Since my fat ass has actually been going to the gym consistently, I’ve had to add several songs to my workout rotation. What will follow is a periodic update of whichever song has given me added juice on the lifting machines or elliptical trainer. Download these yourselves and enjoy.

“Hypnotize” – The Darlings

In a sign of my alarmingly advancing age, I think I only went to like four concerts last year. Fortunately, one of them was to see Strung Out play through the entirety of “Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues” and “Twisted By Design” two of the greatest punk rock albums ever. Opening for Strung Out was The Darlings.

Having worked in college radio and seeing virtually every concert for free for the better part of four years, I have seen more shitty opening bands than most people have seen reruns of “Friends” and “Seinfeld” put together. So at this point when a good one tears up the stage, you really take notice.

That’s The Darlings. They rocked everyone’s face off. This song “Hypnotize” is the first cut off their excellent album The New Escape. It’s an excellent lead-off, which is perfect because I’ve been using it to lead off my workouts.

It’s got a big old hook and will kick your ass right out of the gate as you march along on your elliptical master toward a slimmer ass and sexy town where the missus wants to jump your bones.

Enjoy!