Shadowland

Rating: 6/10 Pretty decent overall, a few boring songs but most of it was pretty enjoyable.

3.5

It wasn't necessarily bad but I didn't connect with it. There wasn't anything on this that I would save and come back to. 4/10

This one's alright. Apparently k.d. lang has two albums on here, which seems a bit high, but I think one can stay. This list is pretty low on the representation of women and even lower on that of lesbians, so I can't be too eager to remove an album like this. Apparently Shadowland is the weaker of the two. If so, then that means I'll like Ingénue to some degree seeing as I think Shadowland is good. It's not really for me. This style of country isn't usually my thing barring a few exceptions, but this album has good elements. The singing is one of them. I do enjoy hearing k.d. lang's voice on these songs. She's a good singer that does these songs well. The song choices make sense. These are pretty standard country pop affairs, which is fine. This album doesn't need to be mindblowing or anything. It'd be cool if it was, but that's not necessary. I don't see myself going back to this much, but I certainly can't call this bad. 3/5.

pre: country rock, lets see how this goes; also found out she is gay yay Western stars - cheesy and just not my thing 2/5 (least fav) Lock, Stock and Teardrops - still not a fan of the background music but i like the overall Sound a little better 2,3/5 Sugar Moon - okay i think this will all be very very country; kinda sweet though 3/5 I Wish I Didn't Love You So - like the Drama 2,7/5 Waltz Me … - expected a waltz and got a 4/4 beat; like the energy 2,5/5 Black Coffee - how does every song start with the same notes; chill 3,5/5 (fav) Shadowland - 3/5 Dont let the stars get in your eyes - changed it up a bit, but also the same 2,5/5 Tears dont care who cries them - dont like the Drama 2/5 Im down to my last cigarette - 2,3/5 Busy being blue - like the title 3/5 (2nd fav) Honky Tonk Angels Medley: In the Evening - harmonies are actually cool; "lock him up at home" period 2,5/5 (Coherence - it was all country 5/5) overall Impression - 2/5 -----> 2,4/5

Not my kinda thing.

Great voice. Great slide guitar. Great antidote to the Korn album I had to listen to the day before.

Decent old country, mad respect to Queen KD 👍

I had no idea who k.d. lang was. Then when I turned the album on, the most beatiful woman's voice you can imagine hit me. Quite a few excellent songs there, could easily be Bond movie theme songs. I really enjoyed listening to this album.

Boring

Americans wouldn't know good music if it slapped them in the face.

Best Song: Black Coffee There are no words that can describe how much I disliked this. Maybe I would give it another listen if paid, otherwise - never again. 1/5.

Man I wanna go to hawaii. Nothing very interesting to me on this one, low 3

Always thought of KD Lang as country but she’s really not, despite the country western music influence which is noticeable. I couldn’t help but think of the classic crooners like Frank Sinatra when listening to this one. Her vocals are fantastic. Don’t love this kind of music, but it’s a quality record for sure.

Great western swing album

Too slow for my likely.

Enjoyable mellow country but not much to elevate it beyond that.

k.d. lang will always be one of my heroes. I know how much this album must have meant for her to make. Her voice absolutely shines here, torchy and loungey perfection from one of the greatest voices of all time. But if the Lavender Police come knocking… I’ll confess: it’s not my favourite of hers.

not the kd I would reach for

Was not in the mood for this at all.

A real nice listen. A slow style of country that harkens to the traditional melodies with a bit of an update.

Remember Adult Contemporary?

Classic 80’s country sounds mixed with Texas swing and light jazzy country. Makes me think of Lyle Lovett and Patsy Cline at times. This is a solid album, not necessarily a showstopper, but clearly displays k.d. lang’s talent. Notable tracks include Western Star, Lock, Stock and Teardrops, I Wish I Didn’t Love You So. All the songs are listenable and well performed.

6/10 Favourite: Tears Don't Care Who Cries Them Least Favourite: (Waltz Me) Once Again Around the Dance Floor

I found this to be horrendous. At times I thought I was listening to sappy Christmas music.

Only knowing k.d. lang from the 90s and Constant Craving, I didn’t know she did country. I guess it’s probably good country? I did like Black Coffee and Busy Being Blue though

Pretty good - oddly romantic country album. Not something I’d ever really go back too..

Meh.

Some really pretty gems in here, I’m left wondering if maybe there’s some other under-the-radar country records that could’ve taken its place because it sort of feels like it

Different voice. Unique. Some good songs.

I like her voice. My favourite song was Don't Let the Stars Get in your Eyes.

Wow, this was dope! Somehow I had never heard k.d. lang and I wasn't expecting country music, but really did enjoy this.

On paper this project is a superb concept but the reality is that for every OK Computer or Dark Side Of The Moon you get served up 50 albums like this. Inoffensive but pure background music. There is a time and place for that I guess but it certainly isnt on a list of things I need to hear before I die

I might be biased because I don’t like country music, but I did not like this album. It was very boring to listen to. I felt like I was about to fall asleep, not in a good way. I felt like I had been too nice with my critiques. So, I am going to make this my first one-star album.

meh

I don’t like country, and the background string arrangements in this albums don’t help at all. It is still way to quiet and monotonous for me. This albums was inoffensive but still boring.

Nice country album, k.d. has a most excellent voice, a good listen (and yes, I did dock a point for the lower-case name; it was originally 3.5 but I rounded it up to 4 before knocking off a star)

This was actually pleasant, in small doses.

