Another wonderful offering
Not much that this woman does is mediocre. This is another great album and she makes you think she's singing all about you.

Pouring it all out
For her first album of originals since 2000's Invincible Summer, kd lang hearkens back to all the music she's made in the last 25 years. There are touches of her Absolute Torch and Twang country brilliance, the snazzy chanteuse who blossomed on Ingénue and the lush, smokey voice that has carried across all her work from the beginning. It also marks her transition to a mature singer/songwriter.

"Watershed" may be comprised mostly of love songs, but they are subtle takes on the gift. "Coming Home" (the best song here) is exquisitely written; can you name any songwriters of late who can work a word like 'minutiae' into their lyrics? Didn't think so. The heavy handed Moon/June type of love songs are 100% absent from "Watershed," replaced by such delights as "Flame of The Uninspired" or "I Dream Of Spring." The songs are often underscored with gorgeous string charts. It's Lang's first attempt at self-production, and she acquits herself nicely.

Unfortunately, what keeps this album from a more inspiring rating is the fact that it never perks up past low-to-mid tempo. The biggest kicks come from the clever "Upstream," and the country growler that closes the CD, "Jealous Dog." "Dog" is the only song that breaks from the immaculate middle of the road sound. By just setting itself around Lang and her piano/banjo playing, it breaks the mold enough to be a standout. It's an issue that also haunted her prior Nonesuch CD, Hymns of the 49th Parallel, which bogged down under too many low-key songs.

While "Watershed" doesn't fail in its mission to soothe and relax, kd lang has shown multiple times that she is capable of delivering far more. This album is a pleasant, immaculately crafted work, but in the end, it's just immaculate craft. Lang has, in the past, produced art...and "Watershed" falls short of that mark.

Good KD
Good record. Very KD. Nice to add something new to the music collection. Think I'll listen to it now.

gorgeous voice
I became a kd lang fan about 20 years ago when she was recording jazzy country western (I thought, stupid me, that she was from Austin TX...). This cd is like her 48th Parallel released about 5 years ago is not much at all like her twangy CW days. Instead, Watershed and 48th, really showcase her amazing vocal range--sultry, smooth, strong, soaring. This cd is well-worth the ticket price. That's she not from Austin really doesn't matter....

Drip, Drip
KD Lang's hypnotic, elegant voice feels squandered by uninspiring lyrics. Best used as a cure for insomnia.