Ingenue

I had this on tape in 1992. I bought it because "Constant Craving" was such a captivatingly cool song that I wanted more... and was sorely disappointed by the album. I can say that generally, the laidback chic of Ingenue is no place for a 17-year-old. But even now, I don't feel like I'm really in the hipster wine mom demographic that would get the most out of this. But just imagine having a relaxing evening in your renovated villa, pulling up a kitchen stool, pouring a glass of pinot gris and enjoying the heck out of this classy album. Still, "Constant Craving" is a tune.

I should start by saying that this kind of low key adult contemporary music with the occasional country twang is absolutely not my thing. Not that I hate it. It just would never occur to me to listen to it. But I'll do my best. The first thing to note is that k.d. lang is an excellent singer. She has a warm timbre, tremendous vocal control, perfect pitch, and uses vibrato effectively (faithful readers will know this is one of my bugbears). The second thing is that the arrangements by lang, Ben Mink and Greg Penny are extraordinarily detailed, subtle, and sonically pleasant. That leaves the songs themselves. Perhaps Ingenue is the sort of album that requires several listens for the songs to sink in. While pleasant enough to listen to, nothing much seems to stick in my reptilian brain. That is evidently not what lang was going for, but still, if you're going to do what is essentially an album of pop songs, shouldn't there be some monster hooks, either instrumental, melodic or both? Maybe it's not fair, but that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

I once got into Prince to seduce a girl (who grew up to be a lesbian) and it was pointed out to me that maybe K D Lang would have been a better choice. Having listened to this album for a second time (once in the 90’s and once just now), I can conclude that, even if I’d been successful in my seduction, I would have felt utterly filthy in using such a piece of schmaltzy tatt for my own personal gain. I feel much happier as a lonely Prince fan than I would a K D Lang aficionado with a harem of loose moraled females.

p688. 1992. 3 stars Middle of the road songs offset by terrific voice and production. There simply aren't enough standout songs - after a while they tend to just blur in to each other. Not sure it is essential listening.

I love this album. It was among the first batch of cds I ever bought (thank you Columbia House!) and have probably played it over 1000 times and I look forward to hearing it at least 1000 more. k.d. lang has an incredible vocal instrument. First arriving on the scene as a "new" Patsy Cline, she rose to prominence in country circles (despite hailing from Canada). With this album, she (mostly) left her torch and twang behind to prove herself a force in the adult contemporary market. And with the hit "Constant Craving", she did just that and found, in this listener, a lifelong fan. Vocally, her tone is so pure. She bends notes to her will, coaxing emotion out of words and phrases with seeming ease. When she sings of pain, it is palpable. When she sings of joy, it is infectious. When she sings of longing, it is intense. This particular collection of songs shows a range that some of her other albums don't. (I own them all, but this is the one I come back to most.) From the bouncy, coquettish Ms. Chatelaine (a cheeky flip-side to her normally butch persona) to the spare, haunting Tears of Love's Recall, she runs the gamut of a true chanteuse's repertoire. k.d. lang is a true musical artist. 5 stars for me; no hesitation.

Constant Craving is a smoothie, the rest beige'd me out and I failed to reach the end of a second playthrough.

I never really listened to kd Lang and wow I thought this was great. Beautiful voice. Stylistically felt ahead of its time. I’ll have to see how my rating holds up with time but today this did it for me

More '90s background music! Never actively listened to this despite it all being extremely familiar 30 years later. Interchangeable with Annie Lennox's Diva for the same reason; depends on which department store you happened to be in at the time. Constant Craving isn't bad, Miss Chatelaine quite irritating, rest averages a solid *meh*

This album made very pleasant background listening as I was making dinner last night. It never insisted too too much on being more than background music, but there was enough to twist my ear that I figured - sure, maybe I could see what it’s going for.

A go big or go home effort that's swelling - nay, engorged - with wistful orchestration. Occasionally the melodies are strong enough to carry that weight. The Mind of Love sounds timeless before its 3:48 are up, swooning like a Joan Fontaine character, Miss Chatelaine goes full throwback with its accordion, and the muscular Spanish-guitar-I-think on Still Thrives This Love (silly title) brilliantly complements Lang's voice, which always holds up. But too often the writing, melodies or both don't, and collapse under the weight of their decoration. A shame, because there's so much promise here.

