Kathleen Edwards' Victorious Voyageur

For nearly a decade Kathleen Edwards has been crafting wonderful gems of music. The Canadian singer-songwriter started out with comparisons to Lucinda Williams but she has evolved over the years into her own musical persona – a little honeyed, a little husky, somewhat vulnerable, somewhat feisty. Her just released new album, Voyageur, continues this evolution. She co-produced this one with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, and the result finds Edwards exploring some new musical turf. The album presents a soft but textured soundscape for Edwards’ songs of traveling (in both the physical and emotional senses), although the guitars do burst through at times too. So far, it seems like an early contender for this year’s top ten discs. “Chameleon/Comedian” stands out particularly for me with lines like “you’re a comedian/you hide behind your funny face” and “every time I don’t need a punch line” as it explores the sense of identity and how we use (and misuse) personas Other memorable songs include the non-escape ode “Empty Threat,” the aptly named “A Soft Place To Face” and the rockin’ “Sidecar.” She establishes a laidback mood on Voyageur that could include a bit more grit and spark but, for the most part, she pulls you in with her alluring tunes. We’ll see how this early-in-the-year release holds up as 2012 unfurls.

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