Laura Marling.

Laura Marling is a tough nut to crack. Emerging onto the music scene around 2007, with her first album Alas I Cannot Swim, she began her career as folk-singer at just seventeen. For this, she is worthy of praise. And yet, it seems to me that her perhaps the production of an album at such a young age was no good thing. Alas I Cannot Swim is sweet and sad and youthful - but, listening to it, I could never escape the feeling that there was something missing. The album received rave reviews - even the sales assistant in HMV praised me on my choice of purchase; and I did like the album. It was only that I felt I would never progress beyond 'like'; for me, the album would never be stunning. It was almost irritating: I had an idea of what I wanted the album to be - but I felt that it just missed the mark. It was almost there - but not quite - and that was the most unfortunate thing about it. Perhaps the album was produced too quickly; perhaps Marling was not given sufficient time to develop and refine her musical talents. For this, I'm willing to hold her age responsible. Once again, that's not to say I dislike the album. On the contrary, a few tracks - 'Ghosts', 'Old Stone' and 'Night Terror' I found enjoyable.

Between this album and her second, I Speak Because I Can (2010), the singer suffered a change in image: her blonde hair was cropped close, and then, later, dyed black. The dark hair gave her the appearance of maturity - and, luckily for listening audiences everywhere, this abrupt progression in maturity carried into her music. I Speak Because I Can was everything I hoped it would be. In all honesty, it took me some time to come around to the album - not because I found Alas I Cannot Swim terrible, but because I was scared of experiencing that same disappointment all over again. I Speak Because I Can, though, misses out on nothing. Marling's songs are boundless in their yearning, in their energy, in their emotion, and their melancholy, and their discontent. Track two, 'Made by Maid', almost brought me to tears. When I listen to it, I feel a strong affinity with the young singer. Any album that can achieve such a feat will stick with me forever.

Taken from I Speak Because I Can, this video is an effortless example of Marling's fantastic progression. The content and the style are dark but hopeful. Aged only twenty, it must be conceded, the girl has achieved a lot.

All in all, the few niggling complaints I had with the singer have been quashed by the brilliance of her second album. Besides, only a few months older than me and already a successful musician. I'm probably just jealous.