k.d. lang: Invincible Summer : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

On "Invincible Summer," k.d. lang reorchestrates the relaxed loveliness of Sixties Southern California pop and, to a lesser extent, Brazilian music. "Summerfling," the first single, finds lang gliding through a tune wherein she and her "newfound thing" laugh and run on the beach "with Kennedy flair." The music is often quick-paced fluff with the retro exactness, and the soul, of a Pottery Barn sofa. But for the most part, lang's lighter musical tack encourages her to retire the galloping self-regard that can cancel the attractiveness of her voice. This is true of "Love's Great Ocean," an Orbison-esque ballad that recalls lang's career-best 1987 duet with Orbison himself, "Crying," and "What Better Said," in which she meshes well with producer Damian leGassick's subtle electronics. And "Only Love," a freshly arranged ballad in which both she and leGassick shine simply, is among her best tracks ever: k.d. lang without bells and whistles. (RS 844/845)

JAMES HUNTER