Kathleen Edwards makes great strides on 'Voyageur' For nearly a decade, since 2003's Failer, Kathleen Edwards has been a reliable critics' darling, wielding her light, clean voice with a wry minimalism that can either enchant or alienate. Voyageur, her first full-length release since 2008's Asking for Flowers, seems an effort to broaden her musical and emotional palettes a bit. Edwards enlisted co-writers for a few tunes, and she produced the album with a new collaborator: Justin Vernon, frontman of Bon Iver, as well as Edwards' boyfriend. The results can seem warmer and more open than Edwards' past material. The shift is subtle, aiming to beguile the listener without force. The chunky Mint is as close as Voyageur gets to a rocker; it's introduced and sustained by a muscular guitar riff that evokes Sheryl Crow's My Favorite Mistake but also emphasizes Edwards' lack of vocal heft. Edwards puts the emphasis on ballads. A Soft Place to Land is among her loveliest to date. "Calling it quits/You think this is easy?" Edwards sings, and there's no coyness in her irony. One senses that Voyageur was an empowering journey for Edwards. Though it wouldn't be her style to boast of any revelations, people are encouraged to listen and decide for themselves. Download: A Soft Place to Land, Going to Hell, Pink Champagne Rating: 3 out of 4 Elysa Gardner USA Today				Album reviews Feature articles Interviews Show reviews