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Editorial Reviews
k.d. lang is a once-in-a-generation artist who has consistently displayed an extraordinary interpretative range as well as remarkable vocal prowess. It's no wonder she has, over the course of more than two decades, attracted such collaborators as Roy Orbison and Tony Bennett, along with admirers like Philip Glass and Madonna. As lang has matured, she continues to surprise and impress. With the 2008 release of her self-penned, self-produced Nonesuch disc Watershed, Rolling Stone declared, "k.d. lang does what the gifted and the lucky always should: improve as time passes." The Times of London agreed: "It's a quirk of the music industry that one of the sexiest, most sensual voices in all of pop music comes not from some raven-tressed siren in a glitter-dress but a middle-aged woman with a utility haircut and a penchant for male tailoring." lang herself called the album "a culmination of everything I've done -- there's a little bit of jazz, a little country, a little of the Ingénue sound, a little Brazilian touch."
This two-disc retrospective -- which includes favorites like "Constant Craving" and "Smoke Rings," as well as ten tracks that never appeared on k.d. lang albums; and interpretations of classic songs like Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and The Hollies "The Air That I Breathe" -- illustrates how lang got to this significant point in her career, 25 years after the independent release of her debut, A Truly Western Experience. As lang moved from the subversively whimsical cow-punk sound of her early career in Western Canada to a broader pop palette, she has shown an ever-increasing sophistication, both as songwriter and interpreter. Dramatic, country-meets-lounge opener "Trail of Broken Hearts," from her 1989 Grammy Award-winning Absolute Torch and Twang album, encapsulates where she came from and where she was heading. The luxurious adult pop of "Constant Craving," from the platinum-selling 1992 Ingenue, garnered her a Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female Grammy and remains her best known and most successful single. The effervescent "Miss Chatelaine," also from Ingenue, remains a concert favorite and "I Dream of Spring," is a particularly lush example of what she so artfully created for the acclaimed Watershed.
Her bravura rendition of "Crying," originally cut with Orbison for the soundtrack to the movie Hiding Out, has become a showstopper in her live performances, perhaps rivaled only be her beautifully restrained version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." This soaring signature tune appears here as both a new recording, and in its original studio version. On her 2004 Nonesuch debut, Hymns of the 49th Parallel, she explored the work of her fellow Canadian songwriters, including Neil Young ("Helpless") and the woefully underrated Jane Siberry (the sublime "The Valley"). Regardless of its source, her choice of cover material has always been inspired, as evidenced by her take on the Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe," Joni Mitchell's "Help Me," the Beatles' Golden Slumbers," and Chris Isaak's "Western Stars," produced by Nashville legend Owen Bradley, Patsy Cline's mentor, for Shadowlands. lang is equally adept with such standards as Cole Porter's "Love For Sale" and "So In Love," and the jazz classic Moonglow" (performed here with Tony Bennett), and that has endeared her to a multi-generational audience.
This two-disc retrospective -- which includes favorites like "Constant Craving" and "Smoke Rings," as well as ten tracks that never appeared on k.d. lang albums; and interpretations of classic songs like Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and The Hollies "The Air That I Breathe" -- illustrates how lang got to this significant point in her career, 25 years after the independent release of her debut, A Truly Western Experience. As lang moved from the subversively whimsical cow-punk sound of her early career in Western Canada to a broader pop palette, she has shown an ever-increasing sophistication, both as songwriter and interpreter. Dramatic, country-meets-lounge opener "Trail of Broken Hearts," from her 1989 Grammy Award-winning Absolute Torch and Twang album, encapsulates where she came from and where she was heading. The luxurious adult pop of "Constant Craving," from the platinum-selling 1992 Ingenue, garnered her a Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female Grammy and remains her best known and most successful single. The effervescent "Miss Chatelaine," also from Ingenue, remains a concert favorite and "I Dream of Spring," is a particularly lush example of what she so artfully created for the acclaimed Watershed.