She’s got the voice, she’s got the band. I’ve got the boots, I’ve got the hat. But I can’t get all the way there.

meh.

Her voice is fine but it is completely wasted on this subpar effort. Way too twangy for my tastes and the combination of twang and torch song does not mesh well. Add to the fact that these are all covers sinks this to the bottom.

No one could sing these songs better, but I just don't like most of these songs. 3 stars or C.

An okay album. I listened to it all the way through, probably for the first time. Has some nice songs on it, but it's not really something I'm going to come back to.

Her voice is amazing, but the songs sound like they are from the 1950s. Some songs were good, but others had me really bored. I am leaning toward liking it more than not liking it.

Sad cowboy music. I feel like it's very good when considering that type of music. Would have loved this when I was severely depressed. That's what I'm going to rate this off of, but I am way more excited to listen to something happier now that this is done, and I won't be coming back to this (hopefully).

Sounds like music from a Tarantino movie.

Constant Craving is a banger, so I had high hopes for this. But country music has to be stellar AF to even stand a chance of penetrating my hard prejudices against it. It's not bad my any means either, but not really my vibe.

Dreadful

irritating

Constantly dancing back and forth between good and cheesy, the balance is a bit off here but when it is good it is pretty and fun.

A really cool blend of country with some light funk vibes. A very fun album

Some of the songs on this album have a real old Austin sound, but that still couldn’t raise it to a four star album for me

A short and sweet collection of nice country songs. But I’d rather just listen to the OGs Loretta or Tammy or Patsy etc. to be honest, I’m not sure this adds anything much to the genre although her voice is lovely.

I had only ever heard of k.d. lang in the context of being a gay icon, so a soulful country album was not what I was expecting! Unfortunately not my vibe, but she has a beautiful voice. 3.5 stars.

Its reshaped my understanding of how respected she was by other singers and country artists so early in her career. I kind of think of KD as a chameleon who indulges in so many different styles, but she's a country girl who reinvents herself. I enjoyed this, but I think it is less refined than Ingenue.

Wow so first off, I didn't realise k d lang wasn't a man?? Beautiful voice! If the end of the album hadn't wondered off a bit and kept my attention more, it would have been a 5 Loved the old school country vibes. Really enjoyed this album 4 ⭐️

Not familiar with this album, not too familiar with country especially 80s American style. Interesting voice, music not so much. 2.5 rounded up Heard before? No Owned: No 14/1001, 14/55 (25%) Will I get? No

Apparently this is my kind of country. Still too many sad love songs but I guess living in Tennessee must be hell.

Started out hopeful but it's just another boring country album.

Very chilled and nice to listen to in the morning. I've never heard of K.D Lang before, but she sings like Roy Orbison at times.

Surprisingly enjoyable

Great vocal performance.

Her vocals are really good. Most of her songs are nostalgic and heartbreaking. I enjoy it but I don’t know if I would listen to it again.

I thought the country bits were ok, the other bits not so much. It all had a very 50s feel.

Great voice. Liked the bluesy one. Not some much the twangy ones

Good production. Great voice. A bit too country for my personal taste

I had heard of k.d. because of the song “constant cravings” in the 90s, but hadn’t heard this gem if an album before! Love at first listen!

This was so nice to listen to I’m very confused…

Ooof what a drag. Not for me at all this one. Annoyingly shiny, over-written, over-produced pop country. The saving grace is I'd prefer this to most other pop country but that sir is a low bar. Bland and uninspiring, however Lang's voice is great I'll pay her her dues. Very meh

Enjoyable album, shined a lot of light on teacher of hers I had never heard. Signs of classic American pop country

30 seconds in and checking how long it is on Wikipedia. 35 minutes; I can do this. It must nearly be over, right, but how is this still track 1? This would've been fine 30 years earlier, but just feels pointless in 1988.

I thought I liked KD Lang but this awful! Glad she got better with her later albums.

3 for the showtunes, 1 for the country bits, take the average

4/10

Very honkey tonk. 3/5

awful

It was okay.

What an unremarkable album. Another one of those "why is this here?" moments. There was nothing special here. A 2.

I did not enjoy a single moment of this album. I’m not saying this for comedic effect — it is easily the worst album on the list so far.

Hated it. Every second was like torture to my ears. When I thought it couldn't get any worse, it hit "Honky Tonky Angels" or whatever and this went from a -1 to a -2 Would rather endure physical violence than listen to this again.

Cover 4 Not my cup of tea, generally speaking. This is a jazz adjacent album, not so much country or country rock, though there are some old school country here (Don't Let the Stars Get on Your Eyes, etc ). It might be nice to listen to on a Sunday morning with a cup of coffee, or summer afternoon with a glass of lemonade out on the porch (or staring out of the window if you don't have a porch). It's a lazy morning/afternoon jam.

Love the honky Tonk!

Not for this guy, sorry.

I didn’t really expect a country album when I played this one. Nice voice and all but not really for me (like most country).

Rose of Sharon Cassidy listens to this on repeat

A lush album of timeless covers. Lang’s voice lends themselves well to these songs, especially “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes”. While country isn’t my favorite genre, this was still a good listen!

Trash

I love KD Lang, but not sure if this one in particular is the album everyone has to hear

Good late period country album. I'm finding I like this kind of roots throwback country with every album I hear of it. Is it great and essential? No. But it is fun and different. This whole genre seems to have disappeared and is written off as commercial drivel but really the songs are pretty good.

its alright

Talented but not for me

Look, it's fine. It's not my cup of tea. She's got a great voice. I just don't see myself ever returning to this. 3/10

Not for me.

