretty good things about it. I only got a little bit of chocolate in the taste and it was pretty flat and thin as to what i would expect from a stout. It was within the 'best by' but maybe it was just a bad batch, i will have to try it again someday.

3.5 miles on treadmill

May 11, 2013

BOB MARLEY - MARLEY ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK  Seemed like the right thing to listen to today. Thirty-five years ago today the legend passed. This is the soundtrack to the 2012 documetary Marley. Kind of a oddball collection, not sure what it was trying to accomplish. It is missing some of his greatest hits, only has 3 "rarities", some of the songs we know and love are not even the classic versions we know and some of the live tracks dont have the best sound. Overall, this isnt a bad collection, but it isnt a great one either. It is an good overview and timeline of his music though. With that, i love anything Bob, so i still enjoyed it and would reccomend it. Also, check out tj documentary is you havnt already. Great stuff.

SUMMIT BREWING COMPANY - EXTRA PALE ALE  Smell is very crisp with classic pale malts and a hint of citrus. Flavor is about the same, sweetly malty with a touch of citrus at the end. It has a really nice balance and is very drinkable.This is one of Summits best offerings and while its not one i usually seek out, its tough to go wrong with it.

3.5 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

May 10, 2013

THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  This is a great album. At a time when grunge was topping the charts these guys came out with this one that was just a straight up fun rock record.  All the songs are short and catchy. After you've heard them once ita hard not to sing along. Kitty, Lump, Feather Pluckin', Boll Wevil, Peaches, We Are Not Going To Make It, Dune Buggy, and Naked And Famous are all top notch. If ou grew up in the 90s and dont own this album, you did it wrong.

LAKEFRONT BREWERY - RIVERWEST STEIN BEER  Aroma is nicwly balanced berween the hops and the malt with a slight floral note as well. Tastes very malty with caramel flavor standing out. Hops are very faint.  A clean nice lager seems to have a lot of flavor for a lighter beer. Well done.

1 mile on treadmill

May 9, 2013

GEORGE THROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS - ANTHOLOGY  Two discs of his greatest hits with a handful of live songs covering their career up to 2000. Thorogood is a blues guitarist that ia all about having a good time. While many wont consider him all that innovative he makes up for it in enthusiasm. Most people probably would recognize his versions of songs more so than the originals. This collection is a good overview of his career. Madison Blues, One Borboun One Scith One Beer, Bad To The Bone, I Drink Alone, Gear Jammer, Who Do You Love,their all here. Turn it up, grab a beer, and have fun.

ROGUE ALES - YELLOW SNOW IPA This is an American style IPA. Aroma is strong with citrus and a hint of pine. Taste is slightly sweet upfront.Srandard bitterness for the style and seems a little creamy and rich compared to other IPAs. I think its a solid example of a big hoppy citrus filled American style IPA. Definately worth the try.

1.5 miles on treadmill

May 8, 2013

MARK MULLIGAN - THE THINGS I LOVE  I met this guy roughly 12 or so years ago at a bar in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. I had seen him perform the night before and he was just sitting at the bar having a few drinks before his set that night. We talked and had a few shots and i have been a fan and following him since. Kind of a Jimmy Buffett tropical themed style music. Lots of songs about drinking, the islands, and having fun, just up my alley. He has about a dozen CDs out and i enjoy all of them. He mostly performs in the Arizona and Mexico area, but has been trekking out farther every year. Interesting in that his mom runs his web store, each time i order something, i get a little thank you note from his mom!  I encourage you to check him out.

NEW BELGIUM BREWING - HOP KITCHEN HOPPY BOCK LAGER  This is a limited one time release that comes in a 22 oz. bottle. All i really get out of the smell is some lemon citrus hops. The taste is more complex. A little caramel up front followed by the citrus with a nice sweetness to the finish. This is a nice twist on the style, not particularly exciting, but is pleasing to drink. I was expecting a bigger hop prescence based on the name, but it was still a decent lager i would have again.

2 miles on treadmill and 1 hour in bike

May 7, 2013

THE DAN BAND - LIVE! If you have never heard of these guys you probably have seen them in Old School, Starsky And Hutch, Wedding Crashers or a few other movies though. Mostly they perform "top 40" womens songs. They also have a fascination with the F word that they like to throw in all their covers. This is just a fun listen, a great party record and the band sounds great. I Am Woman, Shoop, Genie In A Bottle, Milkshake, and Total Eclipse Of The Heart are the highlights for me. Also includes their original I Wanna Rock You Hard This Christmas. Just an amazing live album, their hilarious and crazy. Fun stuff.

BODDINGTONS - BODDINGTONS PUB ALE First off, Boddingtons is best served on tap. It is usually served using a hand press that mixes air with the Le as it pours. This is hard to dupicate in a can/bottle, but they try with a special can. It basically has a plastic piece rattling around in the can when you pour that helps release air bubbles to try to give you the hand pressed draft effect. Does it work? I'm not entirely sold.
When i poured it, i didnt think that there was enough head. Smell is light and hoppy. The taste is not overwhelming like a lot of popular beers, but its about as good as you can get for an Enlish Ale.  This one tasted tinny, i really like it on tap, but would probably not do it again in a can.

1 mile on treadmill

May 6, 2013

JUST ICE - KOOL & DEADLY Probably one of my favorite rappers of all time. He never had great commercial success but that had nothing to do with the quality of his albums. This was his 2nd album and some in the hip hop community consider it an all time classic. This is just great street hip hop. Solid lyrics and great production. I consider him one of the best lyricists of all time and this is a must have for any hip hop fan. Only 9 songs, but all good and when its over you will hit play again.

