Canadian singer / songwriter Kathleen Edwards had a seemingly effortless breakthrough in 2003 with her debut album Failer. Blessed with a warm, expressive voice, the classically trained Edwards is good at writing catchy and profound songs in which folk, pop and country (rock) resound. Music that at the same time doesn't bite anywhere (like colleague Lucinda Williams can) but rather draws americana
… towards the mainstream. She perfects this sound on her third album. After the opener Buffalo, Edwards sounds downright poppy in The Cheapest Key to end with the bombastic and almost epic Goodnight California via trips along solid country rock (Oil Man's War, Scared At Night) and quiet songs (Alicia Ross, Sure As Shit). The screeching strings came from her own pen. Asking For Flowers was exemplary and tightly produced by Jim Scott (Whiskeytown). Edwards is a Sunday child who, with another exemplary record, certainly does not have to ask for flowers himself. (MR)more
