Brooke Fraser - Flags (2010)

Flags is a dreamy, alternative-pop collection that showcases her agile soprano, lilting melodies, and knack for telling her stories through the lives of vibrant characters on songs like ''Betty'' (co-written with Switchfoot's Jon Foreman and Ben West of Detroit indie duo The Real Efforts of Real People), ''Crows and Locusts,'' '' Jack Kerouac,'' and ''Ice on Her Lashes.'' ''I've never used as many characters or as much narrative in my songwriting as I have on this record,'' Fraser says. ''On my previous albums [2003's What To Do With Daylight and 2008's Albertine], I was singing completely as myself, which is why I think I got so burnt out from touring. Albertine was inspired by incredibly significant events and people and every time I'd sing I'd go back to that moment where my heart was ripped open. So singing such heavy songs nearly every night for three years took a toll. On Flags, it's still me speaking, but it's me speaking through the voices of different characters and their stories. It's more survivable.'' The album also features a co-written duet with Aqualung's Matt Hales, titled ''Who Are We Fooling?''.