On her third album,Kathleen Edwardsis poised reach the larger audiences she deserves. More striking on this new release is her stronger vocal and lyrical prowess which makes it apparent that she’s in the zone of her craft. After proving her mettle onprevious outings, she delivers with further conviction and confidence across songs suited for both quiet country roads and late night city bars. Her songs are often delivered with rough edges and heavy, somewhat smoky breath, yet nothing is overstated. As one of the latest great female voices to emerge on the Alt-Country scene, Kathleen Edwards stands tall next to other significant genre partners includingLucinda Williams,Gillian Welch, andPatty Griffin.  In her lyrics she willingly reveals the ghosts in her closet, as well as her own self recriminations, at one point stating that, “Choosing my words carefully / has never been my strength / I’ve been known to be vague and often pointless.” Maybe so, but the essence of her meaning and the tone of its delivery still resonates with lonely hearts and souls driving down life’s dustier roads.--Lucas Hilbert