We confess to being late to the Laura Marling praise-party.  While critics around the globe and other musicians we respect (Ryan Adams et. al) have been singing her praises for years, we have never fully understood the allure.  But we’ve been wrong before in our premature evaluations.  Marling will next week release her new album entitled Once I Was An Eagle (see cover above).  We’ve caught smatterings of the new album and are more impressed than with her previous efforts.  Please let us know what you think of Ms. Marling.  To help in your assessment, Marling (now an LA-transplant) appeared on KCRW this morning and performed I Was An Eagle/You Know (Medley)  from the album.  Never has she sounded and played (see the open-tuned strumming in the video) more like one of her obvious influences, Joni Mitchell.  We will certainly grant her intensity and seriousness of purpose.  What say you?  You can listen/watch the full KCRW session HERE.