Kathleen Edwards - Failer

I usually don't go for the alt.country thing, just because it makes me think of the Ass Ponies, who are good in their own special way but not for daily consumption... And I find a lot of folky, acoustic guitar and effected lyrics that way- trying. Kathleen Edwards' Failer, however, was a pleasant suprise. Her gravelly voice and wry wit lines her honest and vulnerable songs with the same likeability as her rocky, rambling acoustic guitar. She's special, man. Why? Just an all-round good record. Some abstract lyrics ("The Lone Wolf") and some downright black-comedy ("Westby") thrown together with some down-and-dirty grit. Edwards' album is, by lyrical standards, far from easy listening, as you find yourself humming the songs but would prefer not to sing the lyrics aloud, as they aren't the most simple fluff others may prefer. You can hear shades of Neil Young in "Six O'Clock News", which is undeniably catchy but the subject (the narrator's lover is barracaded in a room and being covered by the news) is far from the droll, boring wails that populate lots of the music world's climate. Everyone who I played this album for found it instably likeable, and it took me awhile to take it out of the cd player. This is one of those albums that give you hope in the music industry, because this witty, mirth-ridden and sheepishly honest album is saturated with good stuff. But the magical bit is, I have a feeling this young woman is hardly trying to win you (the pointed "One More Song the Radio Won't Like" gives it away) over, nor is trying to be anything but... wow, herself. Haven't seen that kind of music in awhile, eh? The slowly-rising hype around this album is warranted, believe me. It's addictive and great, Failer, and I expect good music from Ms. Edwards in the future. [www.kathleenedwards.com]