MOGstars 10/10Laura Marling cuts an odd figure in the centre of the record store, guitar in hand. Seeming a little startled by the crowd, she keeps her gaze fixed straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with the crowd, and her attempts to chatter with her fans are suppressed and timid. But then she did only turn 18 a fortnight ago. The precociously talented youngster is barely old enough to drink, but has already notched up two years of touring (indeed, sometimes falling foul of venues’ over-18s policies) and marked her entry into adulthood with the release of her debut album. Yet while most teenage songstresses turn out to be the carefully nurtured experiments of self-interested svengalis, Marling is a folk sensation second to none.From the off she allays any fears that she may be a triumph of marketing spin, as opening track Ghosts shines with lyrical and musical panache. The rapidly plucked guitar and stream of consciousness lyrics seem very much of age, the bittersweet love song is far more mature and eloquent than your average 18 year old; the refrain “It’s not like I believe in everlasting love†as reassuringly grown up as it is depressingly cynical.You’re No God sounds equally tethered to the ground, Marling dispensing settling advice through accomplished metaphors that once again point to a wisdom beyond her years. Yet this is constantly offset by the whimsical nature of Marling’s voice, which still flows with a child-like softness, whilst the use of a toy xylophone heightens the juxtaposition of innocence with world-weariness.The title track, somewhat annoyingly inseparably tied to final track Your Only Doll (Dora), once more demonstrates the disarming maturity Marling possesses. Sounding in parts like a sadness wrapped nursery rhyme, it harks back to folk’s musical and melancholy roots, as our heroine laments being cut off from the “life across the river†as she regrets never being able to jump in. The entire folk cast is assembled, the unreachable lover, rejected wealth and endless longing into a beautifully lilting track that pulls at the heart as much as it does the ears.With out doubt Laura Marling is a prodigious talent. Her lyrics sparkle with a surprising wisdom and experience, even the dark My Manic and I resonates with a delicate beauty, covering a most sensitive subject with a deft tenderness, whilst retaining a truly adult pessimism. At the same time the music is perfectly matched, echoing the youth of her voice it masks the harshness of the lyrics with a softness and sweetness that never verges on the saccharine, lightening with out trivialising the darkness. As a debut this record is impressive, for an eighteen year old it is even more so. To see such complexity in any artist is refreshing, in her it is almost sickening. She may seem a little uncomfortable before the crowd, but when she lets her songs do the talking Laura Marling will silence any critic. In a world where critics label every truculent male troubadour the new Dylan, we may just have met the new Mitchell.
deadmandeadman says
??**MOGstars 10/10 Laura Marling cuts an odd figure in the centre of the record store, guitar in hand.**??
does this mean you rate the performance at 10 MOG stars out of a possible 10?
Or is MOGstar 10/10 some sort of MOGterm I'm unfamiliar with?
All of the above?
Whatever.
Your beautifully phrased; ??Yet while most teenage songstresses turn out to be the carefully nurtured experiments of self-interested Svengali, Marling is a folk sensation second to none.?? caught my eye and has excited my senses. I shall look for this, thanks. Just for clarity, the name of the cd is.......?
Jonh Ingham says
Of all the women crowding the stage at the moment, Laura is the one for me who has cut through the noise. I really enjoyed reading a report that was honest and not fed through the "pro" media. Thanks Jox - great review.
Joxley says
Deadman - the 10/10 is for the album, I've been using the term a couple of months for record reviews. Oh and the album is called _Alas, I cannot swim_
Baines, indeed she is, good spot.
MeadowlakeSt says
oh, i forgot something. i fear i have to disagree here:
"The title track, somewhat annoyingly inseparably tied to final track Your Only Doll (Dora), once more demonstrates the disarming maturity Marling possesses."
now, "your only doll (dora)" is the track i like least, i think, but i love the way it fades out, or, rather how you can hear the birds chirping in the end, how they continue to chirp and then the "hidden" track "alas i cannot swim" (one of my favourites) begins. simply awesome.
it's an album worth listening to from beginning to end anyways. :)
MOGstars 10/10Laura Marling cuts an odd figure in the centre of the record store, guitar in hand. Seeming a little startled by the crowd, she keeps her gaze fixed straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with the crowd, and her attempts to chatter with her fans are suppressed and timid. But then she did only turn 18 a fortnight ago. The precociously talented youngster is barely old enough to drink, but has already notched up two years of touring (indeed, sometimes falling foul of venues’ over-18s policies) and marked her entry into adulthood with the release of her debut album. Yet while most teenage songstresses turn out to be the carefully nurtured experiments of self-interested svengalis, Marling is a folk sensation second to none.From the off she allays any fears that she may be a triumph of marketing spin, as opening track Ghosts shines with lyrical and musical panache. The rapidly plucked guitar and stream of consciousness lyrics seem very much of age, the bittersweet love song is far more mature and eloquent than your average 18 year old; the refrain “It’s not like I believe in everlasting love†as reassuringly grown up as it is depressingly cynical.You’re No God sounds equally tethered to the ground, Marling dispensing settling advice through accomplished metaphors that once again point to a wisdom beyond her years. Yet this is constantly offset by the whimsical nature of Marling’s voice, which still flows with a child-like softness, whilst the use of a toy xylophone heightens the juxtaposition of innocence with world-weariness.The title track, somewhat annoyingly inseparably tied to final track Your Only Doll (Dora), once more demonstrates the disarming maturity Marling possesses. Sounding in parts like a sadness wrapped nursery rhyme, it harks back to folk’s musical and melancholy roots, as our heroine laments being cut off from the “life across the river†as she regrets never being able to jump in. The entire folk cast is assembled, the unreachable lover, rejected wealth and endless longing into a beautifully lilting track that pulls at the heart as much as it does the ears.With out doubt Laura Marling is a prodigious talent. Her lyrics sparkle with a surprising wisdom and experience, even the dark My Manic and I resonates with a delicate beauty, covering a most sensitive subject with a deft tenderness, whilst retaining a truly adult pessimism. At the same time the music is perfectly matched, echoing the youth of her voice it masks the harshness of the lyrics with a softness and sweetness that never verges on the saccharine, lightening with out trivialising the darkness. As a debut this record is impressive, for an eighteen year old it is even more so. To see such complexity in any artist is refreshing, in her it is almost sickening. She may seem a little uncomfortable before the crowd, but when she lets her songs do the talking Laura Marling will silence any critic. In a world where critics label every truculent male troubadour the new Dylan, we may just have met the new Mitchell.
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