Watershed - KD Lang

Multiple award winner KD Lang is back with her eighth studio album. The Canadian songstress seems to be promoting this album as somewhat of a defining point in her career – the album’s title Watershed means “an important point of division or transition between two phases”.

Lang is in fine form with this album of country-style songs. Her toned down sound and poetic lyrics make for an album that, while unlikely to set the world of the pop charts on fire, certainly makes for an hour of pleasant listening.

Lang is in fine form with this album of country-style songs. Her toned down sound and poetic lyrics make for an album that, while unlikely to set the world of the pop charts on fire, certainly makes for an hour of pleasant listening.

However, Lang’s lyrics do contain content that Christians ought to be wary of. ‘I Dream of Spring’ is a strong song that opens the album well. The lyrics bring up a somewhat controversial issue – that of Lang’s sexual orientation. “She arrives like autumn in a rainstorm…I’ll return to my love,” sings Lang. Lang does not seek to draw great attention to her hitherto well-publicised lesbian lifestyle. It is merely referred to in this song, and others throughout the album, as a part of her life that is widely known about and accepted, which it is.

Yet to brush over the lyrics would be to condone Lang’s lifestyle. A plain reading of the Bible suggests that that homosexual behaviour and lifestyle is not condoned for God’s people. Homosexuality is one manifestation of how humans, in their sinfulness, embrace an expression of sexuality outside of God’s intention for his creation.

Lang tries to provoke deeper thought in the song ‘Thread’. “It’s sad to me how quickly we define what is wrong with yours is right with mine. You’d think that we could learn to let things slide, just let things slide,” she sings.

Lang is preaching a message of tolerance. To Lang, it seems it would be better if everyone just ignored what is wrong in the world, and in other people. It would be better to just “let things slide”. Sadly, the problem with this view is that sin does not go away if you ignore it. If anything, ignoring sin only serves to make the problem worse. Clearly, tolerance isn’t going to help when it comes to sinful behaviour. Neither is refusing to acknowledge that there is a problem, which is what Lang seeks to do.

The Christian knows that the best thing to do with sin is to confess it and ask for forgiveness from God, who is gracious. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”.

Given Lang does not appear to be a professing Christian, her sexuality is merely one symptom, not the root cause, of her lack of relationship with God. To elevate Lang’s homosexuality as somehow more sinful than other expressions of sexuality outside of marriage between a man and woman as they are articulated in countless other pop songs would be hypocrisy and ultimately homophobic.

However, as Christians, we must speak boldly when questioned on the issue of human sexuality and why we seek to meet God’s standards. As we do so, we should speak humbly and lovingly but not be afraid to clearly articulate why we cannot accept worldviews such as Lang’s defense of her choice to practice lesbianism.

Lang also explores some worthwhile themes throughout the album, such as the concept of home. However, the idea of home is only explored superficially and it would be nice to know more about Lang’s ideas of home.

Overall, this is another solid album from Lang. Her fans will not be disappointed. She has met all expectations regarding her songwriting and performing skills and the ideas she explores.

The themes Lang raises regarding tolerance and the idea of home could very easily be the basis for some interesting discussions with non-Christian friends, or for evaluating how your own ideals compare with those commonly held in today’s culture.