Laura Marling is a 20-year old folk singer hailing from Hampshire. Admittedly, Marling is yet to have the full on mainstream success of other radio friendly indie-femme stars, but the pixie-like singer has never failed in being praised by underground fans, with her 2008 debut, ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’, even gaining a Mercury Prize nomination. This isn’t to say 2010 couldn’t be Marling’s year, especially when the likes of Mumford and Sons and Noah and the Whale are flinging folk back into people’s faces with renewed musical force (wow, alliteration!). So, equipped with a little more years to her name, and a new hair colour to boot, Laura makes her anticipated return this coming March with second album, ‘I Speak Because I Can’.

Laura has certainly grown with the follow up to her kooky but fragile debut. ‘I Speak Because I Can’ is a noticeably maturer, 10-track album full of country folk influenced tales – rich and touching in places, but lacking vitality in other areas.

Laura’s voice in particular showcases a newly rounded, strengthened tone throughout the record, which actually surprised me (in a good way!) upon first listen. The album kicks off with the bluesy ‘Devil’s Spoke’ (view the video below that includes hints of Marcus Mumford’s chin). A psychedelic build-up leads into excitable barn dance-esque instrumentals, stomping drums and Marling’s toasty vox. A perfectly thrilling opener, which walks into the contrastingly sombre ‘Made by Maid’. Here, Laura merely sings above a humble acoustic – yet the contrast with the previous hearty track means this mouse-like number floats along quite pleasantly.

Her country delivery continues to sway perfectly amid the banjo wails of the olde-worlde ‘Hope in the Air’, which projects an incredibly authentic, brooding folk sound. ‘Darkness Descends’’s layered vocals, meanwhile, add a chirpier scope to the album, with the song ultimately leading into an explosion of banjos and dancing percussion which is certainly appreciated amongst the melancholic speed of the rest of the album.

Two further favourites on the album include ‘Rambling Man’, which showcases Marling’s Dylan stylee wail along with her angelic harmonies with a female backing singer, and the beautiful ‘Alpha Shallows’, which has an intriguingly Egyptian-like recurring hook.

There are a few down-time tracks among the album, however. ‘What He Wrote’, for example, may be a purposefully quaint little number, but, despite its emotional charge, the acoustic plink-plonks and soft vocals risk failing in capturing the listeners’ heart and ears. ‘Blackberry Stone’ similarly may display Marling’s delicate vocals mixed with sublime strings, but the gentle voice and dainty acoustic combo does start to grow a little juiceless compared to the more eclectic, quirky tracks amid the record.

Not to conclude on a bad note, though. Marling has certainly come-of-age with ‘I Speak Because I Can’; you only have to listen to the lyrics to hear the mass of experience she’s had along the road of the past 2 years. The album is clearly influenced a great-deal by traditional country folk, and therefore possesses a particularly nostalgic sound at times that yes, some may put down as lack of innovation, but I put it down to embracing rich, musical brilliance. Of course, like most albums, there are a few number of tracks which may kick up a tiny yawn in the listener, but the majority of Marling’s upcoming record is a dalliance with ardently charming sounds.

‘I Speak Because I Can’, Laura Marling’s sophomore album-length offering, will be released in the UK on 22 March by EMI. Regular CD and special CD+DVD versions of the album can be preordered from Amazon.

The stunning folksy songstress Laura Marling has announced a string of tour dates throughout April.

Tickets are on sale now, priced between £15 and £20 each. Support will come from the pretty darned good Alessi’s Ark

Friday 9th April 2010 – Belfast Limelight
Saturday 10th April 2010 – Dublin The Academy
Monday 12th April 2010 – Manchester Lowry
Tuesday 13th April 2010 – Glasgow Fruitmarket
Wednesday 14th April 2010 – Edinburgh Queen’s Hall
Friday 16th April 2010 – Birmingham Alexandra Theatre
Saturday 17th April 2010 – Cambridge Corn Exchange
Monday 19th April 2010 – Newcastle Tyne Theatre
Tuesday 20th April 2010 – York Opera House
Wednesday 21st April 2010 – Bristol Colston Hall
Friday 23rd April 2010 – Southampton Guildhall
Sunday 25th April 2010 – London Palladium

We’ve recently teamed up with those lovely people over at the 405 and today bring you another in our regular series of guest posts from their team of amazing authors. Below is a review of Laura Marling (who we introduced you to here) live at London’s Scala written originally by Rhian Daly.

