by Jason AnkenyThe idiosyncratic Canadian art-pop chanteuse Jane Siberry was born in Toronto, Ontario on October 12, 1955; after taking up the piano as a child, she began absorbing the classical and operatic inspirations which later distinguished her professional work. While earning a degree in microbiology, Siberry began performing at the local coffeehouse where she also worked as a waitress; ultimately, she used her tip money to fund her 1981 self-titled debut LP, a spartan offering spotlighting her ethereal vocal navigations through the eccentric rhythm changes and dramatic mood shifts which ornamented her abstract, atmospheric sound.Three years later, Siberry resurfaced with No Borders Here, a more assured, cinematic collection highlighted by Mimi on the Beach, an underground Canadian hit. The critical and commercial success of 1985s evocative The Speckless Sky brought her to the attention of Warner/Reprise for 1988s The Walking, ...