Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers While the Jack Johnsons and John Mayers of the world are making fuzzy little ballads, the women are stepping up to write tough, clear-eyed songs based on real life. Kathleen Edwards' 2003 breakthrough album, Failer, was a fine start, but Asking for Flowers features a strong voice, both literally and figuratively. Whether she's addressing errant lovers or global concerns (in a refreshingly stridence-free style), Edwards is focused, melodic, insightful and, at times, heart-rending. 'There are no headlines /when a black girl dies," she sings in Oh Canada, an indictment of social injustice she sees in her native country. But she's at her best in her love songs, looking for connection in Scared at Night or wistful about an ex-lover in the closing song, Goodnight, California: "I won't let you in my heart / but you are always on my mind." Rating: A Mark Brown rockymountainnews.com				Album reviews Feature articles Interviews Show reviews