Laura Marling released her second album in 2010 at the age of 20. It's a fairly sparse sounding album, opening with the banjo-led, folk tune Devil's Spoke, sounding like a backwoods version of Bob Dylan's It's Alright Ma. Made By Maid, which follows has the relaxed charm of Gillian Welch, or even Ryan Adams in his rootsier moments.
Much of what follows is in this vein, tracks like Rambling Man (featuring a hint of early Joni Mitchell), Goodbye England and Darkness Descends have minimal accompaniment, a little guitar here, some banjo or cello if needs be. Blackberry Stone has a strong cello part which drives the song along while Hope In The Air and What He Wrote evoke early Leonard Cohen.
The songs have a rustic charm, avoiding melodrama very nicely, settling into a groove that could see her sit nicely between Ryan Adams' Heartbreaker and Gillian Welch's Time (the Revelator). In an age dominated by vocal histrionics its refreshing to hear Marling's unaffected, natural singing. Listen, because you can.
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