Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim

LauraMarling.com
Myspace.com/LauraMarling



CD Tracklisting
1. Ghosts
2. Old Stone
3. Tap at My Window
4. Failure
5. You’re No God
6. Cross Your Fingers
7. Crawled Out of the Sea (Interlude)
8. My Manic and I
9. Night Terror
10. The Captain and the Hourglass
11. Shine
12. Your Only Doll (Nora)


Laura Marling, Laura Marling…what can I say about Laura Marling? I could say a lot about Laura Marling, to be perfectly honest with you. I could write for days and days about this girl. Her album Alas, I Cannot Swim, is, to put it simply, mindblowing.

So young in her years and so different than many other young artists out there, Marling is in a league of her own. “Ghosts” opens the album, which continues to progress and grow more and more stunning with each track. Some songs chilling and eerie, some heart-warming.

She sings of tales of the heart, and usually love loss in such a way that makes the listener, me in this case, just marvel at her song writing ability long after the album has finished. The sound of her quiet, yet strong voice, and the plucking of guitar strings stays in your mind long after silence has taken over. Its all in the details for Ms. Marling, from the subtle background sounds of birds softly singing, to the album artwork that make this truly a piece of art.

Her song, “The Captain and the Hourglass” is a perfect example of the writing ability this girl possesses. Its lyrics like “The wind and I, we speak the same, but he don't hear so well. You're gonna have to curse him, well you're gonna have to yell.” that prove she is well ahead of her years, and well above artists like Lily Allen and Adele, who she is often compared to.

To say that Laura Marling is a talented artist is an understatement. Whether it be her shy, humble manner which she so gracefully possesses during live performances and interviews, to her lyrics, Laura Marling has a worldly wisdom that most musicians and writers can only dream about possessing. I could still go on and on about Laura Marling. Her music has so many layers, and each song can be interpreted in so many ways that its difficult to stop pondering about this woman. She is more than a mediocre, yet popular artist enjoying her 15 minutes of fame, or some musician NME has fallen for, to only be forgotten about in a year or so. There’s a lot more to come from this young woman, who has the ability to send a shudder down the spine of any listener.


Review by Kirstie Millar


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