Reintarnation (Dig) [Original recording remastered]

K. D. Lang | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 25, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Rhino
• ASIN: B000E4FDNQ
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,289 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Some k.d. lang fans argue that the Alberta-born crooner released her best work during the first 10 years of her career. Dressed in layers of thrift store finery, with stage moves that recalled the Tasmanian Devil, lang's quirky 'cow-punk' style made an unforgettable first impression. Sassy antics aside, her appeal was cross-generational, blowing audiences away night after night with an incredible voice and commanding presence. Lang's new release Reintarnationis a best-of anthology of her independent music from this period--from her self-released single, 1983's "Friday Dance Promenade" to material from 1989's Absolute Torch and Twang--as well as a smattering of lesser-known numbers from the Even Cowgirls Get The Blues soundtrack. The 20-song collection does a great job of mixing some of lang's hoe-down favourites ("Turn Me Round," "Hanky Panky," "Big Boned Gal") with gorgeous, open-throated ballads that showcase her singing and songwriting skills (with the help of co-producer/co-writer Ben Mink). Her performances in late '80s songs like "Diet of Strange Places," "Trail of Broken Hearts" and "Pullin' Back the Reins" were a preview of the vocal deftness that later launched her into superstardom, most notably via her moving cover of Roy Orbison's "Crying" years later.

While one would hope for a handful of previously-unreleased tracks on this retrospective, alas, there's just one: a pleasant but harmless track called "Change My Mind" which was dropped 20 years ago, but later completed and recorded for this collection. The shortage of as-yet-unheard material is the only disappointment from this worthwhile collection. --Denise Sheppard

More from k.d. lang

Hymns of the 49th Parallel	A Wonderful World (with Tony Bennett)	Ingenue
Drag	Absolute Torch & Twang	Shadowland

Product Description

In 23 years as a celebrated singer and songwriter, K.D. Lang has navigated a diversity of material to consistent acclaim. Produced by Lang and her longtime collaborator Ben Mink, Reintarnation-named after a neologism defined by The Washington Post as "coming back to life as a hillbilly"- focuses on the first decade of her recording career, when she broke ground as a singular kind of country singer who channeled the genre's canon while subverting a number of its conventions. The early Lang catalogue was dubbed "cowpunk" and arguably paved the way for artists who in more recent years have appropriated country music, garnering a mix of support and the suspicion of Nashville's Music Row, and reaching a much broader audience. As befitting such a prestigious album, it is packaged in a beautiful 4-panel digipack. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars k.d. lang twang!, May 9, 2006

By 

M. Warnock "Mickey65" (Round Rock, TX - USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Reintarnation (Dig) (Audio CD)

Finally, k.d. put out a GOOD album! I was really missing her country side and this is a great collection of SOME of her old country stuff.

Missing is a few good ones from the Shadowland album, including the ONE song that got her a lot of radio play back in the late 80's, "Last Cigarette" - which was the song that got me hooked on her since it was played non-stop on the C/W music station!

Only the "hard-core" fan will notice the subtle "tweaking" to some of the songs on this CD. One of my favorites, "Diet of Strange Places" has even a more "twangier" sound, and "Nowhere to Stand" is the "demo" version, rather than the album one.

Two great "goodies" on this one is "Friday Dance Promenade" - which was ONLY found on a VERY hard-to-find 45 (only 500 were made!). I never found it - altho I saw them for sale on eBay, but for too much! And the other song is "Change my Mind" - which were both done in the mid-80's. A couple of great non-album tracks for the fan!

If you like your country music on the "twangy" side - this one is for you. I like my country music this way, since like I say, "I don't mean a thang - if it ain't got that twang!"

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED CD!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well, I'll be "tarned"!, April 28, 2006

By 

Jesse Monteagudo "book nook" (Plantation, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Reintarnation (Dig) (Audio CD)

"Reintarnation" is a long overdue look back at k. d. lang's early days, when she gave country and western music a good kick in the pants and produced some of the decade's (the 1980's) best records. The only thing that keeps "Reintarnation" from getting a well-deserved 5 stars is the lack of any songs from lang's ground-breaking "Shadowland" album (except for "Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes"). Buy "Reintarnation" - but then buy "Shadowland" to supplement it (if you don't already own it).

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ABSOLUTE Torch & Twang!, April 27, 2006

By 

Steven Housman "SHARK" (West Hollywood, CA & Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Reintarnation (Dig) (Audio CD)

How many times did you hear Jed Clampett exclaim "What in tarnation is that?" Or for that matter, how many times did you hear that word outside a country setting? If you have, you're one step ahead of me. k.d. lang has released an album with the title Reintarnation because it features her first decade of recording which consists of her well-known groundbreaking material of country fare. This collection contains some of her best tracks as well as rare singles from 1983 through 1989. As a bonus, there's one previously unreleased song, "Changed My Mind," that she and longtime collaborator Ben Mink wrote over twenty years ago and finally completed just in time for this release. In this collection, there are rarities such as the first single lang released, titled "Friday Dance Promenade," which was sold exclusively at her concerts when she had only a cult following. Her first album, A Truly Western Experience, arrived in 1984, and from that collection we receive two splendid tracks, "Pine And Stew" and "Hanky Panky." Later tracks from the 80's include "Diet of Strange Places" as well as "Turn Me Around." In 1988, lang recorded the album, Shadowland, and lifted the superb track "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" for this set. 1989 was the year that would bring lang international attention and fame with her stunning album, Absolute Torch And Twang. The album also brought k.d. her first Grammy for Best Female Country Vocalist, and was so good that she decided to include seven of its tracks on this latest collection, including "Trail Of Broken Hearts," "Pullin' Back The Reins," and Big Big Love." The Gus Van Sant film Even Cowgirls Get The Blues hasn't been ignored - three of the soundtrack's songs made the cut; "Curious Soul Astray," Don't Be A Lemming Polka," and "Cowgirl Pride." All in all, there are twenty tracks that will easily explain to younger fans why k.d. lang mattered so much from the beginning of her career, as well as remind longtime fans of the love for this gal who "Got The Bull By The Horns" and never let go. By the way, I love the album cover homage to Elvis! Anybody else notice this discreet nod to the King?