Since 2008, Hampshire’s nu-folk youthful soloist, Laura Marling, has seeped in and out the lives of recognised indie and folk bands such as Noah And The Whale, Mumford & Sons, The Rakes, Mystery Jets. Now we find her, with extraordinary sprightliness, releasing a hint of what we can expect from her fifth studio album with the fresh new single, “Short Movie.”
There’s something incredibly nostalgic about this first single from forthcoming album, as a euphonic twanged riff flutters, imitating Marlings melody and opening lyrics, “I’m paying for my mistakes,” followed by a lighthearted “that’s okay.” A crescendo of climactic snare drums batter their way to the attention of its listeners as Marling rolls off the odd humorously stubborn lines “it’s a short f***ing movie, man.” Every bit of this fresh new single is temptingly impulsive as guitar strokes become more and more enthusiastic and Marling’s beautifully mellifluous vocals sail over humorously juxtaposing, expletive lyrics explaining that life is too short to be someone you’re not.
Listening to this new single (and loud), it’s immediately easy to understand how fitting the song’s title really is. Its appetising, increasing positivity created by the uplifting twangy guitar riff makes you feel like you should be doing something ridiculous and adventurous rather than sitting at home watching the telly. It may be struggling slightly on being the most original of folk songs around, but it doesn’t take too much away from the positivity of the song. At an astonishing age of only 24, Laura Marling is about to bash out her fifth studio album at a hefty thirteen tracks long, also titled Short Movie, on March 23rd this year. Perhaps her relocation to Los Angeles, California back in 2013 was partly responsible for the refreshing message and climactic crescendos evident throughout the entire song.
Although Marling hasn’t set any tour dates for the future, she’ll be one to look out for. In 2011, this folk soloist set out on her very own Cathedral Tour, playing in the likes of Exeter Cathedral and London’s Westminster Central Hall, and you can only imagine what Marling’s euphonious vocals would sound like echoed harmoniously through the walls of intricately ancient marvels of architecture. Who knows what she’ll have lined up to promote her forthcoming album five. Due to a somewhat unpredictable bluntness, and a new, stimulating outlook on her almost 25-year-old life, with an impressive five-album career behind her, I predict her new, self-produced album to be a lot rawer, perhaps amusingly impetuous, but definitely one to look out for when it hits the shelves.