Her bravura rendition of "Crying," originally cut with Orbison for the soundtrack to the movie Hiding Out, has become a showstopper in her live performances, perhaps rivaled only be her beautifully restrained version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." This soaring signature tune appears here as both a new recording, and in its original studio version. On her 2004 Nonesuch debut, Hymns of the 49th Parallel, she explored the work of her fellow Canadian songwriters, including Neil Young ("Helpless") and the woefully underrated Jane Siberry (the sublime "The Valley"). Regardless of its source, her choice of cover material has always been inspired, as evidenced by her take on the Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe," Joni Mitchell's "Help Me," the Beatles' Golden Slumbers," and Chris Isaak's "Western Stars," produced by Nashville legend Owen Bradley, Patsy Cline's mentor, for Shadowlands. lang is equally adept with such standards as Cole Porter's "Love For Sale" and "So In Love," and the jazz classic Moonglow" (performed here with Tony Bennett), and that has endeared her to a multi-generational audience.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
110 of 113 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
" Recollection" is an impeccably perfect collection of KD Lang songs that brilliantly showcases her boundless vocal range, eclecticism and enrapturing splendor. She can master country, ballads, torch, jazz and light rock. Her vocals can be tender, upbeat, sad, inspiring, enthralling and invariably awesome. "Trail Of Broken Hearts" is a melancholic marvel. "Constant Craving" resonates with yearning and will always be a hit. KD's dynamic rendition of "The Air That I Breathe" is majestic. She transforms Neil Young's "Helpless" into a song that is equally poignant and assuaging."You're OK" is another compelling vocal performance that literally sends pleasurable audio sensations to your psyche and soul. "In The Valley" is incredibly emotive and heavenly to listen to. "Crying" with Ray Orbison is one of the most tremendous songs in music history. Last but not least is her peerless rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" which is beyond amazing.
Each track on this CD is remarkable. There are a few rare tunes and covers that are also exemplary. KD Lang can frequently perform another artist's song better than the original. Ms. Lang is also a proud Lesbian, a humane vegetarian and a peaceful Buddhist. God and/or a Higher Power certainly bestowed such a pleasant person with a celestial and luminous voice that is peerlessly phenomenal.
Each track on this CD is remarkable. There are a few rare tunes and covers that are also exemplary. KD Lang can frequently perform another artist's song better than the original. Ms. Lang is also a proud Lesbian, a humane vegetarian and a peaceful Buddhist. God and/or a Higher Power certainly bestowed such a pleasant person with a celestial and luminous voice that is peerlessly phenomenal.
38 of 40 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb material, excellent remastering... can we have a COMPLETE boxed set now, please?
February 15, 2010
Format:Audio CD
From 1987's "Angel With A Lariat," k.d. lang's first American debut up to this very day when I just finished watching her singing "Hallelujah" at the XXI Olympic Opening Ceremony, I find myself (as you will be asking about your own personal favorites), where is "Pullin' Back The Reins" from "Absolute Torch And Twang?" Where is "Lock, Stock and Teardrops," along with several other classics from "Shadowland?" The gorgeous "Still Thrives This Love" and "Save Me," from "Ingenue" are nowhere to be found, as the astonishingly beautiful "Infinite and Unforeseen" and "If I Were You," from "All You Can Eat" are sorely missing. Instead of the admittedly more dramatic "Theme From Valley of the Dolls" and "Till The Heart Caves In" from "Drag," we get "Smoke Rings," and "The Air That I Breathe," the latter which proves that when Miss lang covers a song as in Dionne Warwick's "Theme From Valley of the Dolls" or the Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe," both definitive versions, she makes them her very own on a par with the originals, a truly rare gift indeed. Unfortunately, there are also a few excellent but neglected tracks from 2000's "Invincible Summer," 2004's "hymns of the 49th parallel," and finally, her stunning return with 2008's "Watershed." While "I Dream Of Spring" and "Thread" were included live on the bonus disc, as was the studio version of "I Dream Of Spring," I found myself longing for "Coming Home" as well.
The reason I mentioned all of those favorites is because the 2 discs have a LOT more room to accommodate at least some, if not all of my favorites above, or whichever yours might be. Disc 1 clocks in at a mere 47:14, and Disc 2 at 48:47. That's another 63 MINUTES, or an entire CD of music! (If you include the third live bonus disc at 42:09, that's another 37 minutes, for potentially 100 MINUTES!) I don't normally time CDs, but when another 63 to 100 MINUTES (!) of music could have been added to this already excellent set from one of my all-time favorite singers, it is hard not to question why many more of our favorites could have been added but were not. The inclusion of a new version of "Hallelujah," with more orchestration was somewhat extraneous in my opinion, adding even potentially more time to Disc 2. Having said that, the songs on the discs in this collection ARE superb, and worth buying for the remastered tracks alone. I happen to have the 3-CD + DVD box set (please see my review), and have listened to all three discs over and over again already. In my humble opinion, the remastered songs, live CD, DVD, booklet and very well thought out and elegant packaging all combine to make the box set the definite version of "Recollection" to own.
There ARE a few gems to be found on these 2 CDs, such as "Golden Slumbers/The End," from the 2006 movie "Happy Feet," as well as Miss lang's contribution of "So In Love," from the 1990 "Red Hot & Blue" AIDS benefit tribute to Cole Porter CD. k.d.'s gorgeous, ethereal duet with fellow Canadian Jane Siberry's "Calling All Angels" is here, which appeared on Jane's 1993 still amazing "When I Was A Boy" CD, as are k.d.'s reverent and beautifully done versions of Siberry's "The Valley" (on Disc 1), and "Love Is Everything" (on the DVD only), both from "hymns of the 49th parallel." Obviously, I'm enamoured of Siberry's writing as Miss lang is. Speaking of writing, MAJOR kudos and props to Ben Mink, as her fellow lyricist and band member since her career began, as well as to the long-time collaborators in her band as well.
