Once I Was an Eagle

Once I Was an Eagle is the fourth studio album by British singer-songwriter Laura Marling, representing a pinnacle of her 'forensic' songwriting style. Recorded in just ten days at Three Crows studio, the album features Marling primarily accompanied only by cellist Ruth de Turberville and producer Ethan Johns on minimal percussion. The record is structurally unique, beginning with a four-song medley that flows continuously, establishing a thematic cycle of shedding old identities. Marling utilized three distinct guitar tunings to represent the emotional stages of the album: the darker, melancholic first half and the more 'jubilant' and open second half. Critics frequently compared the work to the 1970s output of Joni Mitchell and Sandy Denny, noting its sophisticated arrangements and psychological depth. It was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and solidified Marling's reputation as the premier folk voice of her generation.