Live Review

Laura Marling – The Academy, Dublin

• 14th Apr 2010

The mood was somber and the light was smoky and dim but Laura Marling lit up the Academy, Dublin on Saturday night.

The 20-year-old folk singer showcased some old material along with songs from her newly released second album ‘I Speak Because I Can’. Two support bands took to the stage in the form of Aussie four-piece Boy & Bear and Alessi’s Ark, both of whom tantalised the crowd with indie/folk melodies until Laura began. Boy & Bear are reminiscent of a folk Vampire Weekend and Alessi reminds me of Irish Choice Prize nominee Valerie Francis.

Marling’s sound on ‘I Speak Because I Can’ is much more matured, but retains all the clever, heartbreaking lyrics of her debut. Though timid, shy and slightly nonchalant in presence, her powerful voice commands attention and absolute silence as they whole venue focused on and appreciated the beautiful tunings of the Hampshire songwriter.

In saying that though, Laura is effortlessly entertaining. She doesn’t need to be boisterous, loud or energetic to get her point across. Her music understates itself and you get the refreshing feeling that Laura really is all about the music.

Playing emotionally-driven and powerfully charged songs using soft harmonies, folksy riffs and hushed drum, Marling is a singer before her time. Her new sound, a progression from a dark and chillingly fragile debut album, includes soft blues, frequent rousing drum cruscendos and a lighter, grown up assortment of lyrics. Laura may possess and old and seasoned soul, yet her music comes across as witty, innocent and painfully honest.

One surprising diamond of the set was Laura using her hidden talent of pitch-perfect whistling to perform an important violin solo in ‘Night Terror’ and another was the use of big mood lights dotted around the stage which let up for different cruscendos, solos and key changes.

Among the more noted songs which were played, with crowd in tow softly singing the lyrics back to Marling, were ‘My Manic And I’, ‘Failure’ and ‘Ghosts’.

The suddenly, almost as quietly as she graced the stage, Laura ended her set her own way, no encore and with a song from the new album, leaving the devout crowd pining for her to come back for another mesmiring, sold-out show soon.