I like Big Beats and I cannot lie...
October 9, 2014 10:42 AM   Subscribe

I'm constructing a running playlist and looking for some rock music with a quasi-military edge featuring big, heavy drums. Like this or this. Not interested in metal. Can you find me some other examples?

Think less "Paul Simon goes on vacation" and more "Leading my slave army through the desert, war drums shaking the dust before our feet," to give you a sense of the mood.
posted by Diablevert to Media & Arts (44 answers total) 34 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: These New Puritans - We Want War
posted by Jairus at 10:45 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]


U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
posted by steinwald at 10:47 AM on October 9, 2014


The Clash - Janie Jones
posted by steinwald at 10:51 AM on October 9, 2014




Pompeii by Bastille comes to mind. This is the video, but I'd swear the radio version has a much heavier, more martial beat.

Also, "Over the hills and far away" by Gary Moore.
posted by jbickers at 10:52 AM on October 9, 2014


Is basically all of Rage Against the Machine too "metal?" Because... "metal" is so broad a category as to be meaningless.

Manson? Is that metal? I don't even know.
posted by cmoj at 10:55 AM on October 9, 2014


Led Zeppelin - Trampled Under Foot
posted by steinwald at 10:55 AM on October 9, 2014


Best answer: Sleater-Kinney - "One Beat"
posted by papayaninja at 10:58 AM on October 9, 2014


Rush - Jacob's Ladder
posted by Daily Alice at 11:04 AM on October 9, 2014


Maybe not what you're looking for, but worth a listen, though you may find the absurdist lyrics at odds with the mood you're trying to evoke:
Brian Eno - "Dead Finks Don't Talk"

Alternatively -- pulsing percussion without so much of a martial rhythm:
Brian Eno - "Third Uncle
posted by Nerd of the North at 11:06 AM on October 9, 2014


once you get past the intro, sail by awolnation is pretty beattastic. it would probably make a good cooldown, it's a little slower. there are also remixes.
posted by koroshiya at 11:09 AM on October 9, 2014


radioactive by imagine dragons.
posted by koroshiya at 11:12 AM on October 9, 2014


Best answer: In the Name of the Father. You might want to check out that whole soundtrack.
posted by fshgrl at 11:18 AM on October 9, 2014




I listened to a Song Exploder episode today where they discuss a song from the video game Watch Dogs. Might be up your alley. The entire episode is really interesting, but skip to around 13 min to hear the full song.
posted by radioamy at 11:19 AM on October 9, 2014


Best answer: Woodkid "Iron" The drums don't come in straight away but it's all about them when they do. Also very motivation theme for running as the song is all about fighting & pushing yourself.
posted by wwax at 11:37 AM on October 9, 2014


maybe Killing Joke?

Can - Oh Yeah

Public Image Limited! The whole Metal Box album and/or Flowers of Romance (which is one of the best albums ever in my opinion) - Chant, Banging the Door

Joy Division Atrocity Exhibition

Liars, starting with the Drums Not Dead album - Let's Not Wrestle Mt Heart Attack
posted by citron at 11:42 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]


You'll be wanting yourself some Adam and the Ants and some Bow Wow Wow, those Malcom McClaren-produced popularizers of the militaristic and deeply groovy "Burundi Beat."

The "link" link is not appearing for me, for some reason, and I have to run out the door, so:
Adam and the Ants: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=adam+and+the+ants
Bow Wow Wow: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bow+wow+wow
example of Burundi Beat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skfrgdJn5Rg
posted by Dr. Wu at 11:59 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]


I was going to recommend a few of the track citron mentioned, so I'll put in second votes for Can, PiL, Liars and Killing Joke, and add the lesser-known album by Flux, Uncarved Block.
posted by bendybendy at 12:12 PM on October 9, 2014


> Laibach - The Whistleblowers

Laibach was the first thing that came to mind for me too.

