Hymns Of The 49th Parallel - K.D. Lang

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Hymns of the 49th parallel – the songs
Let it first be said that there are no fillers on this album. It consists of 11 songs; carefully chosen by k.d.; each one delivered with tremendous belief and skill. k.d. lang has a truly remarkable voice: having witnessed her singing live just gives greater testimony to her extraordinary gift. She can hold a note ...
...but her performance is not just about vocal skill; she attributes all her songs with meaning and resonance. She admitted on stage that her favourite subject to sing about is love: “Hey, guess what, here’s another one about failed love!!”
The whole album is very much of a kind – all the songs are very laid back and relaxed and there are no up-tempo tracks. I certainly didn’t feel that this was a failing, in any way; rather that the songs were ... more

All you aspiring poets here on Ciao; listen and learn! This album is gorgeous in all ways that it could be: The melodies are superb, the arrangements are sumptuous, but more than anything one is left with a sense of the lyrics. Every song included here could quite justifiably be called a poem. Looking through the lyric booklet – a mini poetry anthology in its own right – it is made up of wonderful poems even before the music is added, giving a whole new dimension to the words.

This is k.d. lang’s 11th album, her most famous album previously being 1992’s “Ingenue” featuring her hit single “Constant Craving”. I have to admit here that this is the only other one of hers that I own, but I’ve long been an admirer of her huge voice and easy, (easy sounding –enormously difficult technically) open style. I was really lucky a couple of months ago in having the opportunity to hear k.d. live at the Colston Hall in Bristol. Despite the fact that she only performed for a little over an hour, the entire performance was truly excellent, and the whole audience was enthralled (me included) during the whole set. I was also impressed with her attitude; I had wondered beforehand if she might be slightly “up her own arse”, but in fact she was entirely at ease with the audience, even taking the piss out of herself by “dancing” in a carthorse style to the introduction and middle section of one of her old numbers “Miss Chatelaine”, as well as introducing her current repertoire with some wit and aplomb.

Over the years, k.d.lang has embraced different musical styles; from her beginnings in country music, through forays into pop and jazz. She blends together a mixture of genres with ease. When putting together this latest album, k.d.lang was hoping to bring together some of her fellow native Canadian songwriters; those she has admired and grown up with over the years. As she explains on her website, she wishes to acknowledge the debt she owes to those who form “my cultural fabric, my Canadian soundtrack”.
k.d. lang feels that Canadian songwriters in particular have an innate understanding of nature and can express this within their writing. According to her they use an “inherent understanding and incorporation of nature and the elements into the songwriting to express emotions, both spiritual and human”. Although these songs were (with one exception) written by other artists, I would not use the word “covers” as a suitable description; I would prefer to describe the songs on this album as re-interpretations of classics.

The album is distributed by Nonesuch Records Inc.

Cover by Andy Goldsworthy – this is a British artist famous for his photographic studies of natural materials. I was slightly surprised to find that k.d.lang didn’t use a Canadian artist to supply her cover picture, but I could see the sense in using Goldsworthy, as the whole album has such a sense of nature throughout.

Let’s take a look at the songwriters chosen by k.d. for this album. I’m sure that some need no introduction, but, just in case:

Neil Young – Born 1945, Toronto. Veteran of rock music since the 1960s. Famous for his solo performances, featuring his trademark nasal tones, and also for appearing with his band, “Crazy Horse”, but also for his performances as part of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young in the 70s, as part of a “supergroup”.

Joni Mitchell, born 1943, Alberta (but moved to Saskatoon at the age of 9, which Joni refers to as her home town). Joni has released over 20 albums, ranging from her fresh-faced (and voiced) early inventions, to her latest more nicotine - influenced offerings.

Jane Siberry, born 1955, Toronto. Jane was a performance artist for several years, before securing a record contract. She recorded a duet with k.d. in 1992; “Calling all angels”.

Leonard Cohen, (born 1934, Montreal) - began with a desire to publish poetry and fiction, but is still with the musical world today. With a traditional reputation of being depressing and sounding like “music for slashing your wrists to” (an often-used phrase to describe his music), he continues to plough the depths of human emotions.

Bruce Cockburn – (born 1945, Ottawa) – Canadian folk singer of renown.
Ron Sexsmith – (born 1964, Niagara Falls) Sexsmith is a songwriter whose songs have been recorded by a range of other artists, such as Rod Stewart and Curtis Stigers (!) Ron's songs have been recorded by a wide range of artists, from Rod Stewart to Curtis Stigers; he has also worked with Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook, as well as Elvis Costello, Sarah McLachlan and Radiohead.

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Hymns of the 49th parallel – the songs
Let it first be said that there are no fillers on this album. It consists of 11 songs; carefully chosen by k.d.; each one delivered with tremendous belief and skill. k.d. lang has a truly remarkable voice: having witnessed her singing live just gives greater testimony to her extraordinary gift. She can hold a note for well over 30 seconds, with full power and passion, but her performance is not just about vocal skill; she attributes all her songs with meaning and resonance. She admitted on stage that her favourite subject to sing about is love: “Hey, guess what, here’s another one about failed love!!”
The whole album is very much of a kind – all the songs are very laid back and relaxed and there are no up-tempo tracks. I certainly didn’t feel that this was a failing, in any way; rather that the songs were selected for their ability to carry across the mood of the album, which is all-pervasive. k.d is accompanied on this album by her usual band of musicians, but also by a string section, adding richness and warmth to the sound.

After the Gold Rush
(Neil Young - 1970)

Aw, c’mon, surely you all know this one in some form or another?
This is a very relaxed and laid-back version.
“Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armour coming,
Saying something about a queen
There were peasants singing and drummers drumming
And the archer split the tree”.
What do the lyrics mean? Who knows? A dream? A hallucinogenic experience? The arrangement consists of a floaty guitar sound with intermittent piano and strings, which helps to carry the listener through the whole dream-like experience.

Simple
(k.d. lang and David Piltch - 2000) Piltch is lang’s bass player. This song was originally written for her “Invincible Summer” album.

This one begins with a piano and double bass intro, leading into a song with a very simple melody line, and a simple message (does what it says on the tin.)
“Love will not elude you
Love is simple
And ours”

Helpless
(Neil Young - 1970)

Guitar intro, joined by strings. This one has a sparse verse, with a probing beat which penetrates the brain and spirit. When the huge chorus is reached, it’s a call of desperation – calling to someone from the past who is unreachable. The chorus has the effect that the singer is taken over by something bigger than the self.
“Baby can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied around my door
Baby will you sing with me somehow?
Helpless, helpless, helpless…..”

A Case of You
(Joni Mitchell - 1971)

I have to admit to partiality in this one. This is one of my favourite songs ever. Although I love k.d’s version, the original will always be closer to my heart. The backing is similar to the original Joni Mitchell version, and the singing is wonderful, but…. you feel what you feel. The lyrics are just perfection:
“Love is touching souls
Well, surely you touched mine,
Cause part of you pours out of me
In these lines from time to time”

The Valley
(Jane Siberry - 1989)

A great backing of lush piano, strings and guitar. This song appears to portray uncertainty –the time change in the chorus lightens the mood as though to reassure the listener that all will be well. The accompaniment grows to accompany this mood –by the final chorus, there are full strings to accompany the piano and guitar. When I hear this one I’ve thought that I’d love to hear it done by the late great Karen Carpenter –it’s just the sort of song that she could have portrayed brilliantly, if she’d been allowed. This is an excellent version, anyway, and very optimistic in its message:
“I love the best in you.
You love the best in me
Though it is not always easy
Lovely? Lonely?
We will walk in good company.”

Hallelujah
(Leonard Cohen - 1985)

One of the strongest songs on this album, from a very competitive field. On her recent appearance on Jools Holland’s “Later”, this was the song she chose to perform. A song of failed love and despair with gorgeous lyrics and a wonderful chord structure and an achingly beautiful melody, it leads to a climactic point in each verse, before reaching the chorus. There are different versions of this song; I understand that Leonard Cohen added further verses to his original song, making five verses in total. Here k.d.lang sings just three. From a spare accompaniment of piano in verse one, this song builds up gradually, adding strings and steel guitar.
“I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
But love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah”

One Day I Walk
(Bruce Cockburn - 1970)

A nod to k.d.’s country music past, this song is very much in the “O brother, where art thou” tradition, with accordion and fiddle accompaniment. It is a plaintive call for home from someone lost in the world. k.d. adds her own vocal harmonies to the chorus, adding to the old-style atmosphere of this song.
“One day I walk in flowers
One day I walk on stones
Today I walk in hours
One day I shall be home”

Fallen
(Ron Sexsmith - 2001)

This song has a strong Beatles (McCartney) influence in the melody. It deals with autumn and the changing of the seasons, and the comparable inevitability of love.
“The leaves have lost hold of the branches as always
And leaves us with gold and wine coloured pathways
In the same way I’ve
In the same way I’ve fallen for you.”

Jericho
(Joni Mitchell - 1974)

A jazzy feel to this one – the only track on the album to feature drums, with snare and cymbals providing a syncopated accompaniment to the piano, and later to the added strings.
“I’ll try to keep myself open up to you
That’s a promise that I made to love
When it was new
“Just like Jericho” I said
“Let these walls come tumbling down””

Bird on a Wire
(Leonard Cohen - 1969)

Very atmospheric – a church organ delivers the opening chords, with a guitar tapping out a rhythm alongside, the full accompaniment kicking in on verse two.
“If I, if I have been unkind
I hope you can just let it go by
If I, if I have been untrue
I hope you know it was never to you.”

Love Is Everything
(Jane Siberry - 1991)

This is a significant track to end the album, as it would seem to sum up k.d.lang’s beliefs about love. From a repetitive verse, the chorus opens up into a melody that allows k.d. to show off the power and richness of her voice, into a chord structure which portrays great optimism, despite the fact that the lyrics are once again about failed love
“So take a lesson from the strangeness you feel
And know you’ll never be the same
And find it in your heart to kneel down and say
I gave my love didn’t I?
And I gave it big…sometimes
And I gave it in my own sweet time
I’m just leaving”

Give it a listen – I hope you love it as much as I do.
Thanks for reading, k8

 

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