Laura Marling's dazzling guitar work and personality delights Nashville

British folk singer Laura Marling is only 23, but already has four albums to her name and is threatening to shake up the modern folk scene. She was kind enough to treat Nashville to a taste of her talents at a Nov. 11 show at Marathon Music Works. It was eminently obvious that she was well practiced on guitar, showing off dizzying picking patterns that gave her sound a unique timbre. She would stop fairly frequently to tune and retune the guitars. This would cut into the flow of the show somewhat, but she had a knack for covering it up with wonderful self deprecating humor. She commented on how each guitar has its own personality, and said the guitars she was working with had the personality of toddlers.

Her latest album, Once I Was an Eagle, opens with a stunning five song suite that all runs together, and she opened her show with this same five song run. It ended in jaw dropping fashion with "Master Hunter," an assertive and defiant tune that is unquestionably one of the best of the year. In contrast, "Alas I Cannot Swim" was delivered with a sense of cute, childlike wonder but also speaks to very adult themes that many can relate to.

Near the set's close, she preformed a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "For the Sake of the Song," which was humorously cut off by the blowing of train whistle coming down the track outside. Startled, Marling stopped right where she was and then stitched in a quick impromptu ending once she resumed. It was a cute moment which communicated that she's not some superstar or diva; at the end of the day she's probably not all that different from you or I other than the fact that she's crazy talented. It made her feel warm, and even more relatable. 

Laura Marling hand crafts every moment to make sure everything  is just right.