Rockabilly country and western good songs well sung worth a second listen.

I love kd lang!! Great album!

Disco aburrido con una voz hermosa

Hermosa voz. Pero no entiendo la inclusión en la lista, la verdad. Puede ser que no me gusta el country, aunque tiene baladas que me gustaron harto (Black coffee), al final terminó siendo un cafecito desabrido como los discos de covers bossa nova que ponen en los hoteles.

Not bad, not for me

What a voice

Приємний кантрі-поп з купою кантрі-оркестровок. Не зовсім моє, але для різноманіття було цікаво послухати

Maybe this is the lesbian in me but this was great. Fun, bluesy, interesting, great vocals. Another solid 3.5 stars for me. Not sure of the replay value for me but something I would never be angry to listen to again.

Love love love

Easy going but pretty bland in parts. Lang has a soothing voice though.

Slow plain country makes me crazy.

1.5 stars This is not for me. I know it’s not objectively bad, but it’s objectively not for me. The singing is good, for the type of music it is. But I was bored the whole time.

not for me

Every song on this album seems like it could be a dance at a wedding. Not in a bad way, good throughout

Not much into the vibe but can appreciate.

I wanted to like this for the country aspect but no.... this shit SUCKED

Pleasantly surprised by this one in a way, since I'm not a big k.d. lang fan nor much one for Country in general. The cool, slow, stirring warble of the guitar is a bit of a one trick pony on the album that only just overstays its welcome. I dunno. I feel like this should(?) deserve better than a 2 but I can't do it. fav tracks: Busy Being Blue

Weird that apple calls this pop when it's clearly country. Meh, 2*

Feeling mellow

Solid album, short country pop songs

a different take on country music, somewhere between country and pop with a sort of ethereal quality anchored down by lang’s unique vocal abilities. this one is special.

What an amazing voice! Sadly it's over music that doesn't really do it for me.

3.4 stars rounded down

Excellent album. I especially like I'm Down To Mt Last Cigarette

Really enjoyed this one. Was definitely more familiar with Angel with a lariat. But this was fun.

I absolutely needed lesbian country music in my life, thank you 1001albumsgenerator.com

Well executed but not my style. I couldn’t get past the feeling she was imitating older genres instead of being herself or making something new. Very performative. Great voice and production, just not for me.

I know pj harvey and kd lang have nothiig to do with one another ane sound nothing alike. But for the rest of the life, thanks to this exercise's insistence on their importance, ill lump them both into one single category: 'Chicks I hate'

Sounded like some late 80s pop and country mixed with Elvis. Not my bag, but I tolerated the album. Somewhere around 2.5 stars and rounding down. Interesting to see that Chris Isaac wrote Western Stars.

Actually kinda nice. Not my absolute favorite but liked this a lot more than I expected to. Some cool variety in here

The last k.d. album was so underwhelming - my review was essentially "amazing voice, brutally boring". I was ready to write this off! I've grown to love this schmaltzy crooner country - like Elvis in Memphis (yeah I'm going to keep bringing up that album). This reminds me a bit of some early Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - loved that album Jacksonville City Nights. This is like when you're at that late night karaoke bar, slugging bud lights with your idiot friends, not listening to the person singing, and then halfway through a song, you realize damn this lady's got pipes, and everyone stops talking.

me gustó, sentí las vibras aunque no preste atención en las letras, por ahí igual no es un sonido muy para mí

Too country

I completely forgot we had her before. This felt like an impressive introduction. What a voice

Crooner country music.

_Very_ Patsy Cline.

So split between 3 and 4. Voice is amazing and instrumentals are good but the old country sound doesn't hit me the way I know the album reaches for.

Her voice talent is undeniable. For me, though, this is nice background noise, but I'm not a fan of the sort of Country "Shadowland" is. She seems to have gone through a number of iterations in her music style, so with that voice, I might be a fan of some of her other projects/albums. Another good, not great (to me).

ну, какие-то баллады, кому-то наверное важные

Beautiful voice. Classy honky tonk. Wonderful guitar. Perfect accompaniment. What is there not to love? 4.5/5

Classic 50's/60's Nashville with the k.d.lang take on an album of cover tunes. She has a good voice for the genre and I am sure this will evoke Opry memories from the era of Cline and Lee. Not really my thing but well made and sung.

2/10 - a middle class hotel lobby which is acting more expensive than it is

Interesting blend of country and jazzy lounge music (?) I've never listened to k.d.'s music until this project. Not my favorite style & not something I would seek out, but I wouldn't skip a song if it were on a random playlist.

Some classic oilin’ yer boots, blow dryin’ yer cowboy hat, spinnin’ yer spurs honky tonk. 5/10

k.d. lang has an incredible voice, and I can hear what she and producer Owen Bradley are going for here, the point of difference they are angling for in the arrangements and style of what is essentially a country music record – it’s not unpleasant, but it just doesn’t quite land for me.

If you ever want to throw a rager of a party, whatever you do, don't invite k.d. lang. She'll put everyone to sleep. Look, this record is fine. It's completely and utterly suitable for what it is. And that's almost worse than it being just bad. It's not challenging, interesting, or groundbreaking in any way. It's a straight and narrow Country record that has virtually no soul. Lang is talented, and that's about the most I can say here.

Having only heard some of her later adult contemporary work (not my jam), I was pleasantly surprised to hear so much twang and sawdusted country charm on her debut (more my jam).

