K.D. Lang has always carried a certain amount of baggage on her quest to becoming a queen of country music, not the least of which is her relatively self-conscious background as a performance artist. Lang took this conceptual bull by the horns when she made Shadowland, an arch yet accomplished tribute to her vocal hero, Patsy Cline, recorded with Cline's own producer, Owen Bradley. Now, on Ingenue, Lang has crafted a quietly compelling work that suggests the sort of countrypolitan music that Cline might have sung had she been, well, a Canadian performance artist.

Lang has described her music as torch and twang. This time out, however, she's taken a stroll down the middle of the road. Yet while Ingenue could entertain the same cocktail party as Natalie Cole's Unforgettable, it suggests berets more than beaded gowns. The songs, mostly written by Lang and guitarist Ben Mink, are arranged for small-group accompaniment, with the occasional cello, clarinet and vibraphone (by Gary Burton) lending additional color. The effect is pleasingly intimate and puts proper focus on Lang's voice, a clear-toned jewel embellished with the slurs and blue notes of a jazz singer.

The songs boast melodies that are variously moody ("Save Me"), buoyant ("Miss Chatelaine") and downright bluesy ("Wash Me Clean"). Unfortunately, the lyrics sometimes stretch their vague intentions to precious extremes. On "Tears of Love's Recall," for instance, she offers this imponderable: "The tears of love's recall/Like blood to chocolate fall."

Mostly, however, such lyrics do little to jar the artful execution of songs like "The Mind of Love," on which wispy strings and gently strummed guitars suggest ocean breezes, and "Outside Myself," which builds from moody verses into a stunning, and very direct, chorus. The concluding "Constant Craving" is more elusive, but there's no denying the lift of its propulsive rhythms and joyful harmonies. Lang has taken yet another surprising turn with Ingenue but remains the bohemian belle of a most singular ball. (RS 629)

JOHN MILWARD