Perfect Albums No. 3 :: Failer

Kathleen Edwards: Failer No no no. I am not running out of albums already, nor am I stuck in a rut. This woman is just that good. If you will recall, Perfect Album No. 2 was Back to Me also by Kathleen. I am so enamoured with both records that I have to make Failer the next installment. Failer is Kathleen's first. If every artist put out a first album like this...well, I guess I don't know. There would be a lot of legendary first albums. Every song is not just good, it is SOGOOOOD!!! Say that in a gushy kinda way and you'll get where I'm going. We start off with a ditty every folk-rock record should start out with...something about someone ending up dead. "Six O'Clock News" was one Ben and I frequently covered, and it's subtle enough that you really have to pay attention to know it's about a SWAT situation gone wrong. Otherwise it's just catchy. Kathleen Edwards – Six O'Clock News Tracks 5 - 9 are perhaps the most brilliant succession of songs on any album I own. We start off with current favorite 12 Bellevue, with its horn section and crunchy guitar riff. And the guitars even sound like...bells. It's amazing. "I'm not gonna truce...cause in the end either way I still lose. And I'm not gonna wait, I was thinking about drinking my way through the day." Tell us how you really feel, Kathleen. Kathleen Edwards – 12 Bellevue Next up we have sweet, sad "Mercury." The first line is..."Wanna go get high? Mercury's parked outside under the light." But Kathleen does her job as commissioned by Nancy Reagan and points out, "It's like you said...woulda turned up dead in the car." Whoa. Ponder it while you hum. Kathleen Edwards – Mercury My, that's a perky "NO!" Moving right along we have "Westby," a jaunty little ditty that has perhaps the best hook ever. That's right, I'll put it on the line right now. This song contains THE BEST HOOK EVER AND EVER AMEN. What is it? "If you weren't so old I would probably keep you. If you weren't so old I'd tell my friends...but I don't think your wife would like my friends." I can't say anything else, I just can't. Kathleen Edwards – Westby And to round out this song grouping we have "Maria" which...I'm not sure what it's about but it rocks. More genius electric guitar and some killer background vocals. And then Failer takes you out nice and sweetly with a couple of mournful tracks in the form of "National Steel" and "Sweet Little Duck." Then you press "play" again and start all over. The best news?? The absolute BEST? Kathleen's got a blog. Heck yeahs. Props to Canada.