Ottawa singer/songwriter Kathleen Edwards’ fifth studio release Total Freedom is her return to music after almost a six-year hiatus and first since her Juno award-winning 2012 release Voyageur. Since Edwards’ stunning 2003 debut Failer, she has become well known for her polished songwriting that focuses on highly emotive colloquial truths often set to lush full-band arrangements. Total Freedom was co-produced by Edwards, longtime collaborator/guitarist Jim Bryson (Punchbuggy), and Nashville-based Grammy Award-winning producer and musician Ian Fitchuk (Kacey Musgraves, Andrew Combs) and focuses on themes of vulnerability, resilience and looking forward optimistically. Album highlights include: the opening track – a song for her ex-husband “Glenfern”; the gorgeous observation of newfound freedom on “Birds on a Feeder”; a song dealing with the loss of a close friend on “Ashes to Ashes”; the charming ode from Edwards to her dog “Who Rescued Who”; the tearjerker “Feelings Fade”; the rocking expression of love “Options Open”; and the tender song inspired by reconnecting with a childhood friend “Simple Math.” It’s clear from Kathleen Edwards’ Total Freedom release that she is living and making music on her own terms, making for another gorgeous set of songs. – Written by JFelton
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