It’s been a whirlwind year for rising folk star Laura Marling. Only turning 18 a matter of days before her album release, it’s hard to imagine how the incredible talent has coped with the rave reactions to her record, the packed to the rafters gig venues and festival tents alike and, probably surrealist of all, the nomination for this year’s Mercury Music Prize – something many tastemakers were certain she’d win.

Tonight in King’s Cross there is no less anticipation or expectation than at any other point during the last eleven or so months, so much so, in fact, some sections of the audience can’t control themselves long enough to pay attention to tonight’s support act, the hauntingly beautiful Jay Jay Pistolet. Playing mostly new songs including the title track from his latest EP ‘Happy Birthday You’, his set is short but sweet; if you ignore the constant buzz of chatter from some parts of the room.

Luckily, everyone quietens down when Marling takes the stage, so much so you could literally hear a pin drop. The hushed crowd adds significantly to the atmosphere as the cropped-haired teenager appears alone for the first three songs – ‘Shine’, new track ‘Rebecca’ and a particularly spine-tingling rendition of former single ‘Ghosts’.

On stage (and on record), Marling appears wise beyond her years. In the flesh she engages her fans with unintentionally witty and supremely endearing banter in an offhand manner you would expect from someone ten years her senior. At various points tonight she is joined by her backing band, who complete the Laura Marling experience, adding another dimension to her already beautiful songs. Littering the set is a handful of new songs that are equally as good as, if not better than, anything on her first record, ‘Rambling Man’ and ‘Hope in the Air’ being prime examples of this.

As the show draws to a close, Marling’s backing band stroll back on stage for a poignant ‘Night Terror’ followed by an equally rousing ‘Alas, I Cannot Swim’, during which the whole crowd is united in song for the last time this evening and, indeed, tour. Many people have already predicted great things for Laura Marling, looks like she’s about to prove them right.

Just a quick one tonight, as I’m plain and simply cream crackered at the moment – working 30-40 hours a week and then going to a gig or so a week and the usual pub evenings is pretty hard work… (boy, it’s a hard life, no?)

Bloc Party did another one of their suprises last night, announcing the release of Talons, their second single, and one that wasn’t on Intimacy, but will be on the physical release in October. In short, it’s pretty darned amazing, as with all of their Intimacy era stuff. A bit 80’s rock, a bit dark and murky, but ultimately good. I’m not posting the MP3 as I think it’s just asking for me to get (another) cease and desist, but I’m sure those of you in the know can get a copy for free.

Of course tonight is also the Mercury music prize, with my money firmly on Laura Marling to win, though I doubt the judges will choose her, probably sticking to a safer bet like Radiohead, Elbow or Last Shadow Puppets. If Adele or Estelle wins I won’t be a happy bunny though – they’re good, but not Mercury material.

There are still some reviews of Hydro Connect coming in, almost 10 days after the event, and just make me yearn for Scotland again. Only about 50 weeks now until Hydro 2009, eh? Rock Sellout have put up a guest blog from the festival, along with a better (and more indepth) interview with Rab from Glasvegas than we did.

Meanwhile, Mike over at Chromewaves caught this weekend’s Virgin Festival in Toronto, with Bloc Party, Kooks, Fratellis and more. I’ll be checking out some of the smaller (and larger) bands I haven’t heard of when I actually have a day off.

We only profiled her last week, but the amazing Laura Marling has announced her biggest headlining UK tour to date around our fair shores.