Damn now I wish Spotify had that unplugged version uploaded.

Damn, what a voice. And k.d. lang knows how to use it to beautiful effect. She's got an impressive range, but doesn't spend any unnecessary time finding reasons to impress with vocal acrobatics. She hits notes with authority, with a shimmer of grief even, when it's the right emotional pitch for the moment, and she sings sweetly and quietly when it's right. She sticks to her sweet spot most of the time, and there's a lot of it. She's a singular singing talent, to be sure. The production is just as spot-on as her performances. Great harmonies, expert instrumentation — not a sour note on the entire album. The only reason this isn't an easy 5-star is that the songs do blend together. There's not much of a change of gear from start to end. That's intentional, certainly, but that's the one key that holds me back from a "perfect" score. It's an 8.5-9 on a 10-point scale in my book. One weird point, how did "Constant Craving" get chosen to close the album? Seems like it should have been placed way earlier in the mix. Easy to say after the fact, but it's so clearly the most accessible track on the record.

this is exciting to me because this is the year I graduated from high school, she looked so different and cool and I knew her from country music <> this second song reminds me of Anne Murray (if you don't know her, "Could I have this dance" was a fave in middle school); i just LOVE crooners and especially as an adult hearing her sing love songs to a woman is so inspiring - she was doing that in the 80s and 90s when that just wasn't done but she made it seem so commonplace - BRAVO, KD!; I also liked her name a lot because it sounds like Katy but is just initials :) <> Miss Chatelaine has a resort music style that reminds me of Barry Manilow's Copacabana which I like <> Outside Myself sounds like it should have been in a James Bond movie <> I also really like the music that Spotify chose based on this album :)

I know she's a pretty iconic name among singer/songwriters, but I've never really managed to get into her style or music aside from the occasional single. So this wasn't quite the magical experience (or memory) for me that I think it is for others. It all seems so earnest and serious, but little joy or really much emotion at all; it kind of feels like a more modern version of the kind of tunes you'd hear in an old-fashioned Italian restaurant. (I'm not sure how or why she felt compelled to call this album a "postnuclear cabaret", a phrase that promises so much more than what she's delivered.) Since this album has her most well-known songs ("Constant Craving" and "Miss Chatelaine"), I'd kind of hoped that this would be the sole k.d. lang album in this collection. Sadly, no. But I *am* glad to find out that she did most of the soundtrack to the quirky movie "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues", as I enjoyed the movie and music. That doesn't really boost her rating here, though.

It's unlikely I'm gonna rate these sort of albums any higher than a 3. They're cool, they're calming, she's got a great voice, just not my style. Gets a bit boring after a few

I remember listening to some k.d. lang songs back in the 90s; liked her then, like her now, although it's been a long time since I've listened to her music. What a voice, and a really good writer, but it can get a little too -- not sure what the phrase is, maybe "Big Band ballad style" -- for me. 'Constant Craving' is great.

Grand. Same song over and over. Good song though.

I'm new to lang's discography, but as far as I can tell the arc within this album is a recursive version of the album's place in it. We move away from country instrumentation, while the sound palette and the voice remain lush. I can't help but think it would be a better album if it was more explicitly country. At the same time, the first couple tracks are where I felt most strongly that I was listening to standard adult contemporary. Perhaps that's still true, but only mostly.

The first song could have been the song for a spongebob episode about his funeral

Ugh, I'm only 70 albums in and I have to listen to ANOTHER k.d. lang album?! I didn't even want to listen the first one! There's nothing on this album that I needed to hear and I didn't make it through a single song before feeling compelled to fast forward to the next. There's very little here that would distinguish one song from another anyway so it didn't really matter. Hard pass.

