Significant Signals

What could it be, this Crime of the Century? Join Gus and Tony as they don striped shirts and burglar caps and attempt to capture the nation's morbid curiosity by discussing the album Crime of the Century by Supertramp. While apparently not an intentional concept album, the Sig-Sig Boys analyze it as such, in an attempt to understand Supertramp's comments on conformity, loneliness, and morality. The boys give particular attention to three of the album's staple songs: "School", a build-up of tension and exploration on the idea that the creativity in children's minds are stifled by formal education; "Hide in Your Shell", a passionate plea for connection and support in the face of uncertainty; and "Crime of the Century", the album's closer and an expression of loneliness at the hands of an apathetic ruling class. Making this episode was the perfect crime!! Recorded May 4th, 2022.

Tony and Gus do something no one has ever done before ever: discuss Pink Floyd's The Wall! The Significant Signals boys dive deep into the classic progressive rock opera after a close inspection of the film, and give thought as to what makes this album such an effective story told in a musical medium. The album tells the tale of Pink, a fatherless boy with a controlling mother who grows up and becomes a disillusioned and isolated rock star, trying to figure out where and why it all went wrong. Tony and Gus give particular attention to three songs on the album that are important in the development of the story: first, the political overture "In the Flesh?", which introduces the listener to the chaotic world that Pink lives in; second, the emotionally-vulnerable transformation song, "Comfortably Numb", famous for its dreamy quality and two guitar solos; and third, "The Trial", the theatrical climax. Join them as they delve into the psyche of a man struggling to tear down The Wall.

In this very special episode, Significant Signals pulls out all the stops. Gus and Tony have hired professional musician Andres Luke and music historian Alex Schirling to discuss one of the biggest names in the industry over the last 50 years, "Weird Al" Yankovic. Be amazed as Alex and Andres take you on a mind bending journey through the dramatic origins of "Weird Al", being very specific about the roots of his comedic style, the intellectual mastery of his musical composition, and transitioning seamlessly between those topics. Part One brings us through "Weird Al’s" surprise single “The Hamilton Polka” which is given a comprehensive analysis that uncovers the evolution of "Weird Al’s" polkas over the years. This introduction eases the listener into Part Two, a complex analysis of "Weird Al’s" style in “Another One Rides the Bus”, written nearly 50 years earlier. But this parody of Queen is merely to whet your palette for the dénouement, “Albuquerque”, which, as you will see, we prove with research and science is “the greatest song that ever lived”. Pull up a seat, grab your enchilada, and enjoy this extra special episode of Significant Signals.

Tony and Gus spend a night at the opera! Join us as we discuss Philip Glass, the celebrated composer, and one of his greatest works, Einstein on the Beach. This opera represents the life of Albert Einstein by exposing the viewer to minimalist and repetitive instrumentation, impressive feats of vocal work, and elegant and purposeful dance. In particular, Tony and Gus discuss the opera through the lens of “Knee Play 3”, a track that exists at almost the exact middle of the opera, which Tony once performed and has a lot of respect for. Einstein on the Beach is a favorite piece of music of Tony’s, and Gus agrees that it is an experience to behold, for fans of opera and fans of minimalist music alike.

Vince Clarke is perhaps the most collaborative 80’s synthpop musician that ever was, having established numerous successful synthpop bands, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Erasure. In this episode, Tony and Gus discuss their appreciation for Clarke’s ability to infuse synthetic songs with deep and visceral emotion. First up is “Ice Machine” by Depeche Mode, a b-side written by Clarke for Depeche Mode’s first single that captures dark and mysterious memories in a pop format. Next is “Softly Over” by Yazoo, an album track written by Clarke in the wake of Yazoo’s breakup that is complemented by singer Alison Moyet’s naive and yearning delivery. Last is “Siren Song” by Erasure, an intimate and ecstasy-filled album track written by Clarke at the height of Erasure’s popularity.

The executives greenlit another episode! This time, Gus and Tony talk about Daniel Miller, electronic music pioneer and producer who founded the independent label Mute Records, home to Depeche Mode, Erasure, and Nick Cave (among others). Specifically, Tony and Gus talk about the first three Mute Records singles: "Warm Leatherette" by The Normal, a minimalist industrial song that Tony describes as "the exact opposite of Careless Whisper"; "Back to Nature" by Fad Gadget, an overcast post-apocalyptic hellscape filled with duality and tension; and "Memphis, Tennessee" by Silicon Teens, a synthetic cover of the classic Chuck Berry song.

In this episode, one song from each of the first three Depeche Mode albums are examined. Tony and Symm start by discussing their inspirations for the podcast, and their individual relationships to music. The first song, “Photographic” from 1981’s Speak & Spell, is discussed as a reflection of Depeche Mode’s beginnings and the theme of dark vs. light. The second song, “Leave in Silence” from 1982’s A Broken Frame, sees Depeche Mode in a state of recovery and reflects the tension in the band through the metaphor of a breakup. The last song, “Everything Counts” from 1983’s Construction Time Again, captures the worldliness of Depeche Mode as they become an international success.