There is also one new song on CD 2, "Beautifully Combined" (2:41), though brief in length, the lyrics (as usual), are excellent. There are also duets of k.d. with Tony Bennett on "Moonglow," and her memorably famous duet with Roy Orbison on "Crying." The first song, "You're The One" from Roy's 1992 "King of Hearts" album could easily have been included here, as it's practically a duet with Roy as well.
The only two things I'm really disappointed about is that I've never been to one of Miss lang's concerts, and after hearing her sing "The Right To Love," which ends the live CD and I'm sure (or would hope), is a concert staple for her, I am saddened that I will probably never get to hear those poignant lyrics and the incredible jazz piano accompaniment with her soaring and passionate vocals in person. The second is that Miss lang is one of the most deserving, finest artists/vocalists EVER, and truly deserves to have a more thorough, comprehensive and complete boxed set, with a lot more of her timeless, older material remastered (it's time... it HAS been over 20 years!), as well as more rarities, CD-single mixes and many guest vocals on other albums, soundtracks and compilations she has done. It would be spectacular to have all of those remastered in one boxed set, wouldn't it?
Some of these include "A Kiss To Build A Dream On," from the 2005 compilation "Timeless"; her duets with Tony Bennett, "What A Wonderful World" and "Dream A Little Dream Of Me," from their 2002 duet album of the same name, and two personal favorites, Carter Burwell conducting an achingly beautiful intro and accompaniment to Miss lang's superb version of "Secret Love," (never before released on any CD, from the end credits of the outstanding 2001 DVD documentary, "The Celluloid Closet"), the other being her heavenly duet on the title track of Bruce Roberts' 1995 CD, "Intimacy," to name only a few more. I'm aware that in some cases there are licensing issues, but in ANY case, the fans suffer, as we would gladly buy an extended, complete boxed-set containing all of the above and more.
While I will admit this technically IS an excellent 2-CD set, it would have been great to see "Recollections" reach the full potential this collection was truly capable of. And that's a compliment of the highest order. That, along with the extensive variety of songs in Miss lang's repertoire, and those yet to come, combined with each new (single CD) release of hers :-) , all prove where she is concerned, it just doesn't get any better. To bring so much joy to so many with the power or subtlety of a lyric, sometimes both in one, is truly an amazing gift.
Last, but certainly not least, I'll be waiting patiently to hopefully be the first of k.d. lang's countless fans to own a copy of that COMPLETE boxed set! :-)
The reason I mentioned all of those favorites is because the 2 discs have a LOT more room to accommodate at least some, if not all of my favorites above, or whichever yours might be. Disc 1 clocks in at a mere 47:14, and Disc 2 at 48:47. That's another 63 MINUTES, or an entire CD of music! (If you include the third live bonus disc at 42:09, that's another 37 minutes, for potentially 100 MINUTES!) I don't normally time CDs, but when another 63 to 100 MINUTES (!) of music could have been added to this already excellent set from one of my all-time favorite singers, it is hard not to question why many more of our favorites could have been added but were not. The inclusion of a new version of "Hallelujah," with more orchestration was somewhat extraneous in my opinion, adding even potentially more time to Disc 2. Having said that, the songs on the discs in this collection ARE superb, and worth buying for the remastered tracks alone. I happen to have the 3-CD + DVD box set (please see my review), and have listened to all three discs over and over again already. In my humble opinion, the remastered songs, live CD, DVD, booklet and very well thought out and elegant packaging all combine to make the box set the definite version of "Recollection" to own.
There ARE a few gems to be found on these 2 CDs, such as "Golden Slumbers/The End," from the 2006 movie "Happy Feet," as well as Miss lang's contribution of "So In Love," from the 1990 "Red Hot & Blue" AIDS benefit tribute to Cole Porter CD. k.d.'s gorgeous, ethereal duet with fellow Canadian Jane Siberry's "Calling All Angels" is here, which appeared on Jane's 1993 still amazing "When I Was A Boy" CD, as are k.d.'s reverent and beautifully done versions of Siberry's "The Valley" (on Disc 1), and "Love Is Everything" (on the DVD only), both from "hymns of the 49th parallel." Obviously, I'm enamoured of Siberry's writing as Miss lang is. Speaking of writing, MAJOR kudos and props to Ben Mink, as her fellow lyricist and band member since her career began, as well as to the long-time collaborators in her band as well.
