Songbox Limited Special Edition Contains Cd Album 'alas I Cannot Swim' - Laura Marling

It seems that talented artists are getting picked up a lot earlier these days. The case in point for this would have to be 18 year old singer/songwriter Laura Marling. Having just turned 18 3 days before the release of this debut album, Alas I Cannot Swim, Marling really shows a sense of maturity well above her age. The youngster from Reading has a bright future ahead of her, even if she was turned away from one of her own gigs for being underage. Since then she has managed to sell out smaller venues on her own and tour with some bigger names increasing her profile all the time. Of course she hasn't just been working on her own material as guest appearances on ...  Read the complete review

Laura Marling is the best singer songwriter of recent years in my opinion. I stumbled across her in the early stages of her career, and fell in love with her debut single 'New Romantic'. At such a tender age, only 18 when this album was released, her voice is incredible and lyrically, her music is poised and very impressively intuitive. The album opens with 'Ghosts', which was released as a single. The simple guitar runs create a gentle melody, which dies down as Marling declares 'it's not like I believe in everlasting love' in her sweetly cynical voice. Another favourite of mine is 'Failure' both lyrically and aesthetically. Her voice sounds ...  Read the complete review

Background I first heard of Laura Marling when I went and saw The Maccabees at the Junction in Cambridge, and she was one of the support acts, the first thing I noticed was an attractive girl walk on stage, I must admit I do find her very pretty! However, her set was ok, but I didn't really focus on it that much, it didn't pack the kick it should have, perhaps because her music wasn't what the majority of the crowd were there to see. I went home, and downloaded a few tracks, this was all before her album was done, so I got a couple of demos, a cover of a Bryan Adams song, and a few others, which just sat on my computer, awaiting to be listened. This ...  Read the complete review

I first came across Laura Marling completely by accident when she supported the Macabees in Birmingham's Carling Academy the year before last. Unlike most other support acts, she silenced the crowd in an instant, simply by opening her mouth... I was brought 'Alas I cannot Swim' as a gift not so long ago, just before I was lucky enough to see Laura Marling perform again, and it has become one of my most listened to albums. If you are a fan of folk music, especially the kind that seems to have been mixed with the quirky ideas of a new generation, then this is for you. A wonderful combination of heart, humour and above all a very talented young ...  Read the complete review

For many who have heard the album, I'm sadly going to tell you I doubt any of you will disagree with much of what I say, for those who haven't listened to it, thos most important part of this review is "The album is a BIG TIME GROWER" give it a few listens before throwing it out. Laura Marling's debut album "Alas I Cannot swim" is an album I requested for christmas after having loved "Ghosts", which would be the debut single by Laura. Despite not knowing this until I came to write this review, "Cross Your Fingers/Crawled Out of the Sea" would also be released as a duel single, and "Night Terror" was released as ...  Read the complete review