Since 2006's
Reintarnation
chronicled
k.d. lang
's alt-country beginnings, there was a need for a compilation that focused on her smoky prime, the recordings from
Ingenue
on, the recordings that turned her into a crossover star.
Recollection
, available as either a double-disc or a deluxe set that expands that pair with a disc of live recordings and a DVD of music videos, does just that, painting a portrait of
lang
the modern-day torch singer. In doing so, it repeats a little of
, but even those tunes don't quite possess the wild, almost campy retro-swing of
's early years. Nothing about
is camp: this is all smooth and assured, accentuating
's nuance if not her range, and if this winds up being a little too streamlined, at least it offers a better overall introduction to
's music than her previous compilation. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine