These recordings come from a time when k d was much more country, but it's country that makes you want to move your feet! The voice is the same, strong, crystalline force of nature that we know and love. I highly recommend this CD for any fans of Ms. Lang's.


Square peg to 80s country's round hole   March 18, 2005
Greg Brady (Capital City)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful

It's immediately easy to see why Canadian K.D. Lang didn't "make it" with country radio in the States when this released.

As of 1987, country radio was predominantly a sort of acoustic based pop with some occasional banjo or steel guitar. "Turn Me Round" is a difficult to categorize stew of rock guitar, banjo and fiddle, with hillbilly whoops. The fact that it included a tribute to something as passe as square dancing was anathema to the "Urban Cowboy" attitude running country radio. This isn't to say there's anything WRONG with this CD: there was something wrong with radio.

Lang and her band the Reclines (named after her musical hero Patsy Cline) make music here that respects country's traditional sounds while simultaneously making ironic fun of them and folding in other influences from doo-wop to rock, coupling it with intelligently crafted lyrics. In fact, the writing is probably TOO intelligent for mass consumption: When's the last time you heard someone make a road song that used malnutrition as a metaphor for homesickness? ("Diet of Strange Places")

HIGHLIGHTS:
The kinetic "Turn Me Round" gets things off to a real bang. "Diet of Strange Places" is a clever road song (a country take on Bob Seger's "Turn the Page") and "Got the Bull by the Horns" is a zippy celebration of the Don Juanita life (Well, do YOU have a feminine expression for 'ladie's man'?) "Rose Garden" is a very modern sounding take on the Lynn Anderson smash. "Tune into my Wave" is a clever plea for some different driving music. She also turns in an impassioned cover of country classic "Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray".

LOW POINTS:
"Watch Your Step Polka" is probably an enjoyable live novelty about the difficulties inherent in two stepping in a cow pasture, but it doesn't bear repeat listening. "High Time for a Detour" isn't really memorable. "Angel with a Lariat" probably was NOT the one she should have named the album after. It's an odd combination of rockabilly guitar and 50s "Your Hit Parade" style harmony vocal that doesn't really work for me.

BOTTOM LINE:
Too many miscues to call it great, but sufficient notice that a great new artist was in the making.

3 1/2 stars


Great CD   November 16, 2004
E. Barra (Plano, TX USA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

I don't often write reviews, but I just loved this CD. K.D. Lang has a powerful voice but it is obvious she had a lot of fun making Angel with a Lariat. Highly recommend it for those who love country..and K.D. Lang.


One toe-tappin' diddy!   April 30, 2000
Robby Varner (Atlanta,, Ga. USA)
10 out of 14 found this review helpful

It'd remarkable how JD has changed styles over the years. But this is still one of the best for her. Very energetic and diverse with the cajun sounds of "Got the bull by the horns", the danceable Lynn Anderson remake of "Rose Garden", the hip-country "Tune into my wave"and "High time...", the nostalgic country feel of "Diet of strange places", and the waltz-style of "Three cigarettes...". This would have made Patsy happy! Note: the Reclines are named after her! Unfortunately this style came 10 years too early. Given a gorgeous face and a bare belly button KD could have locked horns with Shania with this CD.


kd's VERY BEST   December 3, 2005
Richard Smith (baltimore, md USA)
2 out of 4 found this review helpful

Before she smaltzed out on easy listening music kd was a great country music singer and songwriter. Nothing can compare to the her live shows I saw in the late 80's (Al Gore was sitting at the next table at one of those) but this CD comes darn close. Exciting music and great songs with her incredible singing combine for a truly wonderful CD.