Bon album à écouter en cuisinant

Who better to make a Patsy Cline album than a Canadian Enjenue working with the same production team that recorded Patsy. Absolutely beautiful album. 5/5

The blandest album, for fans of “yeah I like music” you know the type

I learned today that I've never heard a k.d. lang song. This made me gayer. 3.7.

I have issues with people performing in a genre that definitely is influenced by location and living. I love CCR, but they're from CA not the bayou. kd Lang is not a Canadian cowboy. Decent voice though. Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

Very enjoyable, if not always essential, and occasionally a bit cheesy.

Lesbiana, factura y con una voz tremenda. La música 0% yo, pero admito que es muy sexy. Nota: 3.7

Ihan alkuunsa, mitä helvettiä tää olikin nainen. Kanadalaista kantria ja ihan kelpoa sellaista. Mutta ei kummiskaan mitään ihan parasta. Tässä on vähän sellainen jännä jazzinen twist. Parhaat: Western Stars, Busy Being Blue

Some of this was quite good. she do got a nice voice Will I listen to again: 10%

Great voice, but some of these songs were close to putting me to sleep.

Goodness gracious what a beautiful voice. After the first track I settled in to enjoy it and ended up loving it. She has complete control over her voice and imparts emotion like a true country crooner. Glad I can add this album to my rotation.

Not for me.

I belatedly figured out that these are all (I think) cover songs, which makes sense. This record sounds out of time. I know very little about this era of country music, but k.d. lang seems to capture it well. The star of the show is her incredible voice. I think the only contemporary song is the standout opening track, Western Stars, a Chris Isaak cover. It’s a beautiful song and this arrangement reminded me of dreamy alt-country like Mazzy Star. This is a pretty faithful cover, but k.d.‘s version has a more haunting quality. I prefer her version, it sounds definitive. I wish the whole album was like this. The rest of the album is more old-fashioned. It has a kind of David Lynch atmospheric torch song vibe that I liked. But overall, nothing else lived up to the first song for me.

When I saw k.d. lang's name appear this morning, I immediately cringed. Something about her mix of blues, pop, country and jazz has always rubbed me the wrong way over the years. I especially remember hating her performance of Hallelujah at the Vancouver Olympics. As a fellow Canadian, I know I should try to give her a break, but we just have better country stars. We have Shania Twain damnit. She's way better than Kraft Dinner Lang over here. This is all to say I went in with very low expectations. And i'm surprised to say... it was better than I was expecting? This album is at it's best when it goes full 50s kitschy Hawaiian Elvis country. Sugar Moon is the best example of this. I love the instrumental. It's just a fun song. I also quite like I Wish I Didn't Love You So. It's a good retro country ballad. Western Stars is also solid. I kind of wish I could hear Elvis sing all of these songs, he'd crush it... but k.d. does a solid job too. On the other side of the spectrum, this album really sucks when it goes in an ugly modern jazz/blues/lounge singer direction. She just can't pull this off. It's really cheesy. Black Coffee and Busy Being Blue are brutal. Tears Don't Care Who Cries Them is... well just read the title again and you'll understand why it sucks. So ya... this album was better than I thought it would be... but still not good. I kinda want to dig into the 50s/60s country that inspired the better tracks on this album. It's gotta be better than this 80s nostalgia version. So ya... it's a 2... but I was expecting a 1. So way to go K.D.... you did it!

This is a pretty unique album (in kind of a weird way). Singer who I thought was male, playing old time country/Western/cabaret style songs in an album from 1988. Bizarre but I guess some credit for being the only one to do it? 4.25/10 (2.125/5)

Loved it!

Editors, make up your mind please. The book entry on Ingenue calls this record (among kdL’s first four) “average if inventive” – is that the standard for records one must hear before one dies? What then to make of the exclusion of plenty inventive and above average artists (another Lucinda Williams record, say, or KT Tunstall or Courtney Barnett or Neko Case or Sarah Harmer or Big Thief or Snail Mail or Soccer Mommy or …). Btw, this is awfully good, her voice as warm as a summer evening on the prairie and very assured playin throughout. It does, occasionally, feel a little in love with its own conceit, and maybe slightly overdone production-wise, which makes it come off as museum piece to a certain extent. Still, a pleasure to listen to.

Maudlin queer county, not as bad as modern pop country (which is way better than dudebro country) but still doesn't really do anything for me.

Lesbian Country Music is still Country Music at the end of the day. At least it was a short album. Favorite Track: "Western Stars".

She has a beautiful voice

Didn't want to like it because it's cover songs over and over but lang and her team made good music here. It's only for the background and nothing special.

Utrolig bra stemme! Låtene er veldig opp og ned i kvalitet

bad

It was okay, nothing that really stood out

Country crooning? Nice ballady feel

Love her voice, songwriting is fine, not the arrangements

k.d. has such a beautiful voice! Getting rid of the whiny steel guitar would have made many of the songs so much better

Folky/Country Music that would fit the feel of a Cracker Barrel. Not my speed but K.D does have a really good voice

Nice vox, slightly boring tunes. Not my bag really but great for what it is.

from the first notes of this one, i didn't know if i was going to like it. i'm not really a fan of the production on this one (it's very 1988 and clean). but as i listened to this, i kind of fell in love with k.d. lang's voice? her voice is GORGEOUS. this album reminds me of something like patsy cline reincarnated or something. i love the 50s style backing vocals on this (she even got the jordanaires???). like i said, i still have qualms with the production, but i was pleasantly surprised by this one.