Laibach - Geburt Einer Nation
Laibach - Leben Heißt Leben
posted by Gev at 12:46 PM on October 9, 2014


Rheostatics - Guns (Neil's drumming doesn't pick up until about the 1 minute mark)
posted by Poldo at 1:30 PM on October 9, 2014


Depends on your definition of "metal", but BOC's Veteran of the Psychic Wars has a pretty martial beat.
posted by doctord at 1:48 PM on October 9, 2014


Some Like It Hot by The Power Station. Featuring Tony Thompson on the drums, of Chic.

Kong Foo Sing by Regurgitator
posted by goo at 2:55 PM on October 9, 2014


Led Zep 'When The Levee Breaks'
Jason Forrest - 'War Photographer'
1-Speed Bike - 'Tim Horton's As A Gateway Drug To The Canadian Army'
posted by Joeruckus at 3:04 PM on October 9, 2014


Muse might work (though maybe too metal...ish?): Supremacy.
posted by NormieP at 3:27 PM on October 9, 2014


Response by poster: I should probably confess/admit here that I don't like Led Zepplin or prog rock.
posted by Diablevert at 3:27 PM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]


Then probably not muse...
posted by NormieP at 3:32 PM on October 9, 2014


Nick Cave's version of "Black Betty" might suit.
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:34 PM on October 9, 2014


Tom Waits maybe: Big in Japan or The Earth Died Screaming
posted by NormieP at 3:38 PM on October 9, 2014


Bruce Springsteen's "High Hopes" is a marching song of sorts.

If you liked what you heard on "In the Name of the Father," try Sinead O'Connor and The Chieftans, "The Foggy Dew." (Starts at 1:20; spooky stuff. Makes me think of soldiers in the misty pre-dawn hours. Really worth listening to the whole thing.)
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:33 PM on October 9, 2014




Paul Simon - The Obvious Child from The Rhythm of the Saints album.
posted by Homer42 at 6:43 PM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Matador
posted by tinymojo at 7:25 PM on October 9, 2014


Surprised Burundi came up without a mention of The Jungle Line by Joni Mitchell. Also, David Byrne's rendition of Don't Fence Me In (but get the version on the Red Hot and Blue CD -- that beats in that Youtube aren't as big).
posted by Rash at 9:59 PM on October 9, 2014


Big Pig was an 80's Australian band that featured big drums in their songs: Money God, Hungry Town, and my favourite, Breakaway
posted by praiseb at 1:09 AM on October 10, 2014 [1 favorite]


Manic Street Preachers - Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwouldfallapart

The album this comes from - The Holy Bible - is full of songs with this kind of sound.
posted by cincinnatus c at 3:07 AM on October 10, 2014


Captain (Million Miles an Hour) - Something for Kate
posted by h00py at 5:34 AM on October 10, 2014


Not sure if it strays too far from rock, but the first thing that popped in my head was The Glitch Mob - Animus Vox.
posted by CaseyB at 2:04 PM on October 10, 2014


Come With Me Now, KONGOS.
posted by rmd1023 at 6:08 PM on October 10, 2014


Also, Bombs Over Baghdad, Outkast and 4 Minutes by Madonna, both of which are mentioned in this previous question about drumline music for workouts. (hopefully those two aren't too much pop-rather-than-rock)
posted by rmd1023 at 6:16 PM on October 10, 2014 [1 favorite]


Elvis Costello - Pump it Up

This probably his too much bass:The Who - Boris the Spider
posted by Homer42 at 10:16 PM on October 10, 2014


Ah, one more: Back Off Bugaloo by Ringo.
posted by Rash at 4:37 PM on October 12, 2014


Boris - Heavy Friends
posted by Demogorgon at 9:11 AM on October 13, 2014


Hounds of Love - Kate Bush
posted by h00py at 9:12 AM on October 17, 2014


« Older That Guy Wasn't the Wallet Inspector   |   Examples of Adoption in Film, TV and Theater Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.