Wikipedia describes this as a "cabaret" style of pop music, apparently a departure from kd lang's more country-tinged style. Well, that sucks. Cabaret pop was surely designed to bore me to death. I think the infamous Scott Walker album that I hated could be put in that category too. kd seems to have a great voice, obviously talented, but this kind of music is a snoozefest for me. No thank you. Favorite tracks: Still Thrives This Love. Album art: A strange painted portrait/silhouette thing. No problem with it, but even though it's pretty generic, it suggests better music than the album contains. 1.5/5

This is a no skip masterpiece

k.d. Lang's best album. Classic!

Pre-listening thoughts: I KNEW constant craving was a lesbian anthem. I could smell it. But also every time I hear that song I think of glee cause they bodied that cover Post/during listening thoughts: kd lang has such a lovely singing tone. I reallyyyy hate to give two fives in a row (I’m literally love maxing and enjoyment pilled) but the harmonies! The instrumentation! The lyricism! It’s all there and it’s gorgeous. This style of music is so sitting in a hammock on a summer day but also laying on your cold bathroom tile contemplating where you went wrong. What a classic I mean lesbians really do it best! 9/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: I did! Fav tracks: man another no skip album. Banger after banger Least fav tracks:

This was beautiful. Favorite track: Still Thrives This Love

Loved this! Was not expecting an album like this at all. Queer country? Sign me up!

Nice music, relaxing, good songs

Classic

def the biggest surprise for me so far, i really did not expect to like this based on the genres, but i found it to be quite beautiful and strangely similar to a lot of the more dreamy music i tend to listen to on occasion.

KD Lang is a special treasure. This album is proof of that.

Yes thank you but gross

really really good, her voice is so beautiful and the songs are so delicate. I don’t know how often I’ll really be listening to it but it was really good

I bought this with ignorance. I listed with open ears & expectations. Decades later, I'm still haunted, still quietly taken aback by this. Never mind her earlier debut this site gave, this is the album I am both haunted and graced by still. Superb. 5 stars.

Really good album and artist that I've never heard of before.

fuck with it heavy

Love Lang’s voice

Have always loved this album

nice

I am biased towards lesbians so I thoroughly enjoyed this

A versatile and somehow calming listening about the evergoing topic of love.

Cool, sehr cool

Really like it. Pretty chill

Voice of an angel. So rich sounding and special.

k.d. lang is one of my all time favourite artists so this album is a favourite too. I remember learning something important from it... listening to it when it first came out, I sometimes felt myself wishing k.d. would really let loose and sing the way she can but I realized that she was (I think!) treating her voice like an instrument among the group. It made me appreciate the idea that even though you can blow the roof off with your singing, and people love that!, not doing so can be the right approach for the musicality and emotion of the songs. And helped me appreciate a whole range of other singers when I encountered them later on. Anyway it's gorgeous and emotional from beginning to end.

I LOVE this album! I love the use of the instruments as well as Lang's vocals, and every song is SO amazing! One of my favourite albums out of the so far 44 generated!

Loved this one, was listening to it on the bus form Birmingham airport to the city centre. I foolishly got on the bus instead of taking the train which cost me about half an hour extra of travel time. The production is really nice and her voice is lovely. Giving a 5 cos i'm deffo gonna listen to it again

Absolutely spectacular.

i think this was one of the first women albums we’ve heard?? also one of the saddest, but i loved it

She puts so much feeling into such subtle songs. She probably wouldn't pass the auditions for one of those TV talent shows and their need for histrionic caterwauling. Yet she also avoids the boredom that other laidback singers (e.g. Lucinda Williams) tend to inflict. It's all down to that voice and the brilliant performance of her band.

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: The mind of love, Miss Chatelaine, Still thrives this love, Season of hollow soul, Outside myself, Constant Craving

Her voice should bee on the Land o Lakes label. So beautiful.

I didn't know much about my dad as a person but I knew he was a k.d. Lang fan and he loved Santana. He hated Wayne Newton and the songs 'Born in the USA' by Bruce Springsteen and 'Captain Anarchy' by Anti-Flag. This is a beautiful album and it gave me little glimmers of nostalgia.

I almost had whiplash going from Red Snapper to this album, but wow this was a treat. Never heard of k.d. lang before. But this was really pleasant to listen to. Gentle music and I love her voice. Miss Chatalaine made was great, as was Constant Craving and Save Me.

