Customer Reviews

Shadowland

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, I love k. d. lang (sic). I've loved her since her "big-boned gal" days when she was barely known outside Canada. And then I heard she was changing her style, expanding, trying new types of songs. "OH NO!" I thought, "k. d. can't leave her roots." It'll be like Linda Rondstadt's style-of-the-month phase after she tired of pop. But how wrong I was! In "Shadowland" k. d. brings her powerful pitch-perfect voice of an angel to truly beautiful torch songs. The result is musical ecstasy. k. d. can do anything, and she proves it in this extraordinary transitional CD. It is a magnificent vocal experience. I thank k. d. for bringing her wonderful voice, and this rich new style, into my repertoire.

What a magnificent voice. One which alternates between taking a pure Country song to new heights, delivering pop like no other [who can forget her duets with Tony Bennett and Roy Orbison], and even taking charge of hard-core Soul and R&B. You simply cannot pigeon-hole k.d. lang.

The other reviewers have more than adequately covered the selections presented in this album, produced by the legendary Own Bradley who passed away ten years after its release at age 82. But I would just like to add that the last track, featuring k.d., Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, and Brenda Lee as The Honky Tonk Angels, pulls together in one of the most memorable performances three classic songs from the past.

The opening bars present In The Evening (When The Sun Goes Down) which was a 1949 R&B hit for both Jimmy Witherspoon and The Charles Brown Trio. From there they break into the Ernest Tubb 1948 classic, You Nearly Lose Your Mind, and then smoothly transfer to Blues Stay Away From Me, first done by Eddie Crosby in 1949, and then a year later by The Delmore Brothers and, for my money anyway, the best version of them all by The Owen Bradley Quintet with vocals by Jack Shook and Dottie Dillard.

In the insert you get a full page written by Mr. Bradley, a number of photographs, including one with him and the Hockey Tonk Angels, and a track-by-track listing of the musicians involved on each cut.

An album that will one day rival Carole King's Tapestry in the legends of recorded music.

Kd Lang is ,in my opinion,the best North American female voice of her time.But not all of her Cds are as satisfying as this one.This one shows the Nashville influenced side of Kathryn Dawn Lang as arranged by Owen Bradley who also produced Patsy Cline.In songs like BLACK COFFEE,the title track and I WISH I DIDN'T LOVE YOU SO she passionately and contemporarily delivers tunes written way before her time.She sings DON'T LEt THE STARS...a 50's hit with
unique vigor and belts out the CHris ISaak penned WESTERN STARS so appropriately as the disk opener.It was the first Kd Cd I ever bought and what an introduction it was!

Love this CD as well as KD Lang - good listening - brought back good memories

You don't have to like country music to appreciate k.d. lang's extraordinary talent. Produced by country veteran Owen Bradley, this was arguably the recording that put her on the map, with Bradley's super-polished array of songs highlighting her crystal-clear instrument and winning her millions of new fans. Since this CD, she has ventured far and wide, but to many, this will be remembered as the project where it all began.

The title track sets the tone, tapping into country music's wells of melancholy, although Lang's demeanor, persona and voice can't really be put squarely in the country camp. Her influences are much broader, including contemporaries like Chris Isaak, whose suave "Western Stars" opens the disc. Throughout, lang mixes hardcore country -- check out the opening chorus in the lovely "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" -- with what might be characterized as "1940's lounge," and sounds glorious. She could be equally at home in a smoky night club or at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry.

By the time the stunning "Busy Being Blue" arrives, you may think you've never heard a voice like this. After a quiet introduction, the song builds until lang is completely engulfed in a rapturous, torchy wail. This is simply great singing, whatever genre. The final track, "Honky Tonk Angels," features Loretta Lynn and Kitty Wells, whose winsome, plaintive harmonies end the set on a sentimental high note.

The recorded sound is beautifully clear, fully capturing lang's huge cries as well as her quieter moments of lazy sensuality. From an artist who has done many fine recordings, this is one of her best, with influences new and old, and also one of the great recordings of the 1980's.

I'm writing this because of how often we (I) hear music on the radio, like the band or artist, decide to buy an album, look them up, and discover there are 30 records. I flip through the reviews, mostly written by ardent fans, until I'm exhausted of the task. I buy one and maybe I don't like it; I buy another and maybe I don't like it either. Then I give up.

So... if you've heard a little k.d. lang, think you might like her and want to buy an album I'm writing to say that Shadowland and Drag are the two, of hers, that I like most. Not "Ingenue" which seems to be others' favorite (too boring) and not "Absolute Torch and Twang," in which, frankly I don't hear *absolute* torch nor twang the way I do in "Shadowland."

"Shadowland" has country music in its blood. Not bluegrass or Hank Williams country, and not recent-pop country. Lang has a style all her own. "Waltz Me Once Again Around The Dance Floor" makes me want to, and "Tears Don't Care Who Cries Them," beautifully sweeping, makes me want k.d. not to be the one crying.

This album has some faster (not extremely fast) songs--in a country, guitar, groove way--and it has slower, sweet, and smart songs of love and love lost. My husband commented to me that it sounds a bit 1940's to him; I'd go along with that.

I wouldn't hesitate to start with "Shadowland" as an introduction. I give 4 stars rather than 5 because, to me, 5 is perfection. 4 stars is the highest without eligibility for the Nobel Prize. Try out "Shadowland" if you're looking for some country-based music with a very female and surprisingly beautiful voice that is lush and interesting. k.d. lang has personality and her voice is truly quite lovely.

I have listened to this cd in the car, while doing work at home, in the garden, and even during a massage session. I really liked that Owen Bradley produced this album. Wonderful blend of his style along with kd's.

K.D. Lang is blessed with a phenomenal voice, which she uses like a precision instrument. The selection of songs on this release really allow her to show this off.

A wonderful and timeless collection of music!

I enjoyed this CD very much, but I don't think it was 100% country. Several cuts were more "torch song" types; Shadowland, Busy Being Blue with its sax solo, and even Black Coffee, despite the steel guitar. I enjoyed the combination torch and country very much. Reminded me a bit of her Ingenue album.

I'm a big Patsy Cline fan, and Owen Bradley's touch is very distinctive. I thought it was a bit "schmaltzy" in a few places, a bit over the top with the crescendos and decrescendos, some of the slides she did with her voice were a bit much, but it seemed an affectionate tribute.

While I don't know if I could pick out a favorite k.d. lang CD, this one really is outstanding. Out of all of her years of music and many varied albums, this one probably shows off her amazing voice better than any other. All of her albums are wonderful and have excellent songs, but for me, this CD is really all about her voice. She's seductive and oh so sexy! And in case you don't know who Owen Bradley is, he is a legendary Nashville producer who produced many of Patsy Cline's songs, including "Crazy". So getting him to work with k.d. is like Patsy born again! And to top it off, she is joined by three country legends: Kitty Wells, Brenda Lee, and Loretta Lynn. The last song (actually a medley) is one of the best country songs ever recorded! Even if you're not a big country music fan, I'll bet you'll fall in love with this CD!