Laura Marling

Alas, I Cannot Swim

 

 

 

Released: February 11, 2008
Label: Virgin Records
Myspace: /lauramarling

 

By: Kat Mendoza

This English songbird began her career very early and introduces her debut album, Alas, I cannot Swim, at the age of 18. Being a former member of the band Noah and the Whale, one cannot say that she is inexperienced. The album is well put together, produced by her former band member Charlie Fink, with violins playing, choirs singing, and the very folky drum beats setting the mood for both dancing and driving long distances across the country. In the song, Cross your fingers, one of the three singles she has put out from this album, Marling sings happily about how she is going to “jump into your grave and die” yet one cannot stop themselves from singing along no matter what mood they are in. On the other hand, in the song Old Stone, Marling creates a somber feeling with an almost a capella sound, the keyboard barely distinct in the beginning, in what seems to be a heartfelt song about staying young and not falling in love To show her appreciation for music, Marling created song boxes, instead of just a cd cover, filled with goodies including a board game, postcards, and more, to entice her fans to love not only the songs, but every aspect of the music, a virtue we are losing in this Mp3 age.