Just a kiss

I had never listened to this album, but was aquatinted with a couple of the songs though. Lang’s voice is simply magnificent, a total treat to hear the perfect and respectfully restrained use of such an incredible instrument. No modern-day over singing and false emotion. Just absolutely miraculous to sit back and enjoy such a supreme talent.

I’d never listened to k.d. lang, so I had no clue what to expect. It’s really easy to listen to, with a nice blend of styles!

Love K.D. Lang

Wow. A lot better than I thought it would be. Every song is solid. Favorites: Save Me, Miss Chatelaine, Wash Me Clean, Still Thrives This Love, and (of course) Constant Craving

That voice. This is a remarkable record that covers so much musical territory. It feels like the perfect nightclub set. And, that voice. A classic.

So different at the time. So alternative it was our mainstream. Stunning. Gripping emotional languid emotional almost purple and atmospheric - a sound that lasted a decade until we probably heard it too much. Soft samba country blue no genre ... It's so VERY different to occasionally turgid garage boy albums on this list. Yes this is much needed colour, warmth, sensuality and a female swooning voice. Take me to your place and play this.

I had only heard a couple of songs off this album, but the whole thing is gold.

would be six stars if I could.

оо о очень приятьненько :)

She’s the best

I don’t think I’m capabale of thinking about this album critically. She had been a country artist before this album. She was quirky and strange, her songs full of humor. In the three years between Absolute Truth and Twang, she came out as a lesbian and to further alienate herself from a still very conservative musical genre - she became an outspoken animal rights activist. With this album she transitioned to an adult contemporary artist. She was suddenly doing music that more closely resembled what you would hear in nightclub and more likely some seedy French place. The production and vocals immaculate. The album itself is very much about unrequited love and is an emotionally complex work from an artist who not only reinvented herself but stepped out with new confidence and a bit of a cavalier devil may care attitude not accepting compromise with her audience. It is an artist saying this is who I am and my desires and if you don’t like it, I don’t really care.

Suprème

10/10 god damn! the earlier stuff I’ve heard of k.d. lang I didn’t really like, but this is something special southern country really isn’t my thing, but this feels like something so much better I don’t know how to explain it it’s just such a beautiful album

God I love her voice Listening to this reminds me of listening to Jeff Buckley’s Grace for the first time. There isn’t much higher praise I can give an album

4.5 stars

This is where k.d. lang found their voice and their style. A very accomplished album with beautiful tracks and emotional depth. This has definitely earned its place on this list. It was an album. I loved back in 1992 and I still love it today. I think it ends with exactly the right track because it just leaves you wanting to play it more and more.

Lovely.

Love love love

THIS is the kd lang album that 100% belongs on the list. An album with iconic bookend songs and such beauty in between. kd's voice is so strong, healthy, and lovely. She is no ingénue here. This album reflects real work and dedication to her craft. Interesting that this album was recorded in Vancouver. Something about the cool, high-style of the songs is reminiscent of that shiny Vancouver vibe. Ending with Constant Craving is brilliant. I love every breath on this album.

I really like this album a lot

This was gorgeous and lush.

What a delight! Swoon!

Lush, beautiful, and (and I don't use this term lightly) romantic. Excellent songs and a gorgeous voice. A-plus!

Ingénue indeed!!! I loved this album in the 90s and still do. It’s filled with lush emotional torch songs, incredible vocals, interesting arrangements and ends with one of the greatest hits from my days as an announcer on adult contemporary radio. I am still having a love affair with this album!

Highlights are The Mind of Love, Miss Chatelaine, So It Shall Be, Constant Craving. I don't know why I never thought to look up more of her music. It's beautiful, and I love it.

A masterpiece. Just perfect.

