Every summer I search high and low for a couple of choice tracks that I always know will easily slip me into the perfect summer mood. Just when I was about to throw in the towel, NPR came rushing to the rescue.

I’d start with the Higga Boom track here and relax into a nice cocktail.

I don’t normally say this, but—Keep the Party Going!

Having recently had our doors blown off by them on back to back nights at APW, I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to stumble on the free podcast made available by NPR’s awesome All Songs Considered through iTunes. It’s from the last show of the tour at the Santa Barbara Bowl and it’s fuerte.

If you don’t have iTunes you can also stream it through the link on the afore-linked article page. Serious thanks Bob, who appreciated this show as much as we did, to the rest of the NPR/ASC team and to Radiohead for agreeing to make it available. Made my day.

And maybe it’s just me, but that song reminds me of ‘Goodbye Horses’ by Q Lazarus, you’d probably know it best from Silence of the Lambs. Am I crazy?

Watch the Making Of Video:

Watch the Video:

I managed to get a ticket to their sold out show at Southpaw this past weekend, a venue a few blocks from my apartment in Park Slope – Brooklyn. First, Southpaw is a great place to see a show – small room, big bar, great sound. Second, The Black Angels put on one helluva show. The songs are long and kinda trippy, it’s easy to get lost in the wall of sound. Towards the end of the gig, I think it may have been during the second encore, the lead singer Alex Maas wandered to the side of the stage. Facing the wall, he sang for the next 15 minutes. Say what you will, but brother was into it. They are playing at the All Points West Festival this summer – really looking forward to hearing them on a festival stage. Should be a real kick in the head.

The Rock-afire Explosion was an animatronic robot band that played in Showbiz Pizza Place restaurants from 1980 to 1991. The show was created and manufactured exclusively for Showbiz by Creative Engineering, Inc. in Orlando, Florida.

Some guy bought one and is running current hits through it. This clip features the band performing Usher. The Gorilla in the gold lame suit and bowtie slays me, as does the Sun who sings backup. The most awesome thing ever.

Sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do and, I guess, this is one of those times for our beloved admin, erstwhile coach, training partner extraordinaire and certified master of the grill Jeff. He’s packed up the shop, loaded what’s important and is redeploying to the left coast in search of fortune, adventure and cracked crab. As we all navigate the fog caused by last night’s sayonara wumpus, I’d just like to pause for the cause and give a hearty HUZZAH to our partner in crime.

Fare thee well sir. You’ll be sorely missed but we’ve every confidence you’ll quickly get to holdin’ it down out there and swelling the ranks of the Dukes West Coast Chapter. Write when you get work and we’ll come inspect your beachhead.

Vaya con dios y un gato en tu pantalones Amigo.
-mismanagement

Lbs of Crawfish shipped up from Louisiana: 275

Lbs of Crawfish Consumed: 275

Barrels of Beer Consumed: 5 (!!)

Number of kick-ass Bands: 4-5

List of notable instruments demonstrated: Stand up base, drums, keys, mandolin, banjo, tuba (!), trombone (x2), trumpet, guitar (x5), maracas, tambourines, cowbell, neck-tie washboard!?!), accordion, larynx (yodeling), rubber chicken

Number of DJs intending to play: 5

Number of DJs who actually played: 3

Approximate number of attendees: 150 (+/- 25)

Number of unknowns who crashed: 25

Number of hours the party lasted: 11

All in all, an amazing time was had and a serious thanks out to them tasty lil bugs, the incredible bands, our excellent friends and everyone else who contributed of their time, energy and buzz to make this the best boil yet!

And now a few pics for da taste:

Special Cajun delivery…one of three mongo boxes of bugs straight from LA

Craw enforcement is serious work…one needs a placard for the vehicle

Said Craw Enforcement Vehicle and the attached compliance officer

The calm before the boil. Please note appropriately prominent placement of the NH state flag. Boil Free or Die baby!

Looks may deceive …this pint sized shellfish lover can eat her weight in Crawfish

$2 Goat gettin’ things roarin’ as the bugs start coming out. These guys wail!

Early round as folks start jockey for long-haul positioning.

Yum!

Washboard neck-tie?!?!? Are you F’n kidding me?? That’s the sort of raw power you won’t find in any boardroom folks.

Big Bill showing how it’s done

Crawfish honeys

Um….rockin?!?

Lotta brass

Boil subcommittee meeting

Oh when the roooooooooobes….
come out late at niiiiiiiiiiiiight…..

Oh when the robes come out laaaaate at niiiiiiiiight.

That had to be said. I never run with an ipod or any type of music delivery system even though I own 3 Ipods at this moment. I am not a running snob that needs to hear the rhythm of my body and get in tune with nature.

It is a matter of survival

I run in NYC and it is dangerous. The days of the Central Park Jogger are thankfully long gone but the cabs and pedestrians persist so it is best to be aware of your environment.

That being said there are many of you that cannot run without music, which I understand so I thought I would pass along some music here and there that you may enjoy running with. Be warned I am a fan of electronic music and hip-hop (or is it rap)

The latest mix that I enjoyed is a mix by James Lavelle on the Together podcast. The highlight of this mix is a track about 60 minutes in and it is Deer in the Headlight – Radioslave Mix. Listen Here

Kind of reminds me of Underworld when they were real dark and dirty.

A more eloquent review from Pitchfork – This blinder from January is an overlooked triumph of utter warehouse madness, its siren-like glissandi and dagger-sharp rave stabs carrying its punishing intensity higher and higher in an unremitting build-up. Chelonis R. Jones’ soulful vocals become a crossing guard’s scary rant as rushing bass and Dopplerized car horns lay waste to the dance floor like it’s a six-lane highway, leaving clubbers all but roadkill

Enjoy and let me know what you think.