Album Feature: Semper Femina by Laura Marling

I am giggling as I write this because Laura Marling has been my #womancrush since time immemorial. >.< She is easily one of the most brilliant singer-songwriters of today; and producing her 6^th album at the age of 27 is a true feat. The album was supposedly a reflection on woman from the perspective of a man – but who needs that, when a fresher perspective from someone like Laura Marling is a more powerful reflection that can give birth to an album like Semper Femina.

The album title was from a line in a Virgil poem about how women are ever fickle and changeable – a laudable bridging of literature and music, given Marling’s poetic songwriting style. But she tackled sexism in a subtle and relatable manner, which is a lot different from other political narratives on women in songs. There are several tracks that soulfully narrate strained relationships (“The Valley” and “Wild Fire”). I love the songs “Wild Fire” and “Nouel” for many reasons that can be explained by just listening to it.

The opener “Soothing” sounds like an ode about unrequited love.

I banish you with love
You can’t come in
You don’t live in here anymore

“Always this way” is a song that will perhaps hit home to a lot of women going through anxieties when they reach a certain age.

25 years, nothing to show for it
Nothing of any weight
25 more, will I never learn from it
Never learn from my mistakes

Aside from numerous Laura Marling fans, this is probably a good album for listeners of Aimee Mann and Emma Ruth Rundle.

Label: More Alarming Records

Year: 2017

Personal favorite/s: Wild Fire, Don’t Pass Me By, Nouel, Always This Way, Soothing, Wild Once