I enjoyed it.

hmm. am i going to like this? nice voice. i thiiiink its a woman. yeah it is. this first song is nice but im afraid i might get bored quick. lets see. i love the vibe provided by whatever instrument it is playing at 2:32. her voice reminds me of someone but i cant place it. aw this sounds so nice but im bored :( why am i like this lol. okay i take that back i got into it after a bit and my mood now matches this album lol. miss chatelaine: this song is making me so happy i want to cry lol. wash me clean: her voice sounds so full (?) and comforting :( i teared up. lmao. "shadows now curtain the moon, but faith swears it will shine again soon." idk why i got so into this. typically i wouldnt like this type of music i think. im done and i feel so exposed lol. i feel like i just finished up a long crying session xd anyways uhm i only processed about 1% of this album and i need to listen to it 99 more times to get better acquainted with it. starting my first replay as i finish writing this. saying that i love this album is putting it lightly :)) <3

A lot of the songs on this album sound familiar even though I’m sure that I’ve never heard them before. They’re just really good songs and I get good vibes from them. I love the instrumentation especially the clarinet on Still Thrives This Love. The accordion is also interesting and I like it. Honestly almost everything about this album is great. Not quite great enough to be a 10 because it’s not that mind blowing but it’s still a really solid album. Season of Hollow Soul reminds me of ABBA for some reason but overall this album does sound like it’s from the 90s but aged will. Favorite songs: Save Me, The Mind of Love, Miss Chatelaine, Wash Me Clean, Still Thrives This Love, Season of Hollow Soul, Outside Myself, Constant Craving Decent 9/10

Tego mi wlasnie bylo trzeba po bestiowych bojsach, album calkowicie nieznany, z krainy losi i syropu klonowego, artysty o dosc ciekawym pseudonimie artystycznym, ale najwazniejsze zmiania tonu w porownaniu do poprzedniej pozycji, bo k.d. lang to wokalistka ktora tworzy muzyke popularna o tak zwanym ambitniejszym brzmieniu, z okladki bym nawet nie powiedzial, ze jest to wokalistka, bo postac na niej wyglada dosc hermafrodytycznie, pajecze zmysly sie sprawdzialy i wikipedia potwierdzila przypuszczenia, ze dykowym to bedzie album, po uslyszeniu wokalnych umiejetnosci pani Kathryn uderzylo mnie to zderzenie przeciwienstw, jesli chodzi o wyglad, a barwe glosu, a dlaczego az tak bardzo bo dodatkowo teksty sa pisane bardzo chlopsko, wiec polaczyla tutaj wszystko co najlepsze z dwoch swiatow, jesli teksty rzeczywiscie byly jej autorstwa, lecz prawdopodobnie byly, bo kawalki zawieraja multum autobiograficznych watkow, opowiadanych na 10 trakach, dajacych 40 minut mateiralu, spotifajowa wersja albumu, to deluxor na 25 lecie gdzie pojawia sie takze wersja plyty z mtv unplugowanego, ale niestety lokalizacja obecna nie zezwala na jego odtworzenie, jak juz wspominalem o tym ze pani glownie wokaluje, to niespodziewalem sie niczego wiecej, a wikipediowy pejdz bombarduje instrumentalami ktorymi tutaj podobno czaruje, bo mamy tu electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, tamboura, tambourine, percussion, Tma, wiec lista dluga i szeroka, na uwage zasluguje takze osoba odpowiedzialna za produkcje tego albumu, bo jest to solidny mix do ktorego ciezko sie przyczepic jesli chodzi o aspekty techniczne, a takim produkcyjnym duchem jest tutaj ben mink, brzmi chinsko, ale jednak kanadyjczyk, ktory takze sporo instrumentalnego wkladu w plyte mial, nawet beatboxowe sekcje robil, wiec czlowiek renesansu, dodatkowych 10 muzykow studyjnych nawet nie bede wymienial, bo album jest naprawde bogaty w brzmienie, ale jednak nie jest ono przytlaczajace i nie zacmiewa historii opowiadanej wokalnie, na plejaka leca traki 3, 4, 7, 10, dziwne nanowe viby daje ta plyta, ale tak mam chyba zawsze z mocnymi piosenkarkami, ale taki outside myself to cos co mogloby byc themem nanowym jak nic innego, zacna plyta i dobry blind pick

