sub-sonic

An alt.folk star in the ascendant whose striking melodies and wise-beyond-her-years vocals could melt even the iciest of hearts, Laura Marling muddles the strength of Regina Spektor with the intelligence of Carole King and the acoustic lushness of Joni Mitchell. She began playing the guitar at the age of three, first being taught the blues by her father in front of the family fire, and has been in thrall to the songs and lyrics of the likes of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and John Mayall ever since.

It’s not just the “golden-oldies” that Laura admires; she also harbours a rather deep love for alt.country’s favourite son, Ryan Adams. “He’s brilliant, there’s nothing that even comes close, he can paint the most amazing pictures in your mind.”

Laura’s already hugely popular with indie’s big hitters; Jamie T personally invited her on tour with him last year after being hugely impressed by her gorgeous modern folk-pop when he caught her playing just her second ever gig. More recently Rakes front man Alan Donohoe got in touch with her via her Myspace page and asked her to collaborate with the band on the fantastic Suspicious Eyes, a tale of racism and post 7/7 paranoia from their new album The New Messages. “I had to go down to a studio in Chiswick and put on a South East London accent and pretend to be a young mum,” laughs Laura. “A very young mum.”

Part of the extended Way Out West family, she played five eminent shows at Brentford FC before the club was finally moved on. “It was the weirdest place I’d ever seen in my life - it was a football stadium bar! During the first gig I played there everyone talked through my set, and of the first chord of the first song I played I broke two strings, but it was still great.”

Her first real gig however took place in February 2006 and was a slot supporting the legendary Howard Jones, “Well,” she whispers furtively, “he’s my best friend’s dad.” The gig saw her playing four songs to a room of 300 devoted, not to mention heavily tattooed Howard Jones uber-fans, and winning each and every one of them over with her classy brand of delicate country-tinged tunes.

After the Howard Jones-assisted debut, Laura gigged with Jack Penate, Brixtonian soul singer Adele, Fear of Flying and Video Nasties to rapt crowds across the UK. She has also played shows for London’s top feminist fanzine Pamflet and also independent indie magazine Transparent.

Laura has been writing her own songs for over five years, but admits that she only got good a year and a half ago – “when I stopped singing in an American accent.” She has since collaborated with fellow singer songwriter Thom Stone and is soon set to take on some of the members of defunct country band Captain Kick and the Cowboy Ramblers as her very own backing group – prepare to be seduced by the fresh face of folk.