Johnny Flynn – Bringing Folk Forth
By
Something tells me Johnny Flynn is about to make it big, and he probably couldn’t have timed things better as the recent resurgence of folk music (namecheck Mumford and Sons, Bon Iver, Laura Marling, Noah And The Whale etc, here) has somehow created an audience eager to lap up music that just years ago would have been reserved for the bedrooms of old-before-their-time, cardigan wearing book collectors.
Apologies if that came over wrong, it was supposed to sound like a good thing.
A mix of traditional, multi-instrumental folk, contemporary social commentary and time-honoured story telling, Flynn’s music is something of a pastiche, and the man himself something of a contradiction; his voice and talent seemingly determined to belie his age. On record he sounds like a world-weary old man with the kind of gypsy-folk aesthetic you’d expect to find hidden away in the darkened corners of a used instrument store, or reaching out to you from a rickety old caravan nestled in a clearing in the woods. This would all seem acceptable and entirely of the norm if Flynn wasn’t still in his mid-twenties. The effect of this seems at first to be a sensory anomaly, watching a young man thrive playing an old man’s songs, almost as if he is channelling the wisdom and maturity of generations past. It’s like hearing Seasick Steve and discovering he’s an 18 year old law student.
However, it’s safe to say that Flynn is not your normal twenty something. A poet, actor and songwriter who cites Shakespeare amongst his influences, he is exactly the kind of person who’s so talented that you’re torn between punching him in the face and letting him steal your girlfriend. And let’s face it, she’d probably go. He’s a genuine story teller, a man capable of mixing traditional folk music with current social commentary, evocative imagery and incisive wit. Don’t believe me? Watch this live version of ‘Tickle Me Pink’.
The South African born bard is on the verge of releasing his second album, Been Listening, on June 7th (UK release), a follow up to his first beguiling and heartfelt effort, A Larum, which was almost universally lauded by critics.
For more info visit the Johnny Flynn website.
All photos, music, and videos copyright of their respective owners. Used only for promotional purposes and to gain notoriety for the artists featured.
