"I was writing music that called for that arrangement," says Laura Marling, who plugs in an electric guitar for three tracks on her latest album Short Movie, which was written on her dad's Gibson 335.

Though ahead of her performance at the second annual Festival Palomino, Marling went back to her roots: She stopped by The Current to perform an acoustic set live in-studio and to chat with host Steve Seel about her new record.

Before Short Movie, though, there was another (scrapped) album. "It was just a bit of a boring record," says Marling. "I wasn't inspired really, in a lyrical way."

Then Marling moved to Los Angeles. "It so directly confronts you with everything that's so awful about societal inequity and segregation and your complete powerlessness to do anything about it," says Marling. "It sent me into an existential tailspin."

"I was sort of surprised by how inspiring I found L.A., and I like the unlikely," says Marling.

Songs Performed

"Night After Night"
"For the Sake of the Song" (Townes Van Zandt cover)
"How Can I"

"Night After Night" is off Laura Marling's 2011 album A Creature I Don't Know; "How Can I" is off her latest album, Short Movie, out now on Ribbon Music.

Hosted by Steve Seel
Produced by Derrick Stevens
Engineered by Mike DeMark
Web feature by Leah Garaas

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