John Francis Flynn – ‘Look Over The Wall, See The Sky’ album review: a mind-expanding triumph
There’s a proud tradition of bastardising Irish music. From the punk rock leanings of The Pogues to the mainstreaming melodies of Sinéad O’Connor, the most interesting acts are usually the ones who aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of what’s acceptable. And now, there’s a new name putting a new twist on one of the most traditional musical forms in the world. Somewhere at the seemingly impossible nexus of traditional Irish folk music, indie rock, Indian drone, post-punk, ambient, and shoegaze sits John Francis Flynn.
With a prominent lilt in his bone-rattling baritone-bass voice, Flynn makes what can best be described as “Not your Irish father’s Irish music”. Sure, the phrasing and wordings of Gaelic tradition remain, but these aren’t four geezers playing acoustic in the corner of a pub. This is mournful folk, experimental rock, and modern indie… if modern indie was written by the great masters of Irish songwriting.
All of the music on Look Over The Wall, See The Sky comes from the canon of old-school Irish folk songs. Flynn has done nothing to the words, or even most of the melodies, to update them or change them in any way. But instead of Bodhráns and tin whistles, Flynn has sustained violins creaking with distortion, melancholy drone guitars, and drum kits. The magic is in the seamlessness of the synthesis: even the oldest material feels refreshingly contemporary.
Flynn makes a point to deconstruct and reimagine the music of the past while still striving to make it sound remarkably fresh. If you’ve never heard the stories behind songs like ‘Willie Crotty’ or ‘The Lag Song’, Flynn won’t chastise you or even bat an eye. Homework is not required on this trip. Instead, even if you know nothing about traditional Irish folk music, that’s fine. The songs on Look