I Speak Because I Can

Laura Marling

Release Date: 22nd Mar, 2010
Label: Virgin
Genre: Pop

Coming off the back of her impressive 2008 debut ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’, this second album showcases more of the dramatic, beautiful and poetic songs from Marling’s repertoire. Beginning with the Celtic sounding ‘Devil’s Spoke’, the tracks here are spectral and often minimalist, but never twee. Rather, it is the sound of a girl mature beyond her years (Marling is still only twenty) producing top notch acoustic folk. ‘Rambling Man’ which begins gently and grows into a spirited ballad, is a highlight, as is ‘Alpha Shallows’, with it’s mourning choral backing vocals. While not a massive commercial hit in the same vein as Ellie Goulding, on the basis of this album, her breakthrough can’t be far in coming.

Reviewed by Pete Muscutt

About The Artist

Laura Marling

Artist Homepage

Laura Marling (born 1st February 1990) is a folk singer/songwriter/guitarist from Eversley, United Kingdom. She began playing the guitar at the age of five, first being taught the blues by her father in front of the family fire, and has been enthralled by the songs and lyrics of the likes of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and John Mayall ever since. It’s not just the “golden-oldies” that Laura admires; she also harbours a rather deep love for alt.country’s favourite son, Ryan Adams. “He’s brilliant, there’s nothing that even comes close, he can paint the most amazing pictures in your mind.” Ryan Adams in turn had her album 'I Speak Because I Can' given to him by a producer friend. Ryan had written a lot of the material for his forthcoming album 'Ashes and Fire' but upon listening to her album he said; "I actually threw out the record I was writing and re-wrote my record based on that album because I thought to myself somebody's actually taking this very seriously ... It was amazing, a great motivation ... And it felt good to ask: 'What am I really capable of? I felt competitive again to write great songs." Jamie T personally invited her on tour with him after being impressed by her modern folk-pop when he caught her playing just her second ever gig. Marling is part of the extended Way Out West family, having played five eminent shows at the label’s Brentford FC night before the club was finally moved on, and was also a member of Noah and the Whale until May 2008, contributing vocals and instruments throughout, and seen in the "Five Years Time" video playing recorder. Following her London Town EP, Marling's debut album Alas I Cannot Swim was released by Virgin on 4th February 2008. Originally released in a large Song Box containing mementos and trinkets personal to the songs, as well as a concert ticket., the album was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize. Marling released her second album, I Speak Because I Can, on March 22nd 2010. The first track from her third album, A Creature I Don't Know, to receive radio airplay was "Sophia." The song is an ode to a mythical deity. (Sophia Songfacts).

View all

50 Comments

lightwarrior179 15 May 2012

Flawless album.No weak tracks at all.Someone might even mistake it for her "Greatest Hits" album.
lanakias 13 Mar 2012

Perhaps is my favorite from her..i have one problem with "alas i cannot swim"....all album of her is something else....i never listen folk music but her is from other planet....the first album i listen and love her in the first time
eletric_feel 27 Sep 2011

Her best, hands down.
Paw_paw 14 Aug 2011

I never get tired of this album, it's my new-old best friend.
PartySanCTG 01 Jul 2011

"Devil's Spoke" is an amazing album opener. Hopefully there are more songs in that bombastically-orchestrated-ominosity vein!
Nerick 05 Jun 2011

Incredible album! From start to finish.
Honest_Iago 11 May 2011

Excellent and original. English folk best represented here, methinks.
Ender018 02 Jan 2011

