The Walking
| The Walking | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Jane Siberry | ||||
| Released | 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1987 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock,[1] ambient pop, art rock, experimental | |||
| Length | 57:44 | |||
| Label | Duke Street Records/Reprise Records | |||
| Producer | Jane Siberry and John Switzer | |||
| Jane Siberry chronology | ||||
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The Walking is an avant-garde music/experimental film score studio album by Jane Siberry. The album was released on Reprise Records internationally, but remained on the independent label Duke Street Records in Canada. It is an excellent example of music that, on release, was panned by critics and largely spurned by the market, only to become a museum-quality art that has stood the test of time.[2]
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
The album was initially poorly received by critics. It largely turned its back on the quirky new wave pop that Siberry had been known for; in its place was a surreal amalgam of progressive rock and Laurie Anderson-style performance art narratives, only one of which was shorter than six minutes.
Toronto progressive radio station CFNY, an early champion of Siberry's music, announced that it did not view any track on The Walking as viable for airplay on their station. Sales of the album were slow at first, although they improved when Siberry provided radio stations with a shorter edit of "Ingrid and the Footman".
With the benefit of passing time, the Allmusic review by Sean Carruthers does a little bit of belated justice to the caliber of composition and performance of this recording: "It's her most accomplished work to date, but it's bound to lose the casual listener quickly."[2]
Track listing
All songs by Jane Siberry.
- "The White Tent the Raft" – 9:12
- "Red High Heels" – 7:19
- "Goodbye" – 4:17
- "Ingrid and the Footman" – 7:06
- "Lena is a White Table" – 6:41
- "The Walking (and Constantly)" – 6:16
- "The Lobby" – 6:19
- "The Bird in the Gravel" – 10:34
Personnel
- Jane Siberry – vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, backing vocals, bells
- Al Cross – drums, percussion, tambourine, backing vocals
- Anne Bourne – piano, organ, keyboards, backing vocals
- John Switzer – bass, tambourine, percussion, backing vocals
- Ken Myhr – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, backing vocals
Additional personnel
- Rob Yale – keyboards on 1
- Wendell Ferguson – electric guitar on 4
- David MacVittie – backing vocals on 4
- Bob Blumer – backing vocals on 4
- Rebecca Jenkins – backing vocals on 4, 7
- Gina Stepaniuk – backing vocals on 4
- Cheri Camp – backing vocals on 4, 7
- Sarah McElcheran – trumpet on 7
- Steven Donald – trombone on 7
Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Peak position | Weeks on the chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | RPM Top 100 Albums | 76[3] | 13 |