Jane Siberry...

[ma261aai%sdcc3@ucsd.edu (Stephen Bloch)]

[From the Love-Hounds delay queue -- |>oug]

Last week my brother (much more in touch with current music than I am)
told me on the phone that Jane had a new album, and my continued
existence was problematic if I didn't buy a copy promptly.  He
compared the new album, "the walking", to "The Ninth Wave" for
ambition and artistic unity.  It was a few days before I could get to
a decent record store, and several more before somebody had the LP in
stock (non-CD-owners of the world, unite!) but I do, in fact, now have
all four Jane Siberry albums in a neat stack next to the stereo.  "the
walking" is in fact similar to TNW in a lot of ways, but I haven't
listened to it enough yet to post a real review.

I can, however, say something about Jane's little-known first album,
"Jane Siberry" (on Street Records, in Toronto), which I received
mail-order from Ladyslipper two months ago.  In some places she seems
to be trying to be Judy Collins or somebody like that, but for the
most part she already shows the complex, fascinating lyrics (many of
which are at -20dB on the album and not on the lyrics sheet at all)
and consciously naive rhythms (sorta like Lou Reed) that distinguish
her to this day (without the equally well-done 11/8 or 5/4 that showed
up on the "No Borders Here" album 3 years later).  The songs: "Marco
Polo" is a send-up of the material girl.  'Nuff said.  "This Girl I
Know", possibly the most unusual track, is a dialogue with a girl
(Jane herself? there's a bit of ambiguity, as with "Mimi" on NBH)
"Who's Afraid of Men".  Not a unique subject, but a unique treatment.
"The Sky Is So Blue" and "Above the Treeline" aren't quite so topical;
they just make you feel good on hearing them.  "The Mystery at Ogwen's
Farm" starts out like a folk ballad about a missing cow.  In fact, I
read a review by somebody who honestly thought Bessie was a cow, but
if you don't make that assumption it becomes a fairly political
statement.  "The Magic Beads" and "In the Blue Light" are wistful love
songs, the former an intriguing portrait of an outsider,
"worshipper-from- afar" lover; otherwise nothing spectacular about the
lyrics but some lovely melodies.  "Writers are a Funny Breed" and "The
Strange Well" are written for an audience of poets or songwriters.
The former is a memoriam for an artistic mentor (I think) and
pensively captures some of the dilemmas of producing art, while the
latter portrays a magic well that corrects the protagonist whenever
she gets caught up in "art for art's sake" at the expense of reality.

If somebody else has penetrating things to say about "the walking",
(or anything about Jane), please tell me your insights.

> I'm also looking for some new music that is high quality and
> reasonably intelligent. Any ideas, what are your favorites?

Obviously, Jane Siberry.  On the other hand, if you're into '60's
psychedelic or high-quality imitations thereof, XTC's "Skylarking" is
awesome, as is "Psonic Psunspots" (when they became Dukes of
Stratosfear).  And for some REAL '60's psych, look up GONG (whom
nobody's ever heard of, and who did most of their albums in France in
the late 60's-early 70's).  But you should probably have a course in
feminist theology before trying to understand GONG.  Reading a few
Robert Anton Wilson books (e.g. Illuminatus!)  satisfies the theology
prerequisite.  Oh, and I almost forgot Laurie Anderson.  Probably
doesn't need to be said, but just in case... some reviewer once said
"if brains are an aphrodisiac, Laurie Anderson is the sexiest woman in
music today."

Enough of this.  Listen well!	-- Steve Bloch