Album Description: Kathleen Edwards' Asking for Flowers is her first new album in three years, and the acclaimed artist's most penetrating collection to date. The album features eleven new songs, all written by Edwards, and finds her performing at the peak of her creative powers, supported by a group of master backing musicians. Flowers tells indelible, clear-eyed stories of hope and resignation, humor and death, unconditional love and brazen inequality.
Co-produced by Edwards and Jim Scott (Tom Petty, Whiskeytown), the album features, among others, keyboardist Benmont Tench from The Heartbreakers, drummer Don Heffington (Bob Dylan, The Wallflowers), bassist Bob Glaub (Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, Leonard Cohen), guitarist Colin Cripps (Sarah McLachlan, Bryan Adams), and pedal steel ace Greg Leisz (Sheryl Crow, Wilco, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss).
Amazon.com: After a three-year hiatus to catch up on life in her native Ontario, Kathleen Edwards has done nothing to separate herself from the small pool of North America’s fast-rising songwriters, in which she is a deeply immersed member. Her third album continues her clear-minded, open-hearted lyricism, though with a ripeness that comes from years on the road and years more to reflect. Edwards remains in a tug-of-war with matters of the heart, and she’s not afraid slyly to nudge the opposite side. "I’m a Ford Tempo (and) you’re my Maserati," she sings in "I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory." It's a get-lost love song similar in tone to "The Cheapest Key," which finds the storyteller alphabetizing her romantic tribulations. Even the gorgeous melody of the title song is offset by the concession that a simple bouquet is not too much to ask in return. As the record’s co-producer, Edwards has assembled a cracker-jack studio band (led by Heartbreakers’ keyboardist Benmont Tench and pedal steel virtuoso Greg Leisz), and she turns it loose on "Oh Canada," a nod to her home nation, and "Oil Man’s War," which speculates that a permanent trip to that country may be a viable alternative to life south of the border. --Scott Holter
The Perfect Melding of Heart and Head "Don't be like that," she sings in "Buffalo," the wonderfully orchestrated opening song from Asking for Flowers. The poinancy of her plea is evident in a voice that is at once beautiful and bereft. No one today can fashion lyrics with more honesty and insight than Canadian, Kathleen Edwards. Her songs, with indelible snapshot imagery, world-weariness, and masterfully produced music, generate in the active listener empathy, compassion and, for those who've been wounded by Love, unmistakable recognition. Like visiting a great museum, listeners will come away from Asking for Flowers with a heightened awareness of their hearts, and their sensibilities. Great Art will do this every time, for those willing to go deep enough to experience it. And they will be left feeling thankful that Kathleen Edwards, as she did in her previous releases (Failer and Back to Me), has once more gone deep enough to create her art for us. This is a great record by a profoundly talented singer-songwriter.
Yet Another Canadian Gem This is my first Kathleen Edwards album and I love it! How do the Canadians continue to produce such talent? Edwards is a beautiful blend of Dido and Edie Brickell; and the guitar work and keyboard/violin is reminiscent of Mark Knopfler. The melodies are beautiful; the song writing is romantic, evocative and brings tears to one's eyes. Play it alone, quite loud, and dance!
Pulls you in with repeated listens This album has snuck up on me. There were a few tracks I liked right away--'Oh Canada', 'Scared at Night'--but others have emerged as favorites. 'Run' is heartbreakingly beautiful. And there's more where that came from.
Goodnight California. This is probably Kathleen's best album to date, though it is hard for me to choose between this and 'Failer' which I also adore. I found 'Back To Me' a bit bland and disappointing and wasn't intending to purchase this new album, but when I heard it streamed online I was hooked and fell in love.
Asking for flowers. Kathleen Edwards Not really one of my favorite artists, but still enjoyable enough to be played now and then, the critics here in Sweden gave her a high rating so I ordered the CD because I got curious about her. Regards; Richard Naess
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