Laura Marling, A Creature I Don’t Know (Ribbon) After being showered with praise from The New York Times and Spin for her debut and sophomore albums, each of which was nominated for a Mercury Prize, expectations couldn’t be higher for Laura Marling’s latest elease, A Creature I Don’t Know. Fortunately for the 21-year-old British singer-songwriter—who already snagged the Best Female Solo Artist prize at the 2011 Brit Awards—the record is a triumph. Building on the strength of her previous two efforts, Creature boasts a folksy, wistful feel, but it’s her voice—at times light and subtle, at others bold and deep—that makes her music so unforgettable. —Sharon Wu

Laura Marling, I Speak Because I Can (Astralwerks) Laura Marling’s second album contains whispery narratives and brassy love ballads, a show of range that should dispel any and all comparisons to other British pop tarts. In folksy, Celtic-inspired canticles, Marling ruminates on unorthodox topics such as The Odyssey, men at war and dreary snow. On “Blackberry Stone,” the album’s most heartfelt and saddest track, Marling keens over love lost with the most poignant limerick we’ve ever heard: “You never did learn to let the little things go/ You never did learn to let me be/ You never did learn to let little people grow/ You never did learn how to see.”—Eiseley Tauginas

As our New Regime noted, troubadours Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling have a penchant for the historical. So it makes sense that their favorite place for music is London's St. Moritz Club, a grimey pub known both for badass rock and gentler songcraft. See our review.

The New Troubadours: Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling wander the globe soaking up inspiration for their fresh take on folk.

Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst (Merge Records). A phone left dangling off the hook. The singe of tequila as it’s washed down with salt. The smell of bonfire smoke as it’s carried away into the night sky. These are the everyday snapshots Conor Oberst conjures on his self-titled fourth solo album, a return to one-man showmanship after 13 years. As he trembles and wavers through drifting laments, his voice defying tone, the Bright Eyes frontman reveals a heart in shards, sparring with Ryan Adams to become the Bob Dylan of our generation. -- Nick Haramis