At first I liked it, like I would have liked a cup of coffee. But the love for this album has grown inside of me, piece by piece, song by song. This album, my friends, is not to be missed.
stephen519 20 Dec 2010

can't believe she's only 20， i love this album so much!
Garooo 07 Dec 2010

2010's best.
alameda_ 30 Nov 2010

one of 2010's best.
lesliedahlink 13 Nov 2010

Love at first listen.
thomas534 04 Oct 2010

айм кайнда сорри, бат ай низ 3д албум!!!
acid_arez 08 Sep 2010

Just getting to know her work. So far, so good.
LiLySoSo 05 Sep 2010

Love, love, love and want to runaway with.
Shauni51 29 Jul 2010

No weak track.
Xemper 20 Jul 2010

Nominated for the [group]Mercury Prize[/group]!
mrcloudies 10 Jul 2010

I am absolutely in love with this album. And her last albums. But this i think is her best work thus far.
S8S 06 Jul 2010

I much prefer the first album.
baconofdeath 22 Jun 2010

I dusted off my Noah and the Whale because of how good this album is...
Briel2 10 Jun 2010

so goood.
ThisManWhisky 04 Jun 2010

Album of the year so far. On the very first listen I could tell how special this was.
theresawayout 24 May 2010

Well if your favorite band is Coldplay... I can understand!
kiolka 01 May 2010

nice voice but nothing else...
realitymaniac 28 Apr 2010

This is so good.
kingbrockie 25 Apr 2010

I really hope they release this on vinyl - it's too good to be confined to CD and will sound excellent in the classic format.
LaikaFire 24 Apr 2010

'I Speak Because I Can' rated at 82% http://highrating.blogspot.com/2010/04/laura-marling-i-speak-because-i-can.html
musiikkionelo 21 Apr 2010

I can't believe how talent this girl is. This album is perfect.
Ronit123 20 Apr 2010

way better than the last one!
PrinceAlbert15 18 Apr 2010

I just listened to this album twice in a row... I don't remember the last time I did that
craig-sansum 17 Apr 2010

great album love it!
grape-wine 17 Apr 2010

I am totally obsessed with this album! She´s such a talented, strong and admirable woman. :-)
umiboza 16 Apr 2010

So damn good!
hallucinatedx 12 Apr 2010

Review of the album here: http://withdrumsandcolour.com/music/cd-reviews/180-laura-marling-i-speak-because-i-can-review.html
dusseux 12 Apr 2010

Masterpiece!
Missy_Missouri 08 Apr 2010

Perfect! x
djangoclouds 08 Apr 2010

Wow! Just Wow! Darker than the last album - I think I may prefer it that way.
Awesomegirl42 06 Apr 2010

this is so exciting
H2ONeon 05 Apr 2010

Brilliant!!!
Lowbacca 04 Apr 2010

wow... good one. heavier than #1, but beautiful all the same.
MotherFrank 29 Mar 2010

Mellow and beautiful. Great album!
Shauni51 26 Mar 2010

Brilliant album [2]
FreyaWillow 23 Mar 2010

Brilliant album
Chris_Norman 23 Mar 2010

Torrents are running red hot... we'll pay live!
Lorelie_Stern 23 Mar 2010

Totally agree: album of the year so far!!!
typejunky 22 Mar 2010

I have to say it, what a fantastic piece of noughts and ones this is, utterly fabulous, rich, deep and utterly beautiful, been counting down to it for weeks, worth every single penny ten times over, album of the year so far for me, Fawning over.
RecycleOrDie 22 Mar 2010

Very beautiful album, i like the complexity of her songwriting. However her first album is still my favorite not by quality more by style the new songs are much heavier in my opinion. Eitherway a masterpiece indeed she has a brilliant voice, happy listening!
Goodmorningx 22 Mar 2010

Hey! it has been released today! Too bad i live in holland and i have to wait a little while longer to actually buy it.
Sepulchre 22 Mar 2010

"You listen to her masterpiece of an album, played alternately with gusto and subtlety by Marling’s regular band, and think: who else is making music as ambitious, as haunting, as centuries-straddling, as thought-provoking and artistically tenacious as this? And the answer is: nobody. No, really. Not a soul." Well said. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article7022316.ece
Anitnemelc 21 Mar 2010

great thx for the stream>!