Laura Marling - Short Movie

IT always seems to be the young that sing about missed opportunities and falling into the same old traps.

At just 25, you get the sense that the Brit and NME award-winning singer-songwriter Laura Marling does not have to worry about that too much.

But the Hampshire folk and acoustic artist does have a voice that seems to carry a lifetime of experience.

That is particularly true of Short Movie, her fifth album in which she seems more confident than ever before. It is also her first to be self-produced.

Marling found inspiration for the record after spending six months in the United States looking for the 'mystical' side of Los Angeles.

But in truth if that concept is in the record it is well hidden with a more obvious theme being about the complexities of love.

In a span of under a decade, Marling has become one of the most distinctive and acclaimed artists of the new wave of folk music alongside the likes of Bellowhead, Mumford and Sons and Lau.

Her signature style is instantly recognisable on Short Movie and it is her most accessible album yet.

The guitar flourishes on songs like False Hope and Strange are instantly appealing and the record takes a more reflective turns towards the end giving it a satisfying conclusion.

- Laura Marling plays at Manchester's Albert Hall on April 24.

DAVID MORGAN