The music captures pure emotion and offers soothing relief, with Marling’s trademark plucked guitars and supple vocals
Laura Marling, Song for Our Daughter ★★★★★
Laura Marling has always loved to weave the textures of 70s Laurel Canyon folk-rock into her music.
Never before, though, has she evoked the spirit of David Crosby and Joni Mitchell quite as she does on her new record.
From the opening strummed chords to the last hummed notes, it exudes hazy Californian vibes, making for a gorgeously contemplative experience.
Marling hasn’t actually lived in LA for some years now, having returned to London in 2014.
But her experiences living near the Hollywood Hills – and the life lessons learned – undeniably underpin this LP.
The title track, for instance, offers words of wisdom to an imaginary daughter who gets mixed up with seedy LA film types.
Elsewhere, Marling looks back on her own life, using narratives from Leonard Cohen and Graham Green as a starting point to ruminate on failed romances.
The lyrics may be a tad intellectual, but the music is pure emotion.
“Strange Girl” is sunny and breezy, while “Held Down” has more of a lazy afternoon feel.
On the more intimate tracks, Marling showcases her trademark plucked guitars and supple vocals.
The album’s highlight is “Blow by Blow” where she swaps her guitar for a piano to evoke Joni Mitchell’s “River”. The crystal-clear vocals turn the mournful tune into something of stirring beauty.
This bewitching mix of simplicity and depth is Song for Our Daughter in a nutshell.
In these testing times, the album – released several weeks early – will surely give fans some soothing relief.
