The queue outside St. Stephen’s Church, prior to Laura Marling’s offerings, was lengthy. The chilly winds blowing down Macquarie Street did not offer much solace for the faithful gathered to hear the British folksinger. There was a bit of grumbling, but the virtue of patience was called upon.
Once inside the hallowed and stunningly gorgeous halls of the sanctuary, the chill disappeared. The stage, or shall we call it an altar, was clad in flowers and candles. The glow of the purple lighting filled the room. The ornate wood of the pipe organ made for a setting that befitted one who has a fairly ethereal vocal quality at times.
Marling is a songstress rooted in English folk and she has been a darling of critics and fans for the short period she has been on the scene. At the young age of 23, her similarity in vocal style to Joni Mitchell has captured the attention of so many. This artist’s ability to write, sing and play guitar is noted and she does a very good job of all three.
With the pews filled, Marling came to the stage to polite applause. Joined on this evening by her good friend and violoncellist, Ruth de Tuberville, Marling eased into her set.
Her latest record was the featured output tonight. The lengthy first quartet of songs flow from one to another well. From “Take The Night Off” to “Breathe” the fairly melancholic and similar chords and singing were either entrancing the quiet audience or lulling them to sleep.
With wooden pews being the seating arrangements, it was doubtful that anyone got that comfortable.
With only a little bit of banter about the ill effect of jet lag, the fabulous breakfasts and coffee she admires in Australia, Marling was trying to connect with the audience. Maybe it was the cold weather, or that it was a Monday night, but there seemed to be some distance. Or was it the lack of pizazz or variety in the music?
“What He Wrote” and “Rambling Man” from her 2010 release, I Speak Because I Can, were delivered tonight and courteously received. Marling called the audience a polite crowd, I was quite uncertain if many of them were still awake half way through this set of somniferous tunes. With little movement, her head tilted back and eyes closed at times, maybe Marling was also being lulled into the same state.
This songwriter has taken on this brief tour of Australia by playing in churches, like St. Stephen’s in Sydney, to promote and display her new record.
Her lack of zest and variety within a one hour set may suit some of her adoring fans, but it was not a thrilling evening.
With a one hour set list, charging close to a dollar a minute to be mesmerised by the similarity of each song, she is not going to garner new fans on that performance. Her ability to finger pick and sing like an angel does not really grab you and make you sit in awe and in fact it is a wonder that a year ago she played for close to two hours at the Opera House and was much more stimulating. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here.
