Lost Highway
2008
A Larum
About This Album
Before listening to A Larum, it's worth noting that the album's cover is misleading as far as giving credit where it's due. Despite being under the name of vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and lyricist Johnny Flynn, it would be unfair to deem this as a solo effort, given that he is the frontman for the South London folk group the Sussex Wit. The band is a collection of talented individuals in their own right, and they do more on A Larum than simply providing an aural backdrop for Flynn's witticisms. Rather, it quickly becomes clear that the Wit's intricate, meandering rhythms and melodies are a fitting complement to Flynn's straightforward delivery, augmenting lyrics that would also function as poetry outside of a musical setting. Songs such as "Tickle Me Pink" demand active listening (especially when lines like "Tickle me pink and rosy as a flushed red apple skin/Except I've never been as sweet" float by on breezily mischievous melodies), and such playfulness is hardly an anomaly here. In fact, it's far more rare to find tunes on A Larum that don't quite hit the mark, though slower numbers like "Brown Trout Blues" do have a tendency to drag.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10)

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