God I love sad lesbian music

"Ingénue" is the second studio solo album by Canadian singer k.d. lang. Pop, country, folk and jazz are the Wiki-listed genres and they all fit. This album has a more cabaret tone than her more country earlier work. The album was produced by Greg Penny, Ben Mink and lang. Mink and lang were the writing partners for most of the songs. It was her most successful album on the pop charts reaching #3 in the UK and #18 in the US. "Save Me" opens the album. A giddy-up drum beat, slide guitar, piano and a xylophone (not the last time) . lang's vocals and the harmonies are subtle. Sort of a dreamy country fusion. "The Mind of Love" moves things in a more pop direction. Acoustic guitar and bossa nova beat. lang is talking to herself; why does she fight and hurt herself. The second single "Miss Chatelaine" was a homage to Lawrence Welk. My grandfather made me watch Lawrence Welk; I think I'd like it much more now. Anyway, this song tosses in an acoustic guitar, strings, a Latin beat and an accordion. And it works. One of the best songs on the album is "So It Shall Be." A song that builds. Isolated vocals, nice harmonies. Oh, yeah that xylophone again. She's longing for a person. The album ends with lang's big one "Constant Craving." lang's vocals, the backing vocals and harmonies soar. Strings, acoustic guitar, accordion and a xylophone interlude. Yearning, longing is an inevitable part of life. This album has a bigger sound than her debut. There's pop, baroque, cabaret, ballads and jazz. Creative uses of instruments. I also sensed Spanish, Latin and Middle Eastern influences. A high level of production specifically on the harmonies and backing vocals. But, of course, the focal point of the album is lang's vocals - emotional and adaptable to any style. This is a very good album and worth a listen beyond "Constant Craving."

Lovely voice and nice melodies.

Really calming and comforting music, makes you feel good and light. Like a big hug or a big blanket. No big emotions. I think we all desperately need it. Also reminded me of Julie London.

Solid. I was kind of expecting a country album, but there are only tinges of it here. There's just as much baroque pop here, and it sounds great. Honestly, I don't find the lyrics to be particularly compelling, and I do feel that a lot of the songs blend into each other. But it's a good vibe. Fav tracks: Save Me, Season of Hollow Soul, Outside Myself, Constant Craving

I feel sometimes I forget that one of the more exciting aspects of doing this project is finding music that I never would have found on my own. I don’t know how obscure k.d. lang is in the musical landscape, but she wasn’t ever really on my radar. The genres for this album alone are all over the place. Pop, country, folk, jazz and apparently new wave? What is this shit, I asked prior to jumping in. I wasn’t expecting much at all. But this album blindsided me. This album is smooth, mostly thanks to k.d.’s outstanding vocals and the stellar production. I understand that most will find this kind of stuff boring or background material and I respect that opinion. I might even say that some of the middle tracks did kind of drag a bit, hence why this won’t be part of my 5-star gang. But in my opinion, it’s a lot better than what I was expecting. Favorite track: Constant Craving Other hits: Save Me, Season of Hollow Soul, Miss Chatelaine, Outside Myself

i prefer her more country stuff but Constant Craving is an absolute banger

Very nice and smooth

The album really started to stick with me more and more as it went on. Then, of course, the "hit" at the end seals it. I have not been a big fan of k.d. lang, but this album really plays to her strengths. Ben Mink was a great collaborator for her here. I guess I always thought of her more in the country vein, which I do not know why. This is obviously firmly planted in the 90s pop genre. She really brought some interesting ideas here. Top tracks: "Constant Craving," "Outside Myself," "Save Me"

What a lovely voice. My favourite song was Miss Chatelaine.

Really enjoyable actually. There was a kind of clarity to this album, each song really setting its mood

i actually also really liked this one a lot and had a lot of tracks on here that may work there way into some playlists, hidden gem for me i would’ve never listened to this on my own so it’s cool i did here

have you ever heard a song and it ever reminded you of the beach that's what this album reminds me of I think its good and in the beginning it kinda has like a calm day at the beach and it also kinda reminds me of SpongeBob because of the beachy sound in the album i think the lyrics are okay but I don't really like rham I I more like how the instruments are and the beachy sound I think this album is good because of the beachy sound in the beginning I would recommend listening to this album.

k.d. lang is a treasure

Really enjoyed this. Her voice is lovely and the music was great. All in all, a really strong album

Beautiful voice. 4