Watershed

K. D. Lang | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 5, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000XUO6T8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,123 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #97 in Music > Rock > Singer-Songwriters

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk

Watershed is the first major project from celebrated Canadian chanteuse k.d. lang since 2004's Hymns of the 49th Parallel. Where Hymns explored the music of fellow Canadians such as Ron Sexsmith, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, Watershed represents the first set of original songs from lang in around eight years. Self-produced and arranged by musicians she has worked with a lot in the past, the most striking aspect of the album is its intimate, homely feel. Adding to the cozy ambience is the fact that Watershed brings most of lang's musical passions and influences--jazz, country, folk, bossa nova--under one roof, lending the project a dreamy, mellifluous coherence. But if the musical landscape is mellow and easy to traverse, Lang's lyrics can be less comfortable. Using her laid-back, often ethereal arrangements as sugar-candied coating for thornier topics, the singer serenades with stories of broken love, occasionally harsh self-analysis and the obligatory forays into existential angst. These contrastive elements only serve to make the album stronger, adding emotional weight to the airless arrangements of "Once in a While," and the delicate "Close Your Eyes," and conjuring up images of beauty on the string-laden "I Dream of Spring," and the wonderfully lazy "Sunday". Intelligent, mature and sophisticated, Watershed is the kind of perfect pop album it's difficult not to fall in love with immediately and forever. --Paul Sullivan

Product Description

Watershed, K.D. Lang’s second Nonesuch album, indeed represents a significant juncture in her 25-year career as a recording artist-a collection of eleven new original songs produced, for the first time, by Lang herself. As with any challenge she’s met in her unparalleled career, lang is a natural behind the boards in the studio. Watershed has an intimate feel and a sophisticated sound that highlights the warmth in Lang’s voice, the maturity of her songwriting and the simple beauty of her arrangements. The Grammy Award-winning artist draws on her wealth of experience with an impressively wide range of genres to fashion a revealing portrait of the artist as she is right now. As Lang explains, "Watershed is like 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. It really feels like the way I hear music, this mash-up of genres, and I think it reflects all the styles that have preceded this in my catalogue."

K.D. Lang Photos More from K.D. Lang

Watershed Deluxe Limited Edition

Hymns of the 49th Parallel

Ingénue

Shadowland

Live by Request (2001)

Absolute Torch and Twang

Drag

All You Can Eat

Reintarnation [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Live by Request [LIVE]

Invincible Summer

A Truly Western Experience [EXTRA TRACKS]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars kd lang SIMPLY AMAZING, February 8, 2008

By 

John T. Borek "Johny B." (Grand Rapids, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Watershed (Audio CD)

Finally, a new kd lang album, and one she wrote and produced herself. "Watershed" is like back to the good old days when she was releasing her good music. This reminds me of "All You Can Eat" and "Absolute Torch and Twang", her finest. And it's great to see her writing again with Ben Mink after all these years. It's a beautiful album from an incredible voice. Every time I listen to this CD I like it more and more, it will grow on you. And that's a sign of great music, it's not instant, but takes its time to draw you in and then you're hooked. I love kd lang and this is as good as it gets. It's hard to decide what I'd like to hear next from her, an album of great covers or old standards or more of this same kind. Either way it doesn't matter, as long as we don't have to wait this long again.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Coming home, February 12, 2008

By 

Antonio M Vazquezpausa "amvp" (Miami, Fl United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Watershed (Audio CD)

Kd has come back home.That is to write gorgeous songs such as I Dream of Spring and Close Your Eyes with pal Ben Mink.We fans have waited for such a complete album for long.So embark and dream along with the unique Kathryn.Throughout the journey,you will feel like you are in a coffee shop surrounded by country,pop and jazz musicians,all of them trying to accompany this unparallel voice that thrives on lows and ride triumphantly on highs.Bon voyage!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Watershed is a very enjoyable listening experience, February 5, 2008

By 

Robert G Yokoyama (Mililani, Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Watershed (Audio CD)

KD Lang sounds so good on her tenth studio album Watershed. This is her first self produced album. This disc is a turning point in her career, and that is the reason for the title Watershed. I love the musical and vocal arrangements of these tracks very much. My favorite track is "I Dream Of Spring". Her sensual vocals are beautiful on this love song. I love Greg Leisz who is featured on the steel guitar featured on this track. The other stand out track is "Sunday". This is a tribute to her favorite day of the week. The bass playing by David Piltch on this track is so smooth. "Je Fais La Planche" is a song about how brief life is. The acoustic guitar gives this track a very soothing quality. The banjo playing on "Jealous Dog" gives this track a simple easy going sound. Shadow And The Frame is a pretty song. The piano playing is beautiful on this track. "Once in A While" is a pretty romantic song. "Upstream" is a hopeful song that makes me feel good. "Flame Of The Uninspired" is another sensual sounding track with great background vocals. She sounds so peaceful and effortless singing the track "Coming Home". Watershed is very enjoyable listening experience because of the vocal and musical arrangements.