There is also one new song on CD 2, "Beautifully Combined" (2:41), though brief in length, the lyrics (as usual), are excellent. There are also duets of k.d. with Tony Bennett on "Moonglow," and her memorably famous duet with Roy Orbison on "Crying." The first song, "You're The One" from Roy's 1992 "King of Hearts" album could easily have been included here, as it's practically a duet with Roy as well.
The only two things I'm really disappointed about is that I've never been to one of Miss lang's concerts, and after hearing her sing "The Right To Love," which ends the live CD and I'm sure (or would hope), is a concert staple for her, I am saddened that I will probably never get to hear those poignant lyrics and the incredible jazz piano accompaniment with her soaring and passionate vocals in person. The second is that Miss lang is one of the most deserving, finest artists/vocalists EVER, and truly deserves to have a more thorough, comprehensive and complete boxed set, with a lot more of her timeless, older material remastered (it's time... it HAS been over 20 years!), as well as more rarities, CD-single mixes and many guest vocals on other albums, soundtracks and compilations she has done. It would be spectacular to have all of those remastered in one boxed set, wouldn't it?
Some of these include "A Kiss To Build A Dream On," from the 2005 compilation "Timeless"; her duets with Tony Bennett, "What A Wonderful World" and "Dream A Little Dream Of Me," from their 2002 duet album of the same name, and two personal favorites, Carter Burwell conducting an achingly beautiful intro and accompaniment to Miss lang's superb version of "Secret Love," (never before released on any CD, from the end credits of the outstanding 2001 DVD documentary, "The Celluloid Closet"), the other being her heavenly duet on the title track of Bruce Roberts' 1995 CD, "Intimacy," to name only a few more. I'm aware that in some cases there are licensing issues, but in ANY case, the fans suffer, as we would gladly buy an extended, complete boxed-set containing all of the above and more.
While I will admit this technically IS an excellent 2-CD set, it would have been great to see "Recollections" reach the full potential this collection was truly capable of. And that's a compliment of the highest order. That, along with the extensive variety of songs in Miss lang's repertoire, and those yet to come, combined with each new (single CD) release of hers :-) , all prove where she is concerned, it just doesn't get any better. To bring so much joy to so many with the power or subtlety of a lyric, sometimes both in one, is truly an amazing gift.
Last, but certainly not least, I'll be waiting patiently to hopefully be the first of k.d. lang's countless fans to own a copy of that COMPLETE boxed set! :-)
34 of 39 people found the following review helpful
By B. Bahner
Format:Audio CD
From a purely musical standpoint, this is a superb collection. My problem -- and it's a BIG one -- is that each CD is only about 50 minutes in length. That leaves about 40 minutes of empty space on this 2-CD collection. k.d. has been making records for 25 years, and I've been a fan almost that whole time. I can't believe the record company was so stingy with its music. There's no excuse in this day and age to release such as skimpy anthology. Sorry, k.d. Love you, but not your record company's treatment of your fans.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
great
Wife loved it...Valentines day present. She playes them in her car constantly rotating one to another and I don't know what else to say.
Published 1 month ago by Jim
5.0 out of 5 stars
K>D> Lang Collections
Not much more to say... i love K.D's music... this fits the bill! All of her songs are great.Glad I bought it
Published 2 months ago by Bigger
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT LISTENING!
Fabulous double CD! Amazing voices and the songs are a great choice for her voice. My first CD by her and I am so impressed!
Published 2 months ago by DTJ
4.0 out of 5 stars
k.d. lang's voice is a marvel
I've always loved "Constant Craving," but her updated rendition of "Hallelujah" blew me away. It's a hard song to sing, but she OWNS that song.
Published 2 months ago by Rubies
4.0 out of 5 stars
Recollections
One of the better K.D. Lang's CD's that she had put out.
And of course the two Hallelujah's are simply wonderful.
And of course the two Hallelujah's are simply wonderful.
Published 3 months ago by Maria Kanas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dear to my heart
A great collection of favorites all in one place. And two versions of Hallelujah--what a plethora of delight. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jennifer Rehm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
What a beautiful voice. I enjoyed this album far more than I thought I would. It has made me want to choose more by her. Excellent!
Published 3 months ago by Elizabeth B. Pajauis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love k.d.
Great songs, great artist, have seen her in person and this cd does her proud. Will be looking for more.
Published 3 months ago by ptgirl
5.0 out of 5 stars
wonderful
For anyone who is a K.D. Lang fan this is a great collection, especially if you'd rather buy just one CD- instead of a dozen, each with a couple of songs you like.
Published 3 months ago by Laura A. Larkin
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a Fantastic Songstress!
K. D. Lang is one of those singers who comes along once in a great while. Although many call themselves singers, most are not. Lang is one of my few favorites. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ellen Coulton
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