Alas I Cannot Swim

The Mercury Prize nominated Alas I Cannot Swim is the first album by UK artist Laura Marling. This incredible debut was released just after she turned eighteen. Hearing songs like "Ghosts," "Crawled Out of the Sea" and "Night Terror" it is hard to believe that the author is someone so young. The arrangements of the songs are invitingly warm and clever, reflecting the style of the band that backed her up in the studio- oddball indie folksters, Noah and the Whale. To say that she is the voice of folk for her generation may sound like hyperbole, but it's like her music, just the simple truth.