Trail running is almost always followed by a chow down, fiesta. At least that’s been my experience.
The opening track to Tyler Childers‘ recent release “Snipe Hunter” is titled “Eatin’ Big Time,” which is how I feel as a runner. The song’s lyrics don’t mention the urge to inhale the meal in front of you. But it has a similar craze in the articulation, which is new for Childers. “Eatin’ Big Time” is fitted perfectly as the opening track. This track alone sets up the rest of the album, which is made for the obsessive, outdoor worshippers. It’s a trail runner’s score to the insanity of scaling a mountain. Though, the song isn’t about trail running, nor any other outdoor recreation. It’s about the fantasies of killing a rich man. Which, in a way, could also advertise itself as a trail runner’s score.
If it were up to me, I would market trail running as a honky tonk liberal’s favorite hobby. Between waking up early to run in the weeds instead of staying out late at the club and the striped button-downs, trail runners were made to be cowboys. Especially if they’re wearing a bucket hat. Childers sets the perfect example of a honky tonk liberal, as he is involved in the country music scene, but every lyric contributes to the woke agenda. That’s part of what makes his music the perfect score for an early morning trail.
Bold brutalism is the Childers way
Childers doesn’t often swear, but when he does, he puts extra force in every consonant. In tracks “Bitin’ List” and “Snipe Hunt,” listeners are familiar to the fast-paced organs and fiddle. Tie that with the hyper, western-style liberal lyrics, and you’ve got a woke, leftist cowboy.
“Hate is a thing that can poison your veins/And get in your eyes when you’re sweating on stage/Shifting around for a clock on the wall/To tell you it’s almost over.”
“Snipe Hunt” instant acceleration kept me rewinding the track. It instantly left me with a rush of adrenaline that never stopped. If I were running sprints or putting in speed work, it would have made the perfect company. Though, it still did so while running down a hill of endless loose rock. Almost spraining my ankle in the process.
The violent punchlines and vulgar lyricism is what makes this album a great companion for running. A lot of the time, at least in my case, running is used to blow off steam. Listening to Childers lyrics, as brutal as they may be, is ultimately calming. In the way that podcasts can replace another person in the room, Childers on a trail run replaces the gossip session you would have with a running partner.
The album’s tempo takes a wide range from a BPM of 80 to 140. While many songs do have a slower tempo, it’s the sporadic placement of the quick-tempered tracks that keeps me coming back to “Snipe Hunter.” After its success on my trail run, I continued listening to the album on road runs and most recently listened to it on a 5 a.m. 5K. Needless to say, it still proves itself to be effective.
You can listen to Snipe Hunter on all streaming services, and while you’re at it, check out Childers discography. You might find the perfect soundtrack for your next trip to the mountains.