Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur Early on, Canadian songstress Kathleen Edwards established a reputation for exceptional output, garnered from songs that draw from a tangled backwoods pastiche and ever-present emotional uncertainty. It's that frayed combination that makes her material a compelling listen even from the get-go. Four albums on, Edwards is still at peak form, slightly less feisty perhaps but no less engaged. Voyageur resonates with the kind of drama and daring that Edwards has been perfecting all along, with songs like "Empty Threat" and "A Soft Place To Land" reflecting a fractured psyche drawn through dense, resonant melodies both powerful and pretty. There's an inherent tension in these tunes, especially evident on "Change the Sheets" and "Side Car," where a pulsating rhythm seems to draw her nearer to an eventual day of reckoning. Yet even in moments of repose, there's strength in her passionate embrace. As a result, songs as sweet and sensual as "House Full Of Empty Rooms" and "Going To Hell" find troubled sentiments that resonate throughout. Ultimately, Edwards is tougher than your average troubadour, but her tenacity and determination make for a striking and sumptuous encounter. DOWNLOAD: "Going To Hell," "Empty Threat," "Change the Sheets" Rating: 7/10 Lee Zimmerman Blurt Magazine				Album reviews Feature articles Interviews Show reviews