Marian Mc Laughlin: NPR Tiny Desk Concert

Marian McLaughlin is a unique musician based in the Washington, Baltimore area, and because she s lived in D. C., I ve had a chance to watch her grow. She s an artist on her own path, making music like few others. The closest comparisons might be Joanna Newsom or Diane Cluck, both of whom I admire; both are of their own place and time, and the music they make connects on a personal level. Listening feels as if you ve entered their meticulously decorated living rooms. And so it is for Marian McLaughlin, with her quirky and wistful style of singing and her unusual nylonstring guitar playing, which balances staccato and spacious sounds. When I saw McLaughlin perform with a string quartet, I felt compelled to bring her to the Tiny Desk. Ethan Foote, the fellow on the upright bass, did the arrangements; Geoff Manyin is on cello and Nick Montopoli, on violin, is from the group Invoke. The strings add considerable atmosphere to McLaughlin s music; you can hear it especially in the opening song about Otto Lilienth