Sidney York is a Canadian duo consisting of opera singer Brandi Sidoryk and bassoonist Krista Wodelet. <3s, the twosome’s follow-up to 2011’s Apocalyptic Radio Cynic, is out January 14. We recently asked the ladies to make MAGNET a mix tape, and they sent us this, which they dubbed Neighbourly Northerners: An All-Canadian Mix Tape, With Love From Sidney York.
Hawksley Workman “Your Beauty Must Be Rubbing Off”
Brandi: There is no Hawksley Workman record that I don’t own—and that is quite the feat, because this man has released a lot of records. His body of work is incredible; one great record after another. Of all the artists on this mixtape, Hawksley has had the most influence on me. His stunning contrast of light melody and style with dark content is something that we employ in our own songwriting for Sidney York. Plus, there is never a time, when listening to this song in the tour van, that Krista and I don’t triumphantly shout out our favourite line: “Cacophony. Cacophony.” Video
The Weakerthans “Our Retired Explorer”
Krista: If Hawksley Workman is Brandi’s not-so-secret Canadian music crush, the Weakerthans is mine. I’m not generally a history buff, but this song was actually the impetus for three-month-long obsession I held with Sir Ernest Shackleton and Antarctic exploration, which I’m pretty sure is a thing no other pop song has done to anybody, ever. It doesn’t hurt that the video is also utterly charming. Oh, Antarctica! Video
Snowblink “Inner Mini-Mississippi”
Brandi: Former Californians turned Canadians. I saw them at the Winnipeg Folk Festival a few years ago, and they blew my mind. That girl can sing. Video
Coeur De Pirate “Comme Des Enfants”
Krista: No Canadian mix tape is complete without at least one song in our other official language, and Béatrice Martin’s adorably vulnerable voice gets me every time. I’m so grateful my parents made me do most of my schooling in French, if only so I can confidently sing along to Coeur De Pirate. Video
Odds “Wendy Under The Stars”
Brandi: Their album Neapolitan was the soundtrack of my teenage years. I must have listened to that album thousands of times—whether I was lying in bed crying over the boy I had a mad crush on, or cruising around in my not-so-cool-yet-tremendously versatile white minivan. Fast forward to when I was recording the first Sidney York album: Doug Eliot and Pat Steward of the Odds, who were friends of my producer, played on the record. I was in heaven. Further, they wrote and performed the theme song for my favourite Canadian television sitcom Corner Gas, and had a cameo appearance on the show. Seriously, these guys could not be any cooler in my eyes. Video
Bran Van 3000 “Drinking In L.A.”
Krista: Well, as long as we’re taking a little trip down memory lane … The year was 1998. The album: MuchMusic’s Big Shiny Tunes 2. I practically wore out the “back” button on my Discman from playing this song over and over as I walked to and from the bus stop on my way to school. Now imagine how much I freaked out on behalf of 13-year-old me when we posted an (appropriately) wine-fueled cover of this tune on the internet while in L.A. not too long ago, and actually got an email from James Di Salvio, founding member of Bran Van 3000. It was seven words long (including his name) and had the word “amazing” in it. In terms of an overall words-to-happiness ratio, it was the best email of my life. Video
Basia Bulat “In The Night”
Brandi: This song is off of the first record I bought after getting back to Canada from my classical music masters degree overseas—let’s call it my official indoctrination into indie music after years of classical and operatic study. It was this Basia Bulat lo-fi record that made me want to be a part of Canadian indie music. Video
Owen Pallett “Lewis Takes Off His Shirt”
Krista: While Brandi’s busy disguising her operatic past, I live a secret double life as an orchestral bassoon player. Violinist/pianist/musical genius Owen Pallett definitely appeals to the classical nerd part of my brain. When I drag my weirdo instrument into Sidney York songs, I spend a lot of time and effort trying to make it sound like anything but a bassoon. So I have a lot of admiration for anyone who can transplant this kind of lush, traditional orchestral texture so seamlessly and unapologetically into a pop song. And a darn good pop song, at that. Video
The Belle Game “Wait Up For You”
Krista: A couple of years ago, we were part of a project called Tracks On Tracks, which is best described as a cross-country musical adventure aboard a ViaRail train. There were 10 bands aboard the train—sort of a rebooted Festival Express kind of deal, but with Canadian indie bands—and the Belle Game were one of the other bands involved. Not only are they a fun group of people to spend five days aboard a train with, but their music just makes me happy. There’s no better soundtrack for zooming through the Canadian wilderness … or really any situation where you want to feel like you’re doing something totally epic. Video
Alanis Morissette “You Learn”
Brandi: There is no Canadian who was a teenager in the ’90s who can say, be it begrudgingly or proudly, that they didn’t love this record. I grew up in a small country-music-loving town in Alberta, and this was the first pop album I ever owned. Alanis was such an important installation in Canadian music and beyond. Every song on this album rocks, but I chose this song for the mix tape because it’s my choice of tune at the karaoke bar.
Krista: Plus, it is Canadian law that every mix tape must end with Alanis, so here we are. Video
