Review // Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can

Laura Marling, eminent folk genius who previously brought us  tuneful brilliance with debut album, Alas, I Cannot Swim, and early EPs My Manic And I and London Town, returns to the scene with that same poetic lyricism and earthy honesty that we love. The 20 year old singer-songwriter’s latest LP, made up largely of Marling’s warm vocals and trusty guitar, not to mention the odd tambourine, is intimate and touching. A poignant backing violin and Marling’s raw softness, coupled with profound lyricism, make ‘Blackberry Stone’ and ‘Goodbye England’ tender enough to draw a tear to the eye.

Taking sounds reminiscent of the emotionally intimate creations of The Mouldy Peaches, and the dramatic catharsis of an early Fleetwood Mac, and adding her own uniquely modern take to folk-pop, Laura Marling creates an ever-flowering genre of her own. A developed sense of  maturity and feminine responsibility distinctly airs itself in I Speak Because I Can, and is set to meet if not outstrip the expectations of all hardened Marling fans, and strikingly resonate with the unfortunate folk-pop virgins of the world. So listen to the powerful melodies and metaphorically melancholy lyrics (My life is a candle and a wick/ You can put it out but you can’t break it down/In the end, we are waiting to be lit) and be inspired.

I Speak Because I Can is released on 22/3/10 through EMI. You can view the video for lead single ‘Devil’s Spoke’ below.