The Signal Music Weblog

A documentary about the single drum loop that helped build hip-hop and was the foundation of drum-and-bass. Six seconds of drums that are now part of our collective musical DNA.

The documentary has a great conceit: it's set up like a museum piece consisting of a single record player and LP that contains the voice of the director, plus a 45 of the original break pinned to the wall, with a single person taking in the exhibit on our behalf. It's clever and it keeps the budget down.

I thought I had already shared the only xmas music you needed this year, but WFMU pointed me towards Holiday Freak In, a compilation full of gems like "Hark the Herald Angels Sing in Chinese and what is bound to be a holiday regular around here: "I Want an OC192 For Christmas."

Through the (apparently thin) wall that separates me from my hard-of-hearing neighbor, I've been able to listen to Night Ranger's "Sister Christian" and Queen's "We Are the Champions" so far this evening.

Which is really making it feel like Christmas around here.

"MOTORIN'! What's your price for flight?"

DJ /rupture brings the YouTube magic, throwing together a goofy-looking dancing white guy (who is actually a world heavyweight authority on reggae) and old ladies dancing to a flamenco beat into one convenient post.

Got a few minutes? Give him a visit.

The only two songs recommended for the Christmas holiday by Signalstation. Tied conveniently into one zipped package.

For the last half year or so, I've been visiting the San Francisco library regularly, refueling each time with a full limit of 6 CDs to be checked out and absorbed.

Because they're free, I can indulge in any remote interest I may have had in any artist or album. Turns out I was right to stop listening to The Cure after "Mint Car." Turns out Brian Eno is kinda boring. The Langley school kids are charming only the first time through. Then it really does feel like you're stuck at their recital.

Today I scored a copy of the Thai Elephant Orchestra. Have you heard of them?

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Dalton's name is being bandied about online recently because of the rerelease of her two albums, which lucky for us means that someone saw value in uploading footage of Karen Dalton performing in NYC from a French documentary.

Katie Cruel: the lonesome sound of down-and-out. [via NPR's Song of the Day]