The UK's New Statesman interviewed k.d. lang just before the release of her new album, Watershed, and her concerts next week in Glasgow and London. Asked whether art can make a difference in the world, she answers unequivocally, "Without a doubt. Art exercises the muscle that allows us to see objects and life as portals into the human spirit." To read the interview, visit newstatesman.com.

Also in the UK, the Evening Post out of Nottingham names Watershed an Album of the Week. Reviewer Alex Sarll gives the record four stars, writing that its "languidly smoky late-night laments are at times reminiscent of Leonard Cohen or alt.country, at others almost jazzy." He calls Watershed "a timeless yet affecting collection." To read the review, visit thisisnottingham.co.uk.