Re: Jane Siberry and Golden Palominoes

[aurs01!aurxc3!whitcomb@mcnc.org (Jonathan Whitcomb)]

[A person I can't quote 'cause I nuked the original file say:]

>I have sent mail to become involved with the group. Haven't heard back yet.
>I just want to keep this thread alive. You know, make her name seen by 
>more people, more free advertisement...Anyway, what have you heard about 
>her new album? I like 'Bound by the Beauty', but not as intensely as 'The
>Walking'. The only other albums I've heard are 'No Borders Here' and 'The
>Speckless Sky'. I liked these pretty well. Of the 4 albums I am familiar, 
>they all have some pretty outstanding work on them. But TW is best by far.
>Let me know about the missing one, ok?

This missing one is just called "Jane Siberry", as far as I know, and
was only available from Duke Street records in Canada until recently,
when I found it on CD with brand new liner notes.  This album precedes
"No Boarders Here" (it was recorded in 1981), and is much folkier, and
very whimsical.  I like it quite alot, but I'll probably be in the
minority when I say that I feel her earliest work was her best (the
self titled one and "No Boarders Here") and has gone steadily downhill
ever since.  I saw her on tour in 1986(?) at the Iron Horse in 
Northampton MA, when "Speckless Sky" had been released in Canada but 
not the US, and it was a wonderful show.

[Another person who had his name stripped from him said]

>Also, can anyone tell me more about Golden Palominoes?
>I have one CD called The Dead Horse which is fine music...
>and features neither Syd Straw nor Michael Stipe!
>Any recommendations for other albums?  Is it worth
>getting the Thundering Herd compilation?

The Golden Palominoes is drummer Anton Fier's recording project
that has a floating lineup (ala Alan Parson's Project or late era 
Steely Dan).  The first album was somewhat avant-jazz (but keep in
mind that I don't own it and haven't given it much of a listen).
The second album (I don't remember the name...grey cover) brought on 
lots of pop musicians including John Lydon, Michael Stipe and Jack 
Bruce, and introduced singer Syd Straw.  There were many, many other 
muscicians of note on this album, and it was quite good.

The Third Palominoes album was called "Blast of Silence - Axed my
Baby for a Nickel", and it is one of my favorite pop albums.  This
featured Syd Straw, Jack Bruce and Anton Fier again, but added
performances by Don Dixon, Peter Blegvad, Matthew Sweet, Chris Stamey,
Jody Harris and others.  This collection of musicians has been 
constantly re-surfacing on each other's solo albums, and the
chemestry is really there in most of the resulting records.
The tour for this album was great... one of the most entertaining
and energetic rock shows I've ever seen.

I found "A Dead Horse" exactly that... the material was not as strong,
and the mood was much more flat and subdued.  I don't know most
of the musicians on it... I think Fier was hoping to launch the 
careers of another batch of unknowns but didn't get as good a pool
this time.

I haven't bought the new album... "A Dead Horse" scared me off enough 
so that I'll wait to read some reviews first.  In the meantime, I
heartily recommend the new Matthew Sweet and Chris Stamey albums.
Also, if anyone can recommend a good mail-order record/CD store
for imports, please let me know.  I've had no luck finding Peter
Blegvad's new solo album called "King Strut", which features a
few random Palominoes and Andy Partridge (of XTC fame).

I would only pick up the Thundering Herd compilation if you can't
find the second and third albums.

-Jonathan