Hymns of the 49th Parallel

Submitted by nonesuch on
Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

For her Nonesuch debut, lang assembles a highly personal “Canadian Songbook” in this lushly orchestrated, gorgeously sung contemplation of work by Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Jane Siberry, and others. The Washington Post calls it “an album of triumphant Canadian soul music”; lang’s performance of Cohen’s “Hallelujah” has been called “downright transcendent” by the Boston Herald, “mesmerizing” by The Guardian.

Description

On Hymns of the 49th Parallel, k.d. lang's first for Nonesuch Records, the Canadian songstress fulfills her longstanding desire to create a Canadian songbook. On the album, she pays homage to fellow Canadian artists including Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Jane Siberry, Ron Sexsmith, and Bruce Cockburn.

“These songs are part of my cultural fabric, my Canadian soundtrack. They have nurtured my musical DNA,” lang says. “To recognize and honor the profound impact they have had on me, my approach to interpreting these songs is to sing them as honestly, as purely, and as true to how I heard them as possible, with respect and reverence for the songs and for the songwriters...as hymns...simply songs of praise.”

While countless artists have put forth versions of American standards, the lineage of Canadian songwriters has been all but overlooked. In the absence of an existing Canadian songbook, lang chose to anchor Hymns with a few canonical artists: Mitchell, Cohen, and Young. Siberry, Sexsmith, and Cockburn were included not only because they are among lang’s favorites, but because they show the country’s rich songwriting culture continuing into the present and future.

lang has long been celebrated for her imaginative interpretations. Her fresh takes on country classics—especially on the landmark Shadowland (1988) and the Grammy-winning Absolute Torch and Twang (1989)—were so original and unorthodox that they elicited controversy from country purists, in addition to wide acclaim. On Drag (1997), lang applied her singular style of torch singing to a high-concept album, using smoking as a metaphor to examine the nature of human desire. Most recently, she collaborated with Tony Bennett on a Grammy-winning exploration of American songs. lang is an equally accomplished songwriter, having won vast praise for her self-penned Ingenue (1992) and its follow-up, All You Can Eat (1995).

Hymns is lang’s first album for Nonesuch. Label president Robert Hurwitz has expressed deep enthusiasm about the new relationship: “We have always admired, from a distance, the enormous and original talents of k.d. lang. When it became possible that we actually might be able to work with her, we immediately jumped at the opportunity. And to begin this relationship with a record as moving and brilliant as Hymns is more than we could have ever hoped for.” lang has echoed the sentiment, saying “Nonesuch is, to me, the most exciting roster of artists that exists today, and I’m thrilled to be associated with them.”

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Ben Mink and k.d. lang
Recorded and mixed by David Leonard
Recorded at Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles
Assisted by John Morrical   
Technical assistance: John Musgrave, Russell Nash and David Eaman   
Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering & DVD, Portland, ME
Strings arranged and conducted by Eumir Deodato
Contractor: David Sherr
Copyist: Tom Calderero   
Digital Editing: Ben Mink

Art Direction and Design: SMOG Design
Cover: Oak Tree Snowball 1994 © Andy Goldsworthy, courtesy Andy Goldsworthy and Galerie Lelong New York

Nonesuch Selection Number

79847

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
ns_album_artistid
205
ns_album_id
556
ns_album_releasedate
ns_genre_1
0
ns_genre_2
0
Album Status
Artist Name
kd lang
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
k.d. lang, vocals
Teddy Borowiecki, piano, keyboards, accordion
Ben Mink, acoustic and electric guitars, fiddle (7)
David Piltch, acoustic and electric bass
Clayton Cameron, drums (9)
Violin: Ralph Morrison (concertmaster), Sara Parkins, Tiffany Yi Hu, David Stenske
Viola: Brian Dembow, Cynthia Fogg
Cello: Stephen Erdody, Cecilia Tsan, Armen Ksajikian (5, 9), Larry Corbett (5, 9)

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
UPC
075597984729BUN
Label
MP3
Price
9.00
UPC
075597984767
Label
96/24 HD FLAC
Price
12.00
UPC
075597944211
Label
LP
Price
19.00
UPC
075597943689
  • Hymns of the 49th Parallel
    by

  • 79847

News & Reviews

  • k.d. lang's recording of the song that was Tony Bennett’s first no. 1 hit, “Because of You,” for CBS News Sunday Morning, in memory of her longtime friend, teacher, and musical collaborator, is now available to stream and download. lang is donating her proceeds from the single to the Tony Bennett Legacy Fund of Exploring the Arts, the nonprofit he and his wife Susan Benedetto founded. “‘Because of You’ was the last song Tony sang, just two days before he passed,” Benedetto said. “Hearing k.d.’s beautiful rendition of the song she and Tony sang together brings back wonderful memories and pays tribute to their friendship. As I mentioned to k.d., ‘If Tony were here, he would say only one word after hearing you sing that song, ‘Perfect.’”

  • Congratulations to k.d. lang, who received the 2023 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada’s highest honor in the performing arts, from Governor General Mary Simon at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Friday. The award recognizes artists for having made an indelible contribution to cultural life in Canada and around the world. The six 2023 laureates were honored again at the Awards Gala at the National Arts Centre last night. "I can’t even actually fathom being placed in the same company as the people, the artists who have influenced me so tremendously,” lang said. "Canada has such an embarrassment of riches, so many tremendous artists, and to be bestowed with this honor is unthinkable really ... So, thank you."

  • About This Album

    On Hymns of the 49th Parallel, k.d. lang's first for Nonesuch Records, the Canadian songstress fulfills her longstanding desire to create a Canadian songbook. On the album, she pays homage to fellow Canadian artists including Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Jane Siberry, Ron Sexsmith, and Bruce Cockburn.

    “These songs are part of my cultural fabric, my Canadian soundtrack. They have nurtured my musical DNA,” lang says. “To recognize and honor the profound impact they have had on me, my approach to interpreting these songs is to sing them as honestly, as purely, and as true to how I heard them as possible, with respect and reverence for the songs and for the songwriters...as hymns...simply songs of praise.”

    While countless artists have put forth versions of American standards, the lineage of Canadian songwriters has been all but overlooked. In the absence of an existing Canadian songbook, lang chose to anchor Hymns with a few canonical artists: Mitchell, Cohen, and Young. Siberry, Sexsmith, and Cockburn were included not only because they are among lang’s favorites, but because they show the country’s rich songwriting culture continuing into the present and future.

    lang has long been celebrated for her imaginative interpretations. Her fresh takes on country classics—especially on the landmark Shadowland (1988) and the Grammy-winning Absolute Torch and Twang (1989)—were so original and unorthodox that they elicited controversy from country purists, in addition to wide acclaim. On Drag (1997), lang applied her singular style of torch singing to a high-concept album, using smoking as a metaphor to examine the nature of human desire. Most recently, she collaborated with Tony Bennett on a Grammy-winning exploration of American songs. lang is an equally accomplished songwriter, having won vast praise for her self-penned Ingenue (1992) and its follow-up, All You Can Eat (1995).

    Hymns is lang’s first album for Nonesuch. Label president Robert Hurwitz has expressed deep enthusiasm about the new relationship: “We have always admired, from a distance, the enormous and original talents of k.d. lang. When it became possible that we actually might be able to work with her, we immediately jumped at the opportunity. And to begin this relationship with a record as moving and brilliant as Hymns is more than we could have ever hoped for.” lang has echoed the sentiment, saying “Nonesuch is, to me, the most exciting roster of artists that exists today, and I’m thrilled to be associated with them.”

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    k.d. lang, vocals
    Teddy Borowiecki, piano, keyboards, accordion
    Ben Mink, acoustic and electric guitars, fiddle (7)
    David Piltch, acoustic and electric bass
    Clayton Cameron, drums (9)
    Violin: Ralph Morrison (concertmaster), Sara Parkins, Tiffany Yi Hu, David Stenske
    Viola: Brian Dembow, Cynthia Fogg
    Cello: Stephen Erdody, Cecilia Tsan, Armen Ksajikian (5, 9), Larry Corbett (5, 9)

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Ben Mink and k.d. lang
    Recorded and mixed by David Leonard
    Recorded at Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles
    Assisted by John Morrical   
    Technical assistance: John Musgrave, Russell Nash and David Eaman   
    Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering & DVD, Portland, ME
    Strings arranged and conducted by Eumir Deodato
    Contractor: David Sherr
    Copyist: Tom Calderero   
    Digital Editing: Ben Mink

    Art Direction and Design: SMOG Design
    Cover: Oak Tree Snowball 1994 © Andy Goldsworthy, courtesy Andy Goldsworthy and Galerie Lelong New York