Laura Marling

Review: With youth on her side and two albums under her belt, UK singer-songwriter Laura Marling had a lot to smile about at the Famous Spiegeltent in Sydney’s Hyde Park during Sydney Festival 2010 so smile she did – and so did we.

On top of her undoubted talent, Marling’s warmth and infectious humour endeared her to the audience from the start. Playing a selection of songs from both albums, she showcased her musical journey so far, from the haunting, melodic songs from her debut album Alas I Cannot Swim through to the rawer and bigger sounds of ‘Devil's Spoke’ and ‘Hope in the Air’ from her new album I Speak Because I Can (due to be released first in Australia on 19 March).

The talented and beautiful singer also gave the audience a rare treat playing a brand new song, 'Rest in the Bed of my Bones', giving a glimpse of how much more is yet to come from this husky voiced star. Despite being just 20, Marling’s lyrics show an emotional maturity beyond her years, tackling the full spectrum of marriage, break ups and deaths, which showcase her talent for crafting bittersweet folk tunes.

The highlight of her performance was her big hit ‘Ghosts’ which got the biggest cheer of the night and lent itself to the intimate surroundings of the Spiegeltent. Gigs in Sydney don’t get much better than this.

The Marling strategy of encores is that there is no encore, telling us in advance that her last song would be the big hit ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’. This prior warning did not stop the audience wanting more. Laura promised us she’d be back in Australia soon. Make sure you’re there too. Antonia Williams