Music : Alas I Cannot Swim

Rating: - Songbox - A Review
Having read a favourable review of the album in a newspaper I found on the train I placed an order on Amazon. The packaging is amazing - the CD comes in a cardboard sleeve inside a large box that also contains a board game, art postcards, a voucher for a free gig ticket, a pamphlet containing song lyrics, a tiny cardboard sleeve (about the size of a mini-CD sleeve) containing a fold-out series of prints and a large envelope (no, I don't know why).

Anyone old enough to have bought vinyl albums in the past will appreciate the thought that went into the packaging, all of which gives you something to read through and enjoy on the way home before you get to hear the album itself.

The album has been produced to a very high standard and the musicians all play very well. Her voice, gentle and relaxed, sits well in the mix and the music sucks you in and mellows you out. It's twelve tracks long but they're over before you know it. My personal favourite is The Captain and the Hourglass, which I found myself listening to repeatedly once I'd heard the album all the way through.

The singer's voice reminds me very much of Joni Mitchell and, bar a few ill-advised attempts at some high notes, is very easy on the ears. The songs on the album complement each other nicely and on the whole it reminds me of happy summers in the past, drinking gin and tonic in the park and falling asleep under the sun.

All in all a refreshing change from the mass produced pop that all sounds so similar these days. If you like to hear proper music, played on real instruments by talented musicians, then this is definitely for you.

The only downside of buying the Songbox edition is that the box, being roughly the same size as a ring binder, won't fit in a normal CD rack.

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Rating: - Fantastic Debut
What with the hype about Adele and Duffy as the voices of 2008, Laura Marling has gone somewhat unnoticed. Based on the strength of this album, that should soon change.

The strength of the songwriting is fantastic, though some may be put off by the 'folk' label. This is not so much folk, as pretty music played with an acoustic guitar and the minimal of other instruments (in most cases anyway!). Sometimes this means the songs come across as being slightly trite, but most of them seem sincere. There's a good mix of upbeat summery tunes (such as 'You're No God') and slower, more reflective songs like 'My Manic And I'. Laura's voice is gorgeous and the songs feel intimate.

My one complaint, and thus the four stars, is that parts of the album sound over-produced and the instrumentation occasionally drowns out Laura's voice (particularly on the first track). However, at 18 she's such a talent and this album shows her potentially to be one of the artists of the year. Definitely worth the money.

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Rating: - Simply astonishing
I know it is already a cliche to talk about her age, but it is simply astonishing that Laura Marling - only just 18 - has produced a collection of such strong, mature, musically and lyrically interesting songs. Don't think of her as competing with Adele, Kate or Lily; this is very different, much longer-lasting I suspect and takes her straight into comparisons with timeless female singer songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Sandy Denny. Some of the tracks - My Manic and I, Ghosts - sound like classics already after 2 or 3 plays. The instrumentation is subtle, always leaving her voice dominant, but adds variation and interest to songs that move through a variety of moods. Don't think of it as a 'folk' album either; there are elements of pop, rock, blues and even soul here.

It is the best debut record since the Arctic Monkeys, and will be in every 'Best of 2008' list in 10 months time. As long as she doesn't burn out, start dating Pete Docherty, or decide she wants to be the next Joss Stone, then Laura could be the most significant female singer-songwriter the UK has produced - well, ever basically. Yes, on the evidence here she really could be that good.

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Rating: - An impressive talent
Record is incredible I think she's fantastic. While she'll always be compared to Kate Nash, Lily Allen, Amy McDonald, Duffy and Adele due to her age and gender the songs and song-writing on this is so strong that you can just forget all references to `good for age' that might be mentioned, it's good enough to be compared to the best of the genre. Bound to be one of the folk albums of the year and in my book is only third to BSP and Vampire Weekend for album of the year right now. Stunning.

P.S. Record was available last week.

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Rating: - Just astonishing
I know it is already a cliche to talk about her age, but it is simply astonishing that Laura Marling - only just 18 - has produced a collection of such strong, mature, musically and lyrically interesting songs. Don't think of her as competing with Adele, Kate or Lily; this is very different, much longer-lasting I suspect and takes her straight into comparisons with timeless female singer songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Sandy Denny. Some of the tracks - My Manic and I, Ghosts - sound like classics already after 2 or 3 plays. The instrumentation is subtle, always leaving her voice dominant, but adds variation and interest to songs that move through a variety of moods. Don't think of it as a 'folk' album either; there are elements of pop, rock, blues and even soul here.

It is the best debut record since the Arctic Monkeys, and will be in every 'Best of 2008' list in 10 monhs time. As long as she doesn't burn out, start dating Pete Docherty, or decide she wants to be the next Joss Stone, then Laura could be the most significant female singer-songwriter the UK has produced - well, ever basically. Yes, on the evidence here she really could be that good.