ROGUE ALES - SANTAS PRIVATE RESERVE ALE  Starts with a malty aroma with a little sweetness, but not much there overall. Taste has the sweet malty flavor up front followed by a little fruitiness and pine taste to finish. For a holiday themed ale, its just ok, i was expecting more of the holiday spice, but it just wasnt there.

1mile on treadmill and 1 hour on bike

May 5, 2013

ERIC CHURCH - SINNERS LIKE ME  This was quite the debut album. I consider myself more of a rock guy, but my tastes run the full spectrum and this is a great listen. It mixes country and rock quite well. I like the fact that he wrote or co-wrote all the songs, too many "country" artists dont (check your liner notes people). For a debut, every sing is good. How 'Bout You, Two Pink Lines, and Guys Like Me were all radio hits, but dont sleep on the rest of it, its solid throughout. Great lyrics, and great country-rock.

BRECKENBRIDGE BREWERY - OATMEAL STOUT DARK Starts with a dark roasted coffee aroma. Taste is a nice mix of the oats and blend of chocolate and coffee. Its a nice smooth and silky drink although a little thin for a stout. The creaminess is the strong part, i would like it to have a little more flavor, but overall its very drinkable. Its probably best as an after meal drink.

3.5 miles on treadmill

May 4, 2013

SHERYL CROW - TUESDAY NIGHT MUSIC CLUB  Her debut album, and probably still my favorite of hers. Solid music, mostly great lyrics, although occasionally goes to far in trying to be deep or relevant. Basically, a bunch of musicians got together on Tuesdays to just play music and this album came from those sessions. Some of her best songs to this day are on this album: Leaving Las Vegas, Stong Enough, Cant Cry Anymore, and I Believe. Great album, still a fun listen almost 20 years later.

NEW GLARUS BREWING COMANY - SPOTTED COW  This is a really nice drinkable beer. There is nothing really mind blowing about it, but is just a pleasant solid easy drinking beer. Smell and taste are sweet with a touch of honey and citrus. I really cant pick any one thing that makes this stand out, but for some reason it just does the job. Beer snobs probably under appreciate this one because of that, but they shouldnt pass on it.

3.5 miles on treadmill and 30 minutes on bike

May 3, 2013

SLAYER - SOUTH OF HEAVEN  Picked Slayer today due to yesterdays news that guitarist Jeff Hanneman died at the age of 49, RIP Jeff. One of the heaviest bands out there, the kings of speed metal. This album was a little bit of a departure from their first three albums in that they slowed down the tempo a little. A lot of fans were disappointed  in it, but its probably my favorite album of theirs. Every song is solid and i like the more melodic approach on it. Mandatory Suicide, South Of Heaven, and Live Undead are the hilites for me. This is head banging at its finest.

SURLY BREWING COMPANY - HELL LAGER  My first Surly review, got a few more coming. Nice light hop aroma with some floral notes, but not a lot therr. Taste is a little better. Light pils malt and light citrus and floral flavors. Just plain light, a very easy drinking beer, its crisp, sharp and smooth. Nothing really outstanjng, but still,  this is just a really good beer for the style. Nice job Surly.

3.5 miles on treadmill.

May 2, 2013

THE REPLACEMENTS - DONT YOU KNOW WHO I THINK I WAS? THE BEST OF  Not much needs to be said about this one. One of he best bands to ever come out of Minnesota. This has most of their big hits, but mostly covers their later career after the Let It Be album. I would have liked to have seen a few more cuts off the earlier albums even though they were not as commercially popular, but its still a fun listen. One of the bands i wish i would have got a chance to see live, but never did. I do have about 50 live bootlegs of some of their shows, so i can still listen to those and pretend i was there.

BROOKLYN BREWERY - BROOKLYN LAGER  This is a nice lager, straightforward, smooth, and very drinkable. It has a nice floral aroma and is well balanced with a nice hop bite. Nice and malty without overdoing the sweetness. This is just a solid choice for lager fans.

1 mile in treadmill and 45 minutes on bike

May 1, 2023

KENNEY CHESNEY - LIFE ON A ROCK This is the new one from Kenny that came out yesterday. I listened to it twice today and in all honesty am not that impressed. A couple of good songs, but the rest are just average to me, not one of his better efforts. While i enjoy the island vibe throughout the record, none of the songs really stand out to me. Hopefully it will grow on me after a few more listens. Check out Pirate Flag, Coconut Tree, and Life On A Rick, i think those are my favorites.

BOULEVARD BREWING CO. - PALE ALE  Poured this one into a glass to drink. Nice amber color and had a nice cramel malt smell up front and finished with some floral hops. Its easy to drink and is vry light, but thwre is nothing outstanding about this one, just a middle of the road ale.

3 miles on treadmill and 30 minutes on the bike

APRIL SUCCESS

Yesterday concluded month 2 of this little experiment and we will call it a success. April was a little tougher as i was in Atlanta for The Final Four for a lokng weekend. While the beer and the music were no problem, i found it harder to find time to get the mile run/bike in, but i know we did a ton of walking, so i am considering that good. I know the hotel to the bar we adopted as home for the weekend was 3/4 mile walk each way, so a minimum of 1.5 miles each day plus all the other stuff we did.

For April, my $50 donation went to The One Fund - Boston. For those that have been matching my donations or would like to contribute, please visit: https://secure.onefundboston.org/page/contribute/default

Excited for some warm weather finally in May, to get the bike out, and to enjoy some good beers outside. Last weekend i went to a Wild and Twins game and spent some time Saturday morning accumulating some more beers. I now have roughly 100 different ready to try, so here's to May!