Kathleen Edwards: Asking For Flowers It has been three years since Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards released the well-received Back to Me, but the layoff hasn't affected the singer's grit and urgency on Asking for Flowers. These 11 songs, recorded with a studio band that included pedal steel player Greg Leisz ( Sheryl Crow) and Heartbreaker Benmont Tench, unfold with a quiet grace that combines lovely tunes with articulate lyrics. A testament to Edwards' skills is "Alicia Ross," an old-school folk ballad based on the true story of a woman brutally murdered by a neighbor. In Edwards' hands, the tale unfolds with patient lyricism that exposes the harrowing emotion without reducing it to melodrama. On the cheerier side, "I Make the Dough, You get the Glory" is a road warrior's odyssey flavored by pedal steel and some warm Hammond B-3 organ. For Edwards, that road has made her into a gifted songwriter. On Asking for Flowers, that's apparent on songs steeped in history ("Oil Man's War") or timely topics such as the environment and social unrest ("Oh Canada"). Whatever the focus, Asking for Flowers is an evocative hybrid of country, folk and rock that shows Edwards is still blossoming. Jim Abbott orlandosentinel.com				Album reviews Feature articles Interviews Show reviews