Edwards plays Canadian brand of country rock For some musicians, life on the road provides the best backdrop for creating new material. But for Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards, being at home generates the brightest creative spark. "I prefer songs about people who are living everyday (lives), and it's kind of hard to connect with those people or those stories if you're always chasing your tail and living out of a bunk on a tour bus," she said. It's been three years since Edward's last release, and listeners should find her new album, "Asking For Flowers," well worth the wait. She wrote all 11 songs, a batch of poignant ballads and boot-tapping tunes that find the sweet spot at the crossroads of country, folk and rock. In one of several displays of Canadian cred on the CD, Edwards name-checks longtime professional hockey player Marty McSorley. Currently on tour to support the album, Edwards and her band play The Grey Eagle on Wednesday, with Dan Wilson of Semisonic opening. Before hitting the stage in Burlington, Vt., Edwards, 29, took a moment to talk about the album, fellow Canadian artists and her fondness for four-letter words. Question: What do you draw from as a songwriter? Answer: I draw from those moments when you're sitting and talking to somebody and in their mind, perhaps, something unremarkable is said about themselves. "Asking For Flowers" was a conversation I had with one of my close friends. She said to me the last seven years of my life have been like asking for flowers. I'm sure she might not have even remembered the conversation, but I wrote the song for her. Q: Do you consider yourself a rock or country artist, or just leave labeling to others? A: I don't think it's really my job to figure out what I sound like. I don't care what people call it. They can call it screamo-metal if they want, though I know it's not. My only focus is to try and do something well, whatever that is. Q: You recorded this album in L.A. with players who have worked with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Sheryl Crow - how did that go? A: I got to hear different players approach my songs, which is a great opportunity I couldn't pass up. All the guys he (co-producer Jim Scott) brought in, their resumes are pretty impressive, but they're all people who I would say are my friends now, which is pretty great. Q: Fellow Canadian bands Black Mountain and Stars recently played here, and Feist comes this month. Is this a strong period for music in Canada? A: I think it's true. I think the reason it's happening is because there's a less commercial sense of music in Canada. None of those (artists) gets played on the radio, with the exception of maybe Feist now that's she's broken out. I don't get played on the radio in Canada, and I do here in America. I think that tends to create a culture of people who are motivated by doing something that's good and fun and rewarding on a creative level rather than something that's meant to pay off. Q: Alongside the tender songs, the album hints at a taste for four-letter words - is that true? A: Sometimes I can't help myself. I swear less than I used to, but when I get nervous I start swearing again. My nickname in my late teens and early 20s was potty mouth - that's why I call my company Potty Mouth Productions. Q: Does your husband and lead guitarist Colin Cripps have to resist the urge to give you lessons? A: He's so cool and so helpful. Somedays we'll just have a spontaneous guitar lesson and he'll teach me "Hard Day's Night," or 'The Waiting" by Tom Petty. I've been playing this guitar solo during our shows now. There's no way I could possibly steal his seat, but he's been super supportive of me trying. Michael Flynn Asheville Citizen-Times				Album reviews Feature articles Interviews Show reviews