Laura Marie: Press

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Holy catharsis batman! Laura Marie’s album Last of the Ones is a musical medicinal that soothes and emboldens on the first listen. This album, produced by Mack Damon is strong and focused. We first met and fell for Laura on her Drawn album. That was ’07. Laura’s songwriting and voice while still touching and poignant have both grown in strength to reveal the lush and ripe angels that rest in her throat and mind. “What It’s Like” is an honest look into ones weaknesses mirrored in another strengths. She’s not begrudgingly comparing herself in a downward depressed motion. Instead she simply wonders what it would be like to be that wonderful, adventuresome person and by the end of the song you hope she gets the chance to find out. Laura and her trusty acoustic guitar infuses tracks “Find a Way” and “Love You Like Me” with a light and happy folk sheen that reminds you to take things one day at a time. Her title track “Last of the Ones” is already a classic in my book. Truly one of the best albums we’ve come across this year.

Even though the music on Drawn stays true to Laura Marie's fairly lean folk-pop sound, this record sounds huge.

But, then, I'm coming to expect that from five-time Grammy-nominated producer Mack Damon — layers, gently understated, easter eggs for the attentive listener. Under Damon's magical aegis, Drawn spins like Laura Marie's coming out party, the start of her solo adventure into the real world. "Ever Since" describes a love that never happened. "Good Enough" talks about a person coming to terms with her own imperfections. "Surface" describes a woman yearning for motherhood. These are mature themes, and Laura's songwriting is strong enough to bring them to life. San Antonio's Laura Marie is a star in the making, and this record, Drawn, has the power to be that starmaker.

Laura Marie - Drawn
June 7, 2008

San Antonio-based pop/folk artist Laura Marie writes songs that non-musicians dream of writing.

The lyrics will personally touch the listener as if the songs were written just for them. Common life experiences are turned into remarkable tunes that address real issues, while remaining hooky and memorable. A talented songwriter, singer and performer, Laura delivers those well-chosen words with an appealing voice and movie star looks.

Sure, there’s a ton of singer/songwriters on the radio today, but Laura Marie separates herself from that crowded pack with strong songwriting and an outstanding voice. With talent as big as Texas itself, this an artist that is deserving of your attention.

Summer is here. San Antonio
moved up a notch in the "sweatiest city" rankings. Women
dominate the live-music calendar.
Now get out there and sweat to
the music.

Hello, ladies.
There are women galore making
music in the Alamo City over the
next few days. And it runs the gamut from folk/rock to jazz to
all-out rock 'n' roll.

Laura Marie has taught and
studied music, but she's at her
best when she's performing the music she writes. The veteran of the band Sofa Kingdom/Things Between has a new CD, "Drawn." Laura Marie will team with Colorado-based singer/songwriter Coles Whalen at 8 Friday night at Candlelight Coffeehouse.

Laura Marie makes an engaging brand of pop/folk with rock roots. Influenced by an array of people from the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde to songwriter/singer Carole King, Laura Marie brings it all together so first-class writing and top-flight music dovetail.

"Drawn," produced by Mack Damon, features excellent songs including "Too Deep," "Ever Since" and "Surface," written or co written by Laura Marie and played by a cast of talented local musicians.

Whalen, like Laura Marie, worked in a rock band but opted out of the Los Angeles rock scene in favor of working the troubadour road. She's touring with a new CD,
"Nothing Is Too Much."

Laura Marie promised she'd bring bug spray and chocolate to the Candlelight show. If you go for the treats, you'll stay for the songs.

Look & Listen: Welcome to the silky sound of Laura Marie
“I never really thought I was that great of a singer. I was really pretty shy about it. And I had a tough time with that."

She is: Laura Marie

Her sound: Alternative acoustic pop (think Natalie Merchant or Aimee Mann)

Her words: “I never really thought I was that great of a singer. I was really pretty shy about it. And I had a tough time with that,” said the singer/songwriter with the silky voice. “But I loved to write music and eventually decided I had to get over the stage-fright thing and actually start looking at the audience.”

Her records: Drawn (2007)

Where to see her: She'll be at Casa Chiapas in Southtown in late April and early May and will begin playing regularly this summer with her backing band, which includes guitar hotshot Jake Owen.

The Web: lauramariemusic.com, myspace.com/lauramarie
The 210 take: The veteran of Things Between/Sofa Kingdom shares thoughtful, earnest pop-folk on her first solo album, which took a few years to record — “I had to deliver a baby somewhere between the fifth and sixth song, I don't remember which,” said the mother of two. The result is a delicately crafted collage of stories of human relationships. Also cool: Laura Marie is a big advocate of San Antonio music and will host a new Internet radio show, “The Sound of It in S.A.”, giving a songwriter's take on local bands. Details at myspace.com/thesoundofit

Yea boys and girls...its introduction time! I’ve raised my
head outta my soul induced haze for a moment to share with you an artist that I believe has real star quality. While soul music is my forte I’ve come to learn that any singer/songwriter that puts what they truly feel down on paper is a soul artist.

Gotta love that SXSW. Where else
can you run into someone in the
bathroom of all places, that’ll
look at you and utter, “Hey, I’ve
seen you on Myspace?” That’s
right Laura; we’ve had our eyes
on you for a while now.

Laura Marie helped me reach my conclusion. Her album, “Drawn” is an ode to soul-searching
experiences. If I had to give her a genre (which I loath doing) would be pop-acoustic-folk. Yeah I just made up a category. Check for the bin title next time to go to a
record shop. Not many of those left around, but that’s another
article. Laura’s sweet, strong and clear vocals add dimension and life to tunes like “Too Deep” and “Wait”.

Laura has a degree in music
education as was a grade school choir director before giving in to her compulsive need to write
music. She credits her lyric
writing habit as the reason for initially dropping out of the
University of Texas at Austin. Years of wandering, writing and waitressing eventually led her back to university to learn how to write down the music she was hearing in her head. She studied under composers Alice Gomez and Doug Boyer.

With such honest, heart-felt lyrics we were driven to accost her with a few of our simple minded
questions...