Kathleen Edwards' Back To Me features 11 new songs that cover an ambitious range of themes, styles and emotions: from the brash bracingly-delivered self-confidence of the driving title cut, to unique takes on matters of the heart, to bruised emotions, climaxing with hard-earned wisdom.

Independent Thief and Old Time Sake (the latter co-written with Peter Cash of The Cash Brothers) are haunted by the ghost of past relationships, whereas Away audibly aches for the comfort of distant friends. Edwards' describes the buoyant Summerlong as "probably the most straightforward I'm-in-love song I will ever write."

If there's a theme running through the album, it is absence; not surprising from someone who put in over 200 shows in support of her debut album Failer and spent the early part of her life traveling with her family. Her father served as a Canadian diplomat and the Edwards clan spent years in both Korea and Switzerland. During that time she studied classical violin but when she returned to Ottawa, she picked up the guitar and began writing songs. Good Things touches on the comforts of family and was inspired by her brother.

Listen to samples:

• In State
• Back To Me
• Pink Emerson Radio
• Independent Thief
• Old Time Sake
• Summerlong
• What Are You Waiting For?
• Away
• Somewhere Else
• Copied Keys
• Good Things