Marling is one of a few contemporary musicians whose latest records i look forward to hearing the day of release. Just like when i was a kid, i block out time to do nothing else but listen to the whole thing in one sitting. and, this is precisely the type of album that rewards the engaged listener.marling is audacious in how morose, at times sullen, and nearly goth she can be. she stretches out, breaks with structure and seems to sing for an audience of one, which makes the performance utterly intimate and, at the same time, non crowd-pleasing (for lack of a better term). her voice is absolutely stunning, but it's almost like she's aware of how beautiful it can be and so uses it relatively sparingly, dropping off notes in unexpected places, and basically singing as she pleases. There's something righteous and fierce in this, at the same time as, combined with the moroseness, it could be seen as putting on a bit of a character, a shield against being too vulnerable. but, for me, it works. shielding against too much vulnerability is a kind of vulnerability-- particularly if, ultimately, we are trying to be as honest as possible. And, i think that's where, on a deeper level, the authenticity comes through-- whatever the show, whatever the performance, it is wrought of an attempt at emotional truth.in short, if an album can produce this kind of reflection, it's a serious piece of work. just listen to the first two songs (connected as one) and you'll see what i mean-- one of best 1-2 openings i've heard in years.