Review Summary: I have a map and it's a map of the world
And there's no border here
No Borders Here is a remarkable album by a very underappreciated artist. Siberry has long been obscured by far more popular (and less talented) musicians, but it is also not in her character to clamor for pop-star attention, preferring to simply make and preform her art without fuss. She has a very polite and humble voice, but the music she weaves with it is adventurous, strange, and affecting. Her music is an idiosyncratic mix of contemporary pop styles that is elevated by her sophisticated musical sense that allows her to be truly ambitious in her composition. This is propelled by her powerfully direct lyricism and ability to effortlessly play characters and enact situations.
This album is a study of human nature by a very keen and empathetic observer who is also an accomplished musician. Every song is a portrait of a different type of person who is then played as a character by Siberry. Her vignettes range from the bitingly comedic (Extra Executives) to the earnest and sensitive (You Don’t Need). This is delivered through stream of consciousness lyrics which give a very intimate look into the female psychology. Take the dizzying opening track Waitress, in which Siberry plays the part of hyper-active waitress who has nightmares of ashtrays overfilling and bottles flying through the air, she proclaims herself “The queen of the clean” and adds that she would probably be famous if she wasn’t so good at tending tables. In only a few lines we are given a complete overview of a person and their personality, failures, and aspirations. It’s hard not to become somewhat attached the characters of these songs.
The soundtrack to these portraits is thoroughly of the new-wave, but the music is anything but typical of the pop of 1984. The album is awash in synthesizers, backed with electronic drums, and topped with a heavily processed guitar sound that seems to have only existed in the early 80s. The result is a very cold and precise sound, but that is not a criticism, as it adds to the album’s charm and contrasts with Siberry’s very human style. This is another example of how the album reveals a hidden depth in places where it is not expected.
This very sterile sound is then molded into very progressive and dynamic forms which balance extremely catchy hooks (Symmetry), expressionist interludes, and ambitious song structures. I Muse Aloud is densely layered song built upon shifting rhythms that never sacrifices its pop appeal, the density of the music is not overbearing and is hardly noticed until you pay attention.
The two standout pieces are Dancing Class and Mimi on the Beach. Dancing Class is a hazy narrative built upon a dreamy vocal melody sung over atmospheric guitar that transitions seamlessly into a groove in an impossible time signature, it finally collapses into ambiance and existential musing. Despite its length, Mimi on the Beach became a minor hit here in Canada, and it is the height of the album musically and thematically. The song begins with very feminine observations of a “typical day at the beach” and progresses into meditations upon death with the arrival of “the great leveler” at the end of time who is
“...going to take those mountains / And shove them into the valleys / Until there's nothing left except a vast expanse / And you'll float there, Mimi / On the flat Sargasso Sea of your soul.”
The opening verse suggests nothing of the metaphysical climax of the song, but the way it occurs is so natural and tied together with an infectious hook that winds its way through the many facets of the piece. We are then left to contemplate Siberry’s vision on the closing track, Map of the World, Pt. 1, which is a piece of reflective ambiance that serves as the epilogue to the album.
No Borders Here is an exercise in drawing the universal out of the particular, the beautiful out of the obscure, and the profound out of the mundane, this is accomplished with grace and immaculate style by Jane Siberry. This is one of the hidden gems of pop music.
