Ironworks, Inverness, 26 July 2011

STILL firmly placed at the vanguard of the ongoing new British folk movement, Brit Award winner Laura Marling treated a packed Ironworks to a preview of her forthcoming release, A Creature I Don’t Know, to close her eight date sweep of the Highlands and Islands.

With recent taster Sophia being warmly received, Marling’s set was predominately drawn from her new album, and she appeared genuinely pleased to be back in Inverness having taken in Mull, Orkney, Stornoway and Skye en- route to the Highland capital.

Laura Marling

Early highlights included the medley Don’t Ask Me Why/ Salinas and a striking version of her debut’s opening track Ghosts which swelled and layered at a beautiful pace.

Despite the quality of her five-piece band, the most affecting part of the performance was delivered solo, including early favourite Failure and utterly gorgeous new offering Night After Night, which shifted touchingly from cracked and vulnerable to bold and lucid. I Speak Because I Can also proved a fitting closer to a performance which, a few wobbly moments aside, never really missed a beat. Furthermore, the fact that the crowd’s reaction remained so strong to material they were largely hearing for the first time, is not only testament to its strength, but also to the obvious affection for the young artist in these parts.

Despite approaching album number three, Marling is still only twenty one, which renders her artistic maturity and creative coherence all the more remarkable; and while the new material offered tonight succeeded by retaining the effective artistic devices which have always elevated her work – intriguingly moody lyrical themes full of suggestion and ambiguity of meaning, strong melodies and a comforting familiarity – she also demonstrated an explicit development as a songwriter and performer.  While the ideas may not be terribly inventive, her take on the genre remains individualistic, and the sheer quality of her writing and arrangements are sure to sustain her prominence as one of the most gifted young songwriters in the country.

A stand out at the recent goNORTH live showcases, the excellent Pete Roe not only proved an effective bolster to Marling’s live set up, but also opened proceedings wonderfully with his highly accomplished melting pot of musical ideas and lovely technique.

© Alexander Smith, 2011

Links

• Laura Marling
• Pete Roe
• Ironworks