Hymns of the 49th Parallel is possibly the most perfect album Canada has ever produced, and this two-song promotional video may just be beautiful enough to do it justice. I’ve followed kd lang since she was a two-bit Edith Prickley impersonator bopping around on Tommy Hunter‘s show [originally wrote “bopping around on Tommy Hunter” but realized that, to non-Canadians, this would give entirely the wrong impression!] and her voice has just gotten better over time. This lovely black and white video brings these two lovely and contemplative songs to life in a uniquely Canadian way. I hope you like them (if you can’t hear them, go somewhere you can; don’t just sit there!).
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I agree, it is a brilliant, if entirely mellow, album. Love her Neil Young & Cohen renditions as well.
Lovely, thanks. My first recollections of her are Peter Gwzoski interviews (they obviously had great rapport) & her outfit at the Juno awards when she bounded up to the stage dressed in a bridal gown & cowboy boots! She’s always seemed so comfortable with who she is.
Wondered if you’ve seen/heard this video from her website which features not only excerpts from many of the songs but also her thoughts about them.
great stuff. i prefer her interpretation of cohen, though. something mysterious and beautiful happens to ‘Hallelujah’ when she sings it. ‘though, granted, she has quite a lot to work with when it comes to cohen lyrics!
Yes. Cohen is much like Bob Dylan, in that yes, he’s a brilliant writer, but he’s not always the best vocal delivery system for those lyrics. kd lang is the best.
Cohen is permanently flat. It’s one of the elements that makes his work so compelling. But very little stands up to his poetics.
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