Loved it, such a comforting experience and it never got boring

Wow this is really pretty good, not at all what I thought it was going to be.

Just a great album; great variation of songs, all so beautifully presented with that gorgeous voice.

I really liked this album. Had never listened to it before. Pretty sure we had it in our CD collection at home when younger. Great country vibes, fantastic voice, Elvis-like flourishes.

Quite good, probably wouldn't normally like this sort of thing, but she's got a really great voice, even though the instrumentals are quite dated, even in the late 80s. I like the strings and keyboards on some of the songs, its not mind-blowing, but pretty good. Favourite songs: Western Stars, lock, stock and teardrops, black coffee, shadowland. Overall around 5/10

Wow. A surprisingly good "classic" country album. I missed this the first time around. At the time country music sounded like a trap in my small town and hearing Lang sing didn't compute for a 15 year old kid. Hearing it here, it's compelling. The production is sharp without being slick and her voice is certainly something to behold.

2.42

Pleasant enough album, hard to fault it for just being soft and easy to listen to. Far from interesting or memorable but I can't complain about an album this chill and easy to listen to.

I guess I've never listened to KD Lang before. I thought she was more pop than country. She has a great voice but I'm not a fan of country music usually. This is very warm and soft, the lyrics aren't bad. If you enjoy country music I'm sure you'll enjoy this.

Good voice, but beats me how would make the 1001 list.

Fav: I Wish I Didn’t Love You So Least Fav: Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes Her voice is so good when she hits those high notes wow

Some folk or something but nice

Susan Perb

k.d. has a great voice, but it's too cheesy/torchy for me.

This is basically classic honky tonk, but rebranded as a modern and elegant reimagining that you’d expect to hear in a late-night lounge or speakeasy. It was kind of cool at first, but it ran dry pretty quickly. By the end, I was honestly just begging for it to be over.

I don't know much about lang or country music from the 80s, so I was surprised at how old-fashioned this sounded. Maybe it makes more sense in context. She's got a great voice, and there's some fun stuff on here. I'm open to hearing more from her, but it hasn't quite made me a fan

Not my style. I heard k.d. do a cover of Neil Young where the vocals are not affected and the Patsy Cline stuff is gone. Much more to my liking. Check out Hymns of the 49th Parallel.

This goes to show ya, kids, give it another listen. I was not phased by this album on the first listen, but now on my second listen each song nestles in against the crescent moon in a magical way. These are not entirely bold or new renditions, but they are pure, well-executed interpretations. That being said, no one except Rosemary Clooney can truly sing Black Coffee.

Sometimes I read a review prior to listening to an album in a genre I don’t connect with in order to have some context for what makes it great. In the case of Shadowland, it was Mark Deming’s review from allmusic.com. He painted a picture of a masterpiece of country music and, since all I really knew of KD Lang was “constant craving,” I dove in expecting the water to be warm. I love many albums that fit the alt-country tag, and I grew up embedded in a town with abundant access to concerts featuring some of the genre’s most famous acts. And I can spot the magic in a Patsy Cline song and a Hank Williams album one, and some modern country like Sturgill Simpson or Kacey Musgrave has made it past my moat and taken up residence in a year-end list. All this is to say, I *want* to love this. And I even feel bad *not* loving it. But this genre just isn’t for me, despite kind of sort of seeing what Mr. Deming was going on about.

I was not previously familiar with the music before listening, and I did not expect a country album. I can acknowledge that it was very good for what it is - her voice is good and the songs were fine, but this is not the sort of music I normally enjoy listening to, so I don't plan to listen again.

Enjoyable first album out of 1001. Country, folky sound that was easy to throw on and listen.

Not a bad album.

I wasn’t totally sure what this album was trying to achieve. She has an incredible voice and the fact she worked with country greats on it suggests she genuinely loves this music but something about it has a tongue-in cheek feel that made it all a bit kitsch?

This album confirms my number 1 musical truth: the only way country music is tolerable is when it is written and performed by non country artists. Lang does an amazing job of capturing the heart of good old country music. It isn't as bold at Nashville Skyline, but it is a treat. I don't believe I'll return much to this (mostly due to my feelings toward the genre), but I would rank this up there with the greats of the genre.

Country music is not for me.

some really lovely songs here and there. 3

KD is very talented, but I just don't like the style of music.

3.5/5

The twang of the steel guitar.....

nice enough. a bit of C and W and general crooning

k d lang can sing. I think she's a great person and I admire her for her activism. Now onto the album. This got seriously on my nerves, I found if god awful. The huuuuge slides (not just guitars but vocals too), the pace - if this was vinyl I'd swear this was a 45 rpm album played at 33 rpm. Sooooo sloooooow! The album sounds like a parody on Country, rather than Country, all the clichés are thrown in and then magnified. It's not consistent either, sometimes a bit of cabaret or "love boat" style sax is thrown in too. But the lack of consistency is not surprising given that the songs are all written by different people, and none is even co-written by k d lang. I'd give it a one, plus one because she can sing, minus one because she hasn't written any of the songs.

Inoffensive and very bland, for a 35 minute album it really feels like twice the length.

Bland Not my thing Dull Pointless

Hm. I really, really liked Ingénue! Like, I thought it fucking ruled, dude. I got it earlier and gave it a 5/5. I didn't like this one as much. It's a country record and I don't care for country. But I still really fuck with some k.d. lang apparently, that was kind of an unexpected discovery. So I'll check out her other records now that I've listened to the two on this list. she clearly has a lot of range. Shout out to melancholic lesbians.

