Laura Marling’s second album has a fair amount to live up to. Her debut LP was Mercury nominated, critically lauded almost universally – rightly so. It was a quiet, sometimes fragile album with many moments of wispy beauty. At times on her debut her youth revealed itself; her wonderful voice at times hiding amongst the shadows.
The follow up is more strident, from the title onwards. Marling’s voice is front and centre throughout, stronger and clearer than before – and it is still an instrument that belies her age. This set of songs is more emotionally hard-hitting too, built around her recent breakup with him from Noah & The Whale. There’s so much experience evident on this album that at times it leaves the listener thinking if Marling is performing a songbook; these tracks could be Carole King’s, Joni Mitchell’s or any of the alt-folk luminaries you’d care to mention.
The highlights on I Speak Because I Can are many, from the almost fairground-esque swells of Alpha Shallows to the beautiful Goodbye England; the first – and destined to always be the best – track to recall our recent deep freeze. My favourite is the slow burn of the coruscating Hope In The Air, building from a simple guitar line to a full-blown, teeth-bared tirade. All the tracks are underpinned by a cleaner production than on her debut, which suits her fine guitar playing, the backing from Mumford & Sons, and both her delivery and subject matter.
All this leaves Marling with a potential millstone, with two albums this good so young what can it possibly leave for the future? Leaving that sobering thought aside though, I Speak Because I Can is a tremendous album – one that propels this young star way ahead of her contemporaries. Stunning.
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