Word: albumful
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...quickly. “You deal with God far too young / Before you know it, your life has run away,” the sage 20-year-old cautions, seemingly wistful of her own life’s rapid passing. But after listening to Marling’s latest album, one may end up hoping that, in fact, her musical career has just begun. A gratifying sophomore release from the precocious folk-rock talent, “I Speak Because I Can” endows Marling’s characteristic elegance with a new intensity and an epic, almost theatrical...
Perhaps the most outstanding change Marling adds to her signature full-bodied vocals, melodic guitar, and poetic lyricism is the pronounced intensity which characterizes much of her new release. “Devil’s Spoke,” for example, opens the album with an impassioned interpretation of religious folk music. Slow, hypnotizing bass lines, deep male background vocals, and thumping drums endow a frantic banjo, as well as Marling’s voice and guitar, with a sheer power new to Marling’s work. And when she issues such commands as “Hold...
...different vein, “I Speak Because I Can” also contains some less complex songs which represent Marling’s calmer side. The second track, “Made By Maid” is unique on the album in its simplicity. The track features only Marling’s vocals and guitar, and because of its spare quality, her gorgeous voice and poignant storytelling are able to stand out. The song testifies to Marling’s ability to tell tales well beyond the scope of the average 20-year-old, convincingly recounting the experience...
...when the instrumental elements reach their peak of volume and passion, Marling’s voice mirrors them by taking on a surprising strength, reaching alternately lower and higher than her usual range. Taken together, these features make for one of the best, strongest songs on an already exceptional album...
...sings, “there’s a mind under this hat.” And her sophomore release, “I Speak Because I Can,” only corroborates the fact. The new LP proves that Marling’s successful debut album, “Alas, I Cannot Swim,” was certainly not a fluke, and that her songwriting skill is the genuine article. “I Speak Because I Can” is an intense, dynamic, and admirable release from the young singer-songwriter, and merits her the sincerest recognition...