User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 32
  2. Negative: 0 out of 32

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. Sep 16, 2011
    7
    In her first alum Laura Marling did soft Folk melodies that will charm you. "Ghosts", the first song of the album, shows a happy song talking about past lovers in which Laura's voice sounds charming and sincere pleading: "Lover, please do not fall to your knees. It's not like I believe i everlasting love". The following track, "Old Stone" is more nostalgic and still calming, as most of theIn her first alum Laura Marling did soft Folk melodies that will charm you. "Ghosts", the first song of the album, shows a happy song talking about past lovers in which Laura's voice sounds charming and sincere pleading: "Lover, please do not fall to your knees. It's not like I believe i everlasting love". The following track, "Old Stone" is more nostalgic and still calming, as most of the song on this marvelous album. "Failure", "You're No God" and "Cross Your Fingers" shows maybe the most happy melodies, though the lyrics aren't maybe what we would call cheerful and bright. "Crawled Out Of The Sea" separates the album, leaving more lively tunes behind and opens the second half with "My Manic And I", a song that from my point of view is a highlight of the album, with an obscure and mysterious Laura who seems tired of his lover. The album ends with "Your Only Doll (Dora)" a song that paints landscapes with those birds at the back and that will make close your eyes.
    It's not an innovative album, as the following ones of this beautiful and talented young English singer, but it is still one that you can enjoy.
    Collapse
  2. Jan 14, 2017
    7
    this first album from singer songwriter Laura Marling is a nice start with simple happy folk songs with a dark undertone. Overall a very solid debut album.
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. There's every chance that Laura Marling will get lost in the shuffle as the unexpected commercial success of Feist's The Reminder leads major labels to unleash hordes of similarly talented female singer/songwriters, but Alas I Cannot Swim is far better than the average coffee house-endorsed girly pop.
  2. Where Adele sounds like a method actor, Marling weaves secretive threads of thought that suggest she’s agonised over things long enough for them to come together with a thud in plain-spoken full stops.
  3. Her songs are similarly sparse and fragile, with some astonishingly mature lyrics framed by beautifully pretty melodies.