I like the voice, but not the flow of the music, nor the sound (country twanging).

Who needs songs about cowboys?

This is so boring. I wouldn’t recommend listening to this at all, but especially not first thing in the morning before your coffee kicks in.

Better than I thought it would be

This is one of those - does this warrant being the 2nd album on the list artists. Is it bad? No. Am I the target lesbian for this? No, I’m not a woman. But I guess Canadian Crooning Country is a thing?

not really my favorite. i can hear these songs playing in a rundown bar in texas tho haha

Not my favorite, don't like country music

Just not my style of music. Wonderful voice, but not fast paced enough for me.

legalzinho, a voz dele me irritou

3.0 - Ok

This one got old quick. Albums with all covers don’t belong on this list. 2 stars because she does have a good voice.

I have fond memories of this album from my childhood. In 1995 my parents bought a 5-disc CD player for the family and k.d. lang's Shadowland (mum's choice) was one of those first 5 CD's that graced its tray. I'm Down To My Last Cigarette remains imprinted in my memory from these days.

Something about this album rubbed me the wrong way. I typically enjoy this type of music, and her voice was good, but I really did not enjoy this. Weird

Meh. Not a fan of this style of country

I liked it for the most part. City country vibes. A little jazzy. Not bad.

Is this a joke album? What a waste of a great voice.

Too lame or not really my jam? Anyway nothing remarkable for me.

I had no idea who this was going in and I loved it. Phenomenal country album. Thank you, list for doing a good job and exposing me to new music! And it's not even British! Jesus this is such a good album. She's got such a great voice and it's a wonderful throwback to some Patsy Cline era country music, sadly lacking on this list. Great start to my day

In a period when music was getting edgier, and bands who would redefine genres were being formed, Tipper Gore and the PMRC were losing their minds and trying to control what people could listen to. This is the milquetoast kinda stuff they had in mind

When people say they don't like country, this must be what they talk about. It's short at least, but demasiado queso!

Well I got that wrong. I thought KD Lang was that Scottish bint. Obviously not. Now is it just me, or are about 30% of the albums on here either country or jazz? That said this was surprisingly palatable it was easy on the ears and her voice isn't unbearable. Doesn't mean I'd give it better than a 2.6, but it's got to be worth that. Almost a shame that I'll round it down to a 2, almost.

Truly horrendous.

Not for me. Cliche ridden country pop.

I had to grit my teeth to get through this. I'm not a fan of country music, so this was nails down a blackboard for me. Hated it.

Let's play two truths and a lie. This album is: -Gay -Innovative -Boring

walked past a music store and got upset because I knew everything in there sounds better than what I was forced to listen to

Interesting throwback style considering it was made in 1988. I can see the femme fatale singing many of these songs in a nightclub of a noir movie. Not my style, but enjoyable.

k.d lang has a beautiful voice which is wonderful to listen to. I like torch music and never considered torch country would be a thing. Nuggets of new knowledge like this make this project so much fun. This was an easy listen and quite enjoyable. I love the retro sound of the album.

oooh i really liked this one, her voice is so gorgeous omg!!! all are quite similar especially with that spongebob electric guitar effect but i love it its so jazzy and smooth, black coffee, don’t let the stars get in your eyes and busy being blue are defo my favs

It was like okay , geezer looks like elvis . Not my like proper cup of tea but can manage with it

Muito agradável e ótimo de se ouvir.

This album! So good.

Didn't know anything about k.d. lang other than her name, was pleased to discover she has a great voice. For me, though, this classic crooning-style country record starts to wear out its welcome after awhile. Standouts: Western Star

This is a tough one. Voice for the heavens but most of the music on the album was for a nursing home. Standouts like busy being blue really help to elevate the album outside the conservative country circle.

Great album. Great voice. I got into her with Ingenue and never backtracked to this. Wish I would have.

Amazing vocalist. Great range, good power, really nice tone. I unfortunately find the style of music outside of my interests. My mom was a big fan of this style of country music, and a big fan of k.d. too, so I've listened to it a lot, and I can just never get into it.

Get me off this k.d. lang train please. You know what, there are some songs on here that aren't too bad. I didn't mind Waltz Me Once Again Around the Dance Floor. It was a fun foot tapper. Not to mention, I can't ignore her voice being incredible and powerful. But seriously, please no more k.d. lang.

I enjoyed this album, more than I anticipated.

Not bad, better than expected at least.

Très sympa de beaux solos de saxo. À réécouter

Jeg havde godt hørt om kd lang, anede ikke hendes musik lød sådan her. Overhovedet ikke for mig

Jeg har før hørt noget k.d. lang som jeg synes var cool nok, men det her sys jeg bare var kedeligt. Not for me.

Very boring. I didn't even like her voice.

2.2 3x short and sweet just not my thing

- bei mir ist praktisch nichts von dem Album hängen geblieben, weder negativ, noch positiv - immerhin war es entspannt 1-2/5

A couple good songs. Dont know why they put two of the worst songs as the first two tracks. The production is so thin, but at least we get some pedal steel guitar.

Ouch... 2 matige country albums achter elkaar? Het zit even niet mee zeg! Deze is wel iets beter dan Merle, maar echt maar een kleeeeein beetje. Beiden zijn ontzettend saai en zo te vergeten. Moet zeggen; k.d. lang heeft een fantastische stem, maar het is verder zo saai en nietszeggend dat ik toch echt niet boven de 2 sterren uit kan komen. Het is een album vol ontzettend trage ballads die allemaal vrij veel op elkaar lijken. Zien dat dit maar 35 minuten duurde was dan ook een ontzettend grote verassing. Voor mijn gevoel heb ik een ruim uur zitten luisteren hiernaar. Het later werk is veel meer jazzy, dat pakt me ook een stuk meer! Er staat een prachtige solo op Busy Being Blue wat echt mn aandacht er weer bij pakt. Lukt het KD om dan toch op de valreep een 3e ster erbij te pakken? Het antwoord is nee, maar wel net niet! FAVO: Don't let the stars get in your eyes, Busy Being Blue

Interesting album. Seems to go back and forth between blues and old style country music.

Finding it hard to finish this one. I simply hate it.

Shite

Sugar Moon, Don't let the stars get in your eyes. These were two of my favourite songs from the album. The rest were also very nice. The songs were really smooth. Her voice absolutely calms your mind. Sounds like a smoother Adele.

k.d. lame

Not sure why this album makes me think of Sophie B. Hawkins. Maybe because they shared the cover of an issue of Interview magazine ...? This isn't quite as terrible as I though it would be, but it does sound kind of like an act you'd find at a fancy talent show aboard a cruise ship.

It turns out that k.d. Lang doing country-western covers is even more boring than her original work that followed this dull debut.

Great vocalist. Not my jam.

Once again. Her voice is great. Don’t at all like these songs though.

This twangy “pop” album from the late 80s has some fun parts.

Sometimes I really think the users on this website don't actually like music. Or at least music that isn't the same 20 famous albums that /mu/ told you were good. There are some impressive studio musicians that came together to make this album. k.d.'s voice is laser focused and smooth. If this music upsets you, ask yourself why? Most poor reviews I can see are just thought terminating cliches. "It's boring." Reviews like that just communicate to me that you have never played music. This music isn't amazing, but it's not boring either. At just over a half hour, it's a ripper of a country album. Perfect music for a starry night or a dew kissed morning.

Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison walk into a bar, hit it off, and made a K.D. Lang. Lots of talent, but ol timey country styles just aren't for me. Props for moving the bar on several social fronts and repping Canada in a time where, in my perception, there wasn't a whole lot of recognition for Canuck music.

Surprisingly good, had zero expectations.

A fantastic voice and excellent songwriter. A cool and jazzy approach to country music, not unlike T Bone Burnett.

Like really good elevator music. 7.6/10

Wow. So nice!

This album was way better than I could ever expect.

В певице чувствуется индивидуальность. Я особенно не проникся, правда. Зато расслушал предыдущий альбом в этом списке.

nah, not for me

I'm really sorry Miss Lang I thought you were a man until I heard your voice and you have a beautiful voice but just not my kind of music.

Great voice, great tone, great pitch accuracy Love when she goes just a tad out of tune, really gives a texture

Inofensivo. Essa moça tem uma linda voz, não da pra negar, mas fora isso, esse disco não me fez sentir absolutamente nada. Ranking de 1 estrela eu reservo pra albuns que ativamente me ofenderam ou me frustraram, então vou deixar 2 pra esse aqui. Gostosinho até, foi bom de ouvir, mas não me fez sentir absolutamente nada. Entrou por um ouvido e saiu pelo outro. 2/5

Canadian nostalgia for the 50s. She has a great voice but tries too hard to sound like Elvis.

This felt like a mix of Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline and I loved it. Will have to listen to this again. 4.5/5

This was quite good. Definitely reminded me of patsy cline.

Don't like country music

doet me niks...

That place must be a nightmare.

The album cover had me thinking this was another Ute Lemper-like album, but it turned out to be country!? Weird. part from K.D. Lang's great voice, there is not worth salvaging from this album. Basically didn't find any song that I liked particularly much, and it all felt very forgettable.

Country really is hit or miss for me. This one falls closer to the miss category. It is just slightly too polished and too nice. Something you could put on in a hotel lobby with its jazz influences. It also lacked a bit of breadth, with it feeling like all of the songs were just ballads. Some of the ballads were really good like "I Wish I Didn't Love You" and "Black Coffee". She clearly has a good voice for smokey jazz music. Writing this i realised is this actually just jazz with slide guitars? Maybe.

The first KD Lang album I got (Ingenue) was a pleasant surprise, a strong 3 with some nice variety, so I was curious to listen to this...but...meh. The song choices aren't great - the country stylings are quite dull, and even a gorgeous song like Black Coffee is somewhat ruined by 80s synth sounds. The Honky Tonk medley is awful. Sometimes the power and unique qualities of her voice shine through, but a lot of it is smothered in WAY too much reverb, and it's just not a pleasant listen. Saved by 'Busy Being Blue', which is gorgeous, and the only reason this isnt a 1, but otherwise really not much to recommend. Again, I'm left wondering why this 50s pastiche is here instead of some of the actual 50s music being covered.

Eh…. Lovely voice. Boring material.

Lovely voice, smooth tunes, it was okay. Big props for not being the typical country archetype, must have been pretty tough for her

A good album, K.D. Lang has a really nice voice. My favorite songs were Western Stars and Once Again Around The Dance Floor.

Y'know, despite how Canadian I am, I don't really listen to a lot of CANCON. All the big, famous stuff, like Leonard Cohen, The Tragically Hip, Neil Young, whoever wrote "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald"... Before I joined this randomizer, a lot of it hadn't crossed my ears. I mean, my lifetime listening habits have been largely centered on the States and the UK, whereas my Canadian intake has usually been nothing more than a little Rush and the first Barenaked Ladies album. And, y'know, I realize I don't hafta be in love with my country's music if I don't want to. Besides some good ol' patriotism and ultranationalism, there's really no good reason I'd have to be. But I guess it's just been weird to me that despite how long I've been living in this country and identifying by it — that is to say, my whole life — I just don't know too much about my own national music scene besides some stragglers and the stuff that's made it big in the States: Drake, Justin Bieber, Nickelback... Only the best stuff, y'know? I mean, jeez, I knew more about Snow as a one-hit wonder than I did k.d. lang as a Juno Award winning artist. So on its face, I couldn't begin to imagine how this album would sound. I mean, k.d. lang has long been one of those artists where I've known their name and that's really about the size of it. Heck, I'm not even 100% if I knew she was Canadian before now. If I had to judge a book purely by its cover — or, in this case, the name of its author — I would've guessed this would be some artsy singer-songwriter folk. Y'know, the kind of shit critics on either side of the border would just eat up. The fact that she stylizes her name is all lowercase just gives off that vibe: "She's so serious, she doesn't even use capital letters in her name!" That kind of thing. It came as quite a surprise, then, to find out that this is a country album. Yeah, it turns out she's a country singer. From what I read after finding that out, it seems her big inspiration to get into music was a fascination with the life and work of Patsy Cline — in fact, this album even has one of her big producers, Owen Bradley. And besides that, this album's final track has two cameos I sure as hell recognized: Brenda Lee and Loretta Lynn (the latter of whom's biopic I still needa see...). Honestly, finding this all out is kind of a relief, 'coz it means to me that I don't think about any of this that hard. As I've said no doubt plenty of times before, I am not very picky or particular about country music, especially the older stuff. I mean, to my ears there's not a whole lot of difference in how much of it sounds, so as long as it keeps hitting that note... Well, dang, I'll be a happy-ass gal. And I am real damn happy with this. There's the pedal steel, the fiddlin', a pretty as hell voice... If I'm struggling with anything, it's if I have any complaints. I didn't listen to the lyrics, as my AuDHD brain is wont to not do, but I doubt there'd be anything in there. After all, this ain't 2010's country, where the genre's gotten really defensive about itself (when it's not being overly self-critical about itself) and all worshipful over the small town. I guess if there's anything, it's just personal preference; that I feel like I'd still tend towards big dumb 90's country music like Shania Twain than more restrained 80's stuff like this. Although, hey, let's be real: it's not a huge preference gap. This album can be damn beautiful, I'm telling you, and I'd for sure take it a million times over whatever Morgan Wallen's dumping out these days. In the end, I feel kind of relieved, honestly. Some part of me might've been worried this would turn out to be another Leonard Cohen thing, where as much as I admire them as a Canadian legend, I simply can't vibe with their music — and I still feel a little bad about that, for the record. Instead, hey, I got a nice little country album to chill out to, and another bit of CANCON I can add to the roster. Even if I'm probably just gonna end up listening to "Another Postcard" again. Funny monkey song, y'know...

This might be akin to more modern country, but goddamn if that isn't such a beautiful voice. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 4. Took a little bit for me to realize that this is more of a “country music meets 50s soul/swing music” album than a pure country album, but once that vibe fully rolled in by Tracks 3 & 4, the album really started to work for me. There’s not that much to say, outside of the obvious stuff: k.d. lang’s vocals are absolutely wonderful throughout this album, and have sort of a “Dusty Springfield meets Aretha Franklin” vibe to them, especially on her more operatic tones. The instrumentals are pretty good – great blend of saxophone, acoustic guitar, steel guitar, light percussion, & fiddle. Each track has an instrumental that fits the mood, and each track generally sounds pretty good because of it. My only real knock is in the lyrics, because I do think they’re not as sharp as they could be on some tracks. At the very least, for a country music album, there are rather broad strokes that don’t evoke the same imagery on every track, or not as much imagery as the song titles would lead one to believe. They’re not ever bad, but they’re just sort of flat at times. That flatness leads to a few vocal performances that are technically sound, but don’t showcase the full range of emotion as other tracks do. When they click though, they click really nicely, especially on something like “I’m Down To My Last Cigarette”. Regardless, I liked this a lot – no bad tracks, just a few that didn’t click as well as others, hence a pretty solidly recommended 4. It’s a 3 at worst if you don’t like country music.

I Wish I Didn’t Love You So //

Idk, not bad, weird genre

Oddly didn’t hate this as much as I thought I was going to… but I would never seek it out again to listen to it.

easy listen, 4. Not my usual music but + for queer fam.

Solid work. Not sure why or how she got the photo of Jake Gyllenhal from 1988, but that's cool too. Seriously, she's got a lovely voice and her producer did amazing work here, I just want more bangers.

kd lang has incredible pipes and she puts them to a wide array of country & western and honky-tonk standards. it's not really my cup of tea, but it is impressive to hear how she bends her voice to suit each song.

A perfectly nice lesbian Country & Western album. Not really to my taste though. I prefer my lesbian music more in the indie singer songwriter vein.

Some nice songs. Good background/performance in a restaurant music. But but my style.

Beautiful!

9/10

Canta bem, mas som muito chato. Country de restaurante

First time hearing this. Loved it. What a voice! 5