ECLECTICA 5: AMBASSADOR TO CANADA compiled May 1999 by Paul Estin Eclectica #5 is a compilation/sampler of some of the most eclectic songs I could find performed by Canadian artists, many of which even have topics relating to Canada itself. This compilation owes a heavy debt to Jennie Dailey-O’Cain and Iain O’Cain, who introduced me to most of these bands with their holiday CD mixes “Cool Canadian Bands With Weird Names.” In fact, somewhat embarrassingly, the debt turns out to be even heavier than I’d expected. Although I started with musician and song selections that were different from Jennie and Iain’s, as I culled down the list to 74 minutes of music, I wound up including primarily the same selections they’d chosen. So be it. I suppose It’s a tribute to the fact that Jennie and Iain have good taste (and to the fact that Alanis, Sarah, and Shana produce good music but nothing terribly eclectic.) Make Jennie and Iain happy—go see any of the bands on this CD when and if they have a concert in your city. (No bands from Quebec are included on this CD, however, because there were none on Jennie and Iain’s “Cool Bands” CDs, and I don’t have anything else by Quebecois artists. Hmm, maybe the province should just go ahead and secede, clearly Canada doesn’t need ‘em. As if Celine would be a big loss, anyway.) The Arrogant Worms of Kingston, Ontario, currently my favorite comedy music group, kick things off with three Canadian-themed songs. (1) The Canadian Crisis Song (from their eponymous debut album of 1992) refers to an economically-motivated US/Canada bridge crossing other than the one shown on the front cover (Buffalo/Fort Erie in the song, Detroit/Windsor for the cover). The theme of the song is a bit out of date ever since the Canadian dollar plunged in value, such that shopping is now a better deal for Americans in Canada and a worse deal for Canadians in the States. Still, it’s a fun song. (2) Proud To Be Canadian and (3) The Mountie Song are about just what you think they are. They’re both off of the “Live Bait” CD, which I’d been using to introduce people to the Worms’ music prior to making the present CD mix. Next comes (4) Just The Other Day from “Pull the Goalie” by Jr. Gone Wild of Edmonton, Alberta, and (5) On That Day from “Plaid” by MacKeel of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Two very fun, energetic tunes. The harmonious Moxy Früvous from Toronto, whose songs show up a lot throughout the Eclectica series, are up next. Here I’ve included a song about a favorite piece of furniture, (6) The Lazy Boy, from “Bargainville,” and one from “You Will Go to the Moon” that has nothing to do with Canada but does concern a group in my own state of residence, (7) Michigan Militia. It’s possibly Moxy Früvous’s best-known song, at least around here. Next are The Plaid Tongued Devils of Calgary, Alberta, who sing two very catchy songs, (8) Older Than Murder from “Tongue & Groove” and (9) Whiner from “Klezskavania.” Track (10) I’m An Adult Now is the best-known song by The Pursuit Of Happiness, from their album “Love Junk.” TPOH is the only band on this CD that doesn’t also appear on Jennie and Iain’s CD. (There are, however, two additional bands—the Worms and Crash Test Dummies—with whom I was familiar prior to receiving Jennie and Iain’s mix.) TPOH is a Toronto band, sort of, although lead singer/songwriter Moe Berg is from Edmonton and various other members are from different parts of Canada. Next up, my two favorite songs by Barenaked Ladies of Toronto, both from the album “Stunt”: (11) Who Needs Sleep? and (12) One Week, a song I debated including because it’s so well-known and overplayed. However, it’s such a fun, wild-lyric song… One each from four good bands: Great Big Sea of St. John’s, Newfoundland sings the peppy (13) Mari-Mac, from the album “Up.” Crash Test Dummies of Winnipeg, Manitoba, provide (14) When I Go Out With Artists, from “God Shuffled His Feet.” (15) Putting Up With The Joneses is by Spirit of the West of Vancouver, B.C., from “Save This House.” The Splendour Bog, of Edmonton, Alberta, sing (16) The Budget from “Elevator Music,” although my favorite song by them is on a forthcoming Eclectica CD. (Added note regarding “The Joneses”: according to Tammy, a friend and Canadian immigrant, this song is about a shameful period in Canada’s history, during which, in accordance with the eugenics movement, mentally “feeble” people (and also some Native Canadians) were institutionalized and/or sterilized. Thus “he’s the size of a man, with the potential of a boy,” “The Joneses are not like you or me/ Lock them up tight/ ‘cause if they had the chance they might/ show us that we’re wrong/and that’s the one thing we can’t be,” and “Mrs. Jones wants to have a baby... I guess that she forgot, when she and Mr. Jones were at the doctors tied the knot.”) Next is Captain Tractor with three of my favorite songs. (17) Frozen Puck To The Head describes an unusual romance involving an athlete north of the border. (18) Gotohell is dedicated to someone who shall go nameless; it’s so cheery considering its topic. (19) The Last Saskatchewan Pirate is a ditty which was actually written by the Arrogant Worms, but I prefer the Tractor version better. It’s very danceable; in fact, I suspect Jennie has a goal to make it as popular at SF con dances as, say, “Time Warp.” Finally, the Arrogant Worms provide a satisfying Canadian-themed conclusion with (20) Mounted Animal Nature Trail, concerning the world’s lowest-maintenance zoo, and (21) Canada’s Really Big, “our national anthem… that we wrote.” ABOUT THE COVER: The Ambassador Bridge connects Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario. This picture was digitized from my videocamera footage of a trip to Montréal in June 1997, slightly retouched digitally for clarity.