Throughout music history, we have known and loved artists whose poetic genius outshines their musical talent. Famous examples include Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Iggy Pop. We listen to them religiously, absorbing the deep meaning behind the perfect words they have written, ignoring the fact that their singing is less than perfect, because their lyrics are just so wonderful. For some of us the roughness of their voices adds to the honesty of their art, but most of the time this is more of an argument than a fact. For Laura Marling, this is not the case.
If one were to look at her lyrics laid out on a page, there would be no question that the words were nothing short of poetry. Songwriting cliches, if present, are disguised into poetic structure. A chorus becomes a device of repetition, subtly placed to convey an important message or theme of the piece, not a catchy verse manipulated to stick in our brains in order to promote the popularity of the song. The bridge, if present, is a shift from narrative to insight, always gently guiding the listener into the change to maintain the flow of the piece.
The second component of Marling's talent is the fact that, in addition to being able to write memorable and original poetry, she can actually sing. In short, her voice is pleasant. It is clear without being overly insistent, it is soft without being passively meek, it is unique without being obviously individualistic. She succeeds in being able to hold her tone in lower keys, as well as higher ones, choosing the sound to match the mood of her words.
This is the favourite part of Marling's music: the meeting of her two gifts in a perfect medium to create what is purely musical poetry. Her lyrics could stand alone without sound and be powerful, her voice could give life to any melody and gain appreciation, but when these two components pair up there is a feeling of quiet magic. Her fingers can stroke the guitar strings, spinning notes like spiderwebs to accompany an eerie verse voicing hopelessness and longing in Night After Night, or take a completely different route such as in My Manic and I, where her narrative can be heard as a story told against a grey sky, storm clouds swelling out of the guitar and up towards the heavens.
Marling is blissfully underrated, at least in North America, and listening to her is a privilege. She is memorable, a talent that will not soon be forgotten, a talent that will be recognized far beyond her time. It is important to understand this, and to enjoy her words while the opportunity is still available.
Noteable Songs:
Cross Your Fingers
The Captain and the Hourglass
My Manic and I
Goodbye England
Sophia
Ghosts
If one were to look at her lyrics laid out on a page, there would be no question that the words were nothing short of poetry. Songwriting cliches, if present, are disguised into poetic structure. A chorus becomes a device of repetition, subtly placed to convey an important message or theme of the piece, not a catchy verse manipulated to stick in our brains in order to promote the popularity of the song. The bridge, if present, is a shift from narrative to insight, always gently guiding the listener into the change to maintain the flow of the piece.
The second component of Marling's talent is the fact that, in addition to being able to write memorable and original poetry, she can actually sing. In short, her voice is pleasant. It is clear without being overly insistent, it is soft without being passively meek, it is unique without being obviously individualistic. She succeeds in being able to hold her tone in lower keys, as well as higher ones, choosing the sound to match the mood of her words.
This is the favourite part of Marling's music: the meeting of her two gifts in a perfect medium to create what is purely musical poetry. Her lyrics could stand alone without sound and be powerful, her voice could give life to any melody and gain appreciation, but when these two components pair up there is a feeling of quiet magic. Her fingers can stroke the guitar strings, spinning notes like spiderwebs to accompany an eerie verse voicing hopelessness and longing in Night After Night, or take a completely different route such as in My Manic and I, where her narrative can be heard as a story told against a grey sky, storm clouds swelling out of the guitar and up towards the heavens.
Marling is blissfully underrated, at least in North America, and listening to her is a privilege. She is memorable, a talent that will not soon be forgotten, a talent that will be recognized far beyond her time. It is important to understand this, and to enjoy her words while the opportunity is still available.
Noteable Songs:
Cross Your Fingers
The Captain and the Hourglass
My Manic and I
Goodbye England
Sophia
Ghosts
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