Music for the rest of the weekend

Okay, I admit that current market conditions usurp my ability to post many items in a timely fashion -- but who cares about market-related posts when there is so much excellent music to share, and not enough weekends to share it all?! And even though this weekend now qualifies as half over (Really?!), what better time than now to share some fine, fun music?

I have listened to, and enjoyed immeasurably, Laura Marling's (My Space) debut CD, Alas, I Cannot Swim, for several months now...

The truth is that its many qualities keep growing on me. Does that not reflect a mature artist, one who wants her music to haunt you for months to come? (Rather than bop you over the head with the sheer power of her musical genius.) But can Laura be only 18 years old? Sheesh, a record contract with a major label, and a talent for catchy hooks so infectious that she actually down-plays them...

As was the situation with Amy MacDonald, I was hard-pressed to decide which song by Laura to share; in the end, I went with the first single, Ghosts. This song compares favorably with early Joni Mitchell, (in particular, Joni's For The Roses), a heck of a high bar to surmount, and which Laura hurdles with ease. Laura's writing displays an obvious playfulness, which the lyrics betray, as does her singing. Listen carefully to hear what I mean, albeit to other songs from her CD.

Ghosts - Laura Marling

He walked down a busy street
Staring solely at his feet
Clutching pictures of past lovers at his side

Stood at the table where she sat
And removed his hat
In respect of her presence.

Presents her with the pictures and says
These are just ghosts that broke my heart before I met you
These are just ghosts that broke my heart before I met you.

Opened up his little heart
Unlocked the lock that kept it dark
And read a written warning
Saying I'm still mourning
Over ghosts
Over ghosts
Over ghosts
Over ghosts
That broke my heart before I met you.

Lover, please do not
Fall to your knees
It’s not
Like I believe in
Everlasting love.

He went crazy at nineteen
Said he'd lost all his self-esteem
And couldn't understand why he was
crying, crying, crying, crying...

He would stare at empty chairs
Think of the ghosts who once sat there
The ghosts that broke his heart.
Oh the ghosts that broke my heart
The ghosts that broke his heart
Oh the ghosts that broke my heart
The ghosts the ghosts the ghosts the ghosts the ghosts the ghosts
The ghosts that broke my heart before I met you.

Lover, please do not
Fall to your knees
It’s not
Like I believe in
Everlasting love.

He says I'm so lost,
Not at all well
Ooooooooooohhh
Ooooooooooohhh.

Do as done and there is nothing left to be
Turned out I'd been following him and he'd been following me
Do as done after it was over
We were just two lovers crying on each others shoulder
And I said

Lover, please do not
Fall to your knees
It’s not
Like I believe in
Everlasting love

Lover, please do not
Fall to your knees
It’s not
Like I believe in
Everlasting love.

So, what do you think...?
-- David M Gordon / The Deipnosophist