Sing It Loud

K.D. Lang is once again with a band

Two decades have passed since the last time K.D. Lang released a studio album working with a band. She cooperated with The Reclines, a name remembered only by those who have followed the Canadian crooner’s career tightly all these years. Other listeners know Lang as an author of great many solo and collaborative records, made in different times, executed in different genres and released by different labels. The only thing that embraced them all was the top level of Lang’s singing as many would consider her Canadian’s vocalist number one of the present time. While working on the new editions of records she made with The Reclines, K.D., what seems very likely, went so much into the process that it made her long for another collaboration with a full-format outfit. This might be the reason why she joined a band called Siss Boom Bang to make the Sing It Loud album, released in spring 2011. What is worth attention is that the ensemble’s musicians did not just help her do it, but stand as co-creators of this artwork as they also did the song-writing.

Country and pop hybrid

Lang reached so much understanding and coordination with the guys from Siss Boom Bang that Sing It Loud was ready before the scheduled time. The CD features ten songs. Lang brought what we wanted and hoped her to bring, her voice in perfect shape, which became the album’s highlight. The band provided the album with country-rock sounding, something similar to what Lang’s first solo efforts were about. However the singer’s recent involvement in pop-music format, apparent on her last albums, had its impact on this record too. We do not have pure country here, but rather a sort of hybrid. The whole bunch of songs can be divided into low-tempo ballads with sometimes lulling effect, and soft, summer-flavored songs like the title track. This music posed no difficulties for Lang as a vocalist as her voice sounds confident and free. This makes the album very much alike with the singer’s recent solo efforts. The mood of the set varies from light romantic in I Confess to restless A Sleep With o Dreaming. The emotional intensity here is guaranteed by Lang’s easily recognized vocal manner suggesting gasps and something close to sobs in between the actual lines.

A good album without big mistakes

What can be called experimental or not like the other tracks of Sing It Loud is the blues-touched Perfect World and the remake to Heaven by Talking Heads. The remaining pieces are good and sweet, although lacking some originality. This is what makes Sing It Loud produces an impression of a well-organized coherent work with each fragment and aspect following if not one idea, then one atmosphere. This credit goes to the album’s producer Joe Pisapia who, by the way, penned half of the tracks. Not even Lang’s most ardent fans will have courage enough to call this album an outstanding endeavor. At the same time neither could there be those who would find one big mistake in this work. The given album is a good witness confirming that K.D. Lang is fine, working and taking pleasure in her working. To her supporters, whose number is growing ever more, this is the most important conclusion they can make after listening to this nice record.