I am quite old.

One of the reasons that I know that I am old is by my reaction to new music. I love music, it has been one of the primary drives throughout my life. Playing music, listening to music, being moved by music. Measuring the passage of life through the meaning found in…music.

But these days, music has to be more than style. It has to be more than a trendy badge I can wear for a while. It has to have character, depth, emotion and it has to have something to say.

Now these things are very subjective, and that is the wonder of music- a scale of eight notes, arranged and then added to words can convey such variety- but for me, most talented artists need something else- they need experience.

They need to have engaged with the real dirty stuff of life.

Today, Emily dragged me in to listen to Laura Marling. I love it that she does this- she listens to loads of stuff, and if she thinks I might like it, then she is really keen to pass on the knowledge.

And she is often right- Laura Marling does a lovely version of ‘Rambling man’.

In a decade or so she might be great. Right now she is very talented.