Invincible Summer [Digipak] - K.D. Lang

This album represents, in part at least, a return to the style of “Ingenue”, lang’s 1996 album, following the flirtation with dance styles (“Just keep me moving”) and the treading water (in my opinion anyway) covers album “Drag”.
The first track, “Consequences of falling”, straight away reminds me of “Ingénue”, it has a sensual feel to it, and why not – it is a song about ...
...overall the “Invincible Summer” is much optimistic, and the songs are about happier subjects.

There are a couple of reasons for this, she has stated. First, lang has found true love – not the unrequited love that has inspired her in the past.
Second, she moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles three years ago, and there is definitely a West Coast summery sound as a result. There are several moments on the album ... more

This album represents, in part at least, a return to the style of “Ingenue”, lang’s 1996 album, following the flirtation with dance styles (“Just keep me moving”) and the treading water (in my opinion anyway) covers album “Drag”.
The first track, “Consequences of falling”, straight away reminds me of “Ingénue”, it has a sensual feel to it, and why not – it is a song about falling love. So musically it’s like “Ingenue”, but the overall the “Invincible Summer” is much optimistic, and the songs are about happier subjects.

There are a couple of reasons for this, she has stated. First, lang has found true love – not the unrequited love that has inspired her in the past.
Second, she moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles three years ago, and there is definitely a West Coast summery sound as a result. There are several moments on the album that bring to mind artists like the Mamas and Papas, and the Beach Boys – no bad thing in my book.

There’s also some very lush production, partly down to Damian LeGassick, who was engineer on Madonna’s “Ray of light”. The beginning of the song “Curiosity” even has a fleeting resemblance to a Madonna track.
“Summerfling” has a kind of MOR Beach Boy surf sound – when she’s on stage performing this song lang mimes the actions of surfing. “Love’s great ocean” seems to continue the theme. I love this song, and it’s one of my favourite track on the album. The singing style also recalls Roy Orbison, whom she of course sang the duet of his own song “Crying”.

There are times when the album seems more like easy listening than anything else – “Suddenly” has Burt Bacharach style orchestration, and you could probably dance something like the bossanova to it.
One of the songs which doesn’t work for me is “It’s happening with you”, which sounds like a take-off a la Austin Powers. There’s too much in the song, as well – the Indian sitar-style solo sounds out of place and overall it’s too messy.
My favourite track is “Simple”, with its lovely, hymn-like quality. It has a sparseness and a, well, simplicity, that's just perfect - definitely an example of a song where less is more.

“Invincible Summer” is not my favourite lang album, but it is a strong album (the ‘invincible’ in the title seems highly appropriate), and if you’re at all into easy listening / torch pop, I would recommend it. Or for anyone who wants to be cheered up by the thought of gorgeous hazy summer days…
 

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