Artist of the Month | Kathleen Edwards

February 2012

Kathleen Edwards

Kathleen Edwards is one of those artists that I didn’t expect to love as much as I do. Perhaps it’s because I find the timbre of her voice somewhat difficult to sing along to, or perhaps it’s because she has shared the stage with Brian Adams. Whatever the reason and music snobbery aside, I honestly really enjoy her music — lyrics, vocals, composition, hooks, production, and all. I had the opportunity to see her live during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver — there were about 30 of us standing outside in the rain under umbrellas, huddled as close to the stage as we could on the far end of a football field. The rain was relentless, the air was chilly, the crowd was small yet engaged, and she happily kept playing and interacting with the audience. And so, with the release of her new album “Voyageur” and its theme of love lost and new love found, I got to reflecting on that outdoor performance in Vancouver and how happy I was standing there next to my new love in the rain, listening to Kathleen Edwards huddled under an umbrella. It’s reminiscent of the rejuvenating and heart-pounding joy that comes through in the song, “Change The Sheets” and even more so – “Sidecar“. While I listen, I can’t help but feel a genuine sense of happiness for Kathleen Edwards and the new life she’s sharing with Justin Vernon.

Here’s the title track from her second latest album “Asking for Flowers”, which is one of my favorites on the album along with “Goodnight, California”…