Review: Laura Marling’s ‘Semper Femina’ Seeks the Cryptic in the Plainspoken

It’s a woman’s world on Laura Marling’s sixth album, “Semper Femina,” her latest set of cozy, folky melodies carrying profoundly enigmatic tidings. The characters in her new songs, from start to finish, are women; men, except for someone’s mean father, are absent, simply irrelevant to her current intentions.Between albums, Ms. Marling has also been busy with “Reversal of the Muse: An Exploration of Femininity in Creativity,” a podcast series of conversations with female musicians, producers, engineers and executives. But her backup musicians and technicians on “Semper Femina” are men: most prominently, the album’s producer, Blake Mills, the guitarist who has lately worked with Alabama Shakes, Fiona Apple and John Legend [ . . . ] More NY Times

Laura Marling: ‘I’m unsure of my femininity’ – BBC News

Folk star Laura Marling explores what it means to be a woman on her new album, Semper Femina.

Laura Marling’s latest album was recorded in her adopted home of Los Angeles, so coming back to London to promote it in mid-February has been something of a rude awakening.

There are some circumstances in which I employ more of a masculine approach in order to protect myself; and there are circumstances where I indulge in my more feminine side because that vulnerability seems more important

“I stupidly got on my bike this morning and got the sleet right in my face,” she winces.

Having dried off and freshened up, she settles down to chat. Marling has a reputation for being a shy, sometimes reluctant interviewee – but LA clearly has rubbed off on her.

She chews gum as we talk, laughing bawdily as she discusses her penchant for dating drummers. (“What do they bring to a relationship? Rhythm!”)

The 27-year-old also reveals her mum keeps a “very meticulous scrapbook” of her career, and admits to cooking up her own brand of Halloumi cheese.

“I’m aiming for direct competition with Alex James,” she says, referring to the cheese-making Blur bassist. “But bloody hell, what a boring thing to talk about”. [ . . . ] Read Full Story at BBC

 

 

Source: Laura Marling: ‘I’m unsure of my femininity’ – BBC News

Review: Laura Marling’s ‘Semper Femina’ Seeks the Cryptic in the Plainspoken 

It’s a woman’s world on Laura Marling’s sixth album, “Semper Femina,” her latest set of cozy, folky melodies carrying profoundly enigmatic tidings. The characters in her new songs, from start to finish, are women; men, except for someone’s mean father, are absent, simply irrelevant to her current intentions.

Between albums, Ms. Marling has also been busy with “Reversal of the Muse: An Exploration of Femininity in Creativity,” a podcast series of conversations with female musicians, producers, engineers and executives. But her backup musicians and technicians on “Semper Femina” are men: most prominently, the album’s producer, Blake Mills, the guitarist who has lately worked with Alabama Shakes, Fiona Apple and John Legend.

Ms. Marling is a subtly virtuosic guitarist with a voice that’s pensive, consoling, poised and wise beyond her years [ . . . ] Read Full NY Times Review