She’s dubbed it “The Night Terror Tour”, and will see her play a week of shows shortly after her return from wowing the USA.

Tickets are on sale now, priced at £12 for most dates, with the exception of London which, as ever, has more expensive tickets at £14 each.

Saturday 1st November – Glasgow Arts School
Sunday 2nd November – Leeds Brudenell
Tuesday 4th November – Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Wednesday 5th November – Portsmouth Wedgewood
Friday 7th November – Bristol Trinity Arts Centre
Saturday 8th November – Manchester Club Academy
Sunday 9th November – Birmingham Glee Club
Tuesday 11th November – London Scala

Just when you thought young British artists had sold out to instant fame, musical gimmicks and a kooky image, Laura Marling strolls along and restores your faith.

This 18-year-old is beyond her years. She has already been compared to Joni Mitchell and her lyrics posess a worldly wisdom that you certainly wouldn’t expect from a small town Reading lass.

You’ve gotta hand it to her, the girl’s got substance.

It all began around the family fire when her Dad taught her some blues on his old guitar. Marling was three.Through school, she played piano and drums and wrote songs in her dinner hour although admittedly, these were “absolutely awful.”

When new kid on the block Jamie T spotted Laura at her second ever gig and asked her to tour with him, it was safe to say that she had made it.

Typical Marling, she did something completely unheard of for the release of her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim (Produced by Noah & The Whale frontman Charlie Fink). Fed up with the way music had been reduced to MP3’s on bad headphones, she designed a beatifully crafted Song Box, complete with her album, postcards, trinkets and a ticket to one of her concerts. Genius.

“I want people to love music,” she says. “I want people to treasure it, not just my songs, but treasure music.”

Her album earned her a nomination for a 2008 Mercury Music Prize and rightly so. Her growing reputation also meant she bagged herself a slot opening shows for Naturalismo prince of folk rock, Devendra Banhart.

Forget Joan Baez. Forget Martha Wainwright. Her music is unlike anything you have heard before. ‘She’s Changed’ is a more telling look into the mind of a teenage girl than you’d get from an entire series of Jacqueline Wilson books. ‘My Manic and I’ is a haunting song which reflects the doubt and delusion at the heart of man.

Oh, and the vocals. Sweet but daring. Always complementing, never suffocating. She is leading the way for a new folk generation.

Laura Marling, alt folk darling.

Photos are taken from Rob Sinclair’s flickr stream and R.W.W.’s flickr stream, both under the Creative Commons License.

iTunes have announced 10 days of gigs starting next Thursday as part of their iTunes Live series. All the gigs will be available to download from iTunes after the 10 day festival is over. Last year’s festival was a bit later in the year, but were a significant success – dare I say it, but this years gigs aren’t anywhere near as impressive – I mean, come on, Nizlopi headlining? Tony Christie? Really?

The gigs will take place from February 21 to March 2 at AIR Studios, Lyndhurst Hall, London. The artists will play acousticcally for what is sure to be some very special evenings. Tickets cannot be bought, and are only available from the iTunes Live website as part of a ballot..

Thursday 21st February – Jose Gonzalez, Charlene Soraia, Julian Velard and Stephanie Dosen
Friday 22nd February – Nizlopi, Soweto Kinch
Saturday 23rd February – Alphabeat, Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong
Sunday 24th February – Billy Bragg, KT Tunstall, Foy Vance, Leo Abrahams
Monday 25th February – Daniel Merriweather, Estelle, Tawiah
Tuesday 26th February – Charlie Winston, Natalie Clein, Tom Baxter
Wednesday 27th February – Laura Marling, Mystery Jets
Thursday 28th February – Jason Mraz, Ron Sexsmith
Friday 29th February – TBC
Saturday 1st March – Roisin Murphy, Tony Christie
Sunday 2nd March – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Spiritualized

Photo of Roisin Murphy is taken from her myspace.