In theory, the 2004 album by KD Lang Hymns of the 49th Parallel disappointed me somewhat. Yet I can't stop listening to it. You might say that she made merely a very good album when I was hoping for a major classic. Her Absolute Torch and Twang might have been the best country album of the 80s, so maybe I've just got the bar set too high.
The premise of this album is that she's covering songs from other Canadians. Specifically, that would be two songs apiece from Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and Jane Siberry. Add one each from Ron Sexsmith, Bruce Cockburn, and one original.
Basically, she's a jazz singer now. None of these people are particularly jazz (give or take Joni Mitchell), but that somehow is the vibe. She's got a jazz chanteuse thing going on, and she certainly does it very well. She's at the top of her game as a vocal performer, gently and quietly adding meaning to songs without being showy or munching any scenery. Actually, she's tending here to be a little too gentle for my tastes. Picking up the tempo a bit would probably have made this a little better.
But that's a fairly minor point. She's one of the top female singers living, and I've not heard a better version of any of these songs. The careful restraint of the largely acoustic arrangements perfectly frames expert vocal performances. Just enough instruments to properly frame the song, but not a bit too much.
"Bird on a Wire" definitely rates as the top pick of this litter. She's got this cool little throbbing bass line mixed with single notes of organ, basic acoustic guitar chords and just a dash of piano that all combines to make the most distinctive arrangement on the album. It's also the best song of the batch. Then she adds some little bit of fairy dust of darkness in her performance, something subtle. She ends up with a recording that is different from but equal to the famous Johnny Cash American recording. Indeed, this might even be slightly better than the Johnny Cash version, if that's possible.
Article comments
1 - todd
If she wants to cover Canadians, why not at least make it interesting and do some Triumph or April Wine or Rush.
That would be worth hearin'!
2 - godoggo
Or Joey Shithead!
3 - VC
so, Neil Young ain't a great singer??
How do you explain a 40 year career and he's still making vital albums?
No One in rock today can compare with this multi-talented legend.
You know Absolutely Nothing about
rock music or writing reviews for that matter, maybe she chose songs she liked, not mainstream stuff. You better listen closer to After the Goldrush maybe you'll learn something..
4 - Al Barger
VC, I'm trying to get your point if, you were capable of, writing, a coherent English sentence- which you obviously know Absolutely Nothing about, see that I'm trying to talk down to you in your own silly hostile way, but if you weren't such a Doodie Head you might get the basic point of being polite?? which I think most critics would agree on - not that this would make any difference to me, but Neil Young was never, ever a good vocal performer ie singer, and a lifetime of hard living ie dope hasn't improved his vocals though he
was a great songwriter at one time, though it's silly to claim that he's still making "vital" albums, as it's been a really LONG time since Harvest and a long time since he wrote a memorable tune.
5 - Emily
I loved this album - all of it. Interesting review.
6 - Al Barger
Thank you, Miss Emily. Again, if I seem a little tough, it's because I'm considering KD as a top ranked artist to be rated thus by the strictest standards. This is definitely an outstanding album.
7 - vc
hey- alvin you ignorant cyber-geek:
1- you don't know good music if it bit you in the ass
2-you sound like a frustrated wimp who sits behind a computer screen all day
3- Neil young Has made some great music in the past 10 years- the 70's are over- move on
4-Believe me son, you don't want to see me hostile
8 - Al Barger
Yes VC, you make a powerful argument for the latter day music of Neil Young, and a shining example of the thoughtfulness of people who like those records. Thanks for your illuminating insight.
9 - Amir
You are absolutely right! It's an outstanding album.