Laura Marie is readying for the release of his debut solo album. It's titled Too Sweet: Songs For Setting Boundaries and has a drop date of May 26th, 2023. But first, for those of you not yet familiar with the artist in question, a bit o’ background.
Laura Marie
According to Marie’s official website, she is an American singer-songwriter and musician. A Texas native, Marie “grew up steeped in poetry and music, earning her degree in music education and paying her dues in bands in Central Texas and beyond.” Her rockin’ resume includes several previous releases including albums and singles such as 2020’s “Out Loud.”
Marie has also won the OurStage Texas Lilith Fair Competition and an Independent Music Award. Some of her music is “licensed to TLC, M Cable Television Inc., and Bunim/Murray Productions.”
Signature Sound
Laura Marie’s signature sound is a blend of multiple music genres including acoustic rock, alternative, and pop. According to a recent e-communique, her music has always been inspired by her desire to her desire “to heal” which is “an essential element” to her ability to survive.
Too Sweet: Songs For Setting Boundaries
Too Sweet: Songs For Setting Boundaries is a six-track album of Marie’s original material. Laura Marie sings lead vocals backed by several other artists including producer Jake Owen (guitars, bass keyboards, and programming arrangement); Mauro Refosco (drums and percussion); and Andy Dollerson (additional keys and programming). According to a recent email, this new disc is meant, in part, to be “a deeper dive into the ‘one lesson learned on repeat’ referenced in” the 2016 Stars Apart song titled "Honest" that continues to explore “the frontiers of self-awareness.”
The email also sheds some light on the origins of this upcoming new release. The initial concept for the album was “centered around creating healthy boundaries” and Marie confirmed it grew out of “several years of working to extract herself from several unhealthy relationships that temporarily derailed her career as a songwriter and just a few months before the pandemic that made healthy boundaries a survival necessity.” The EP will be followed by the release of “a book and EP set.”
The email reported that the accompanying book is actually “a memoir and account of events that inspired the songs on the EP.” Marie wrote the book to promote healing “and to empower survivors in and out of the music industry to overcome the often debilitating consequences of trauma and sexual abuse.”
Track by Track
The lead-in is “I Told You So.” It makes Marie’s important musical message clear from the start. Yet there is obviously more to come in more ways than one. There is something here that is vaguely reminiscent of Carly Simon yet free of corporate sugar-coating.
The second selection is “Too Sweet.” It is surprisingly high-spirited and interestingly intense. It certainly earns its choice as the title track.
The next number is “Why?” This is a song about truth and self-reflection. It is highlighted by the exceptional addition of a string quartet. Specifically, it features Delaney Stockli (violin), Ludovica Burtone (violin), Lourdes Rosales (viola), and Emily Hope Price (cello).
“Painkiller” follows here. This is an excellent example of a sad story expertly told in an upbeat musical manner. It speaks to the sad reality of what drug addiction does to one’s personal life. Kyle Thompson guests on drums.
She said: “Ever try to set a boundary with someone but keep getting sucked back into the same drama? They say or do something, and you’re right back in it. Or, you start the same pattern all over again with someone else. ‘One lesson learned on repeat’.”
Marie added: “I wrote ‘Shadows’ while I was discovering the power of walking away. Not winning, not getting the last word, not being right or the other person being wrong, not getting an apology, or the other person getting whatever it is I think they deserve. Just me finally being done. The win is being free of the pattern. Makes me feel like dancing.”
Overall…
Overall, this is but a brief introduction to Marie’s tuneful talents. Her songs are unabashedly honest, and reflective, and focus on intimate explorations revealing the impact of impacted by attempted suicide, sexual assault, and traumatic relationships. More importantly, it speaks to acceptance, empowerment, and perseverance.
Despite Marie’s multiple trials and tribulations, she has not only survived but songfully celebrates that fact with the creation and almost playful presentation of these seemingly cathartic cuts. So, check out Laura Marie’s Too Sweet: Songs For Setting Boundaries. “Why?” Because “I Told You So.”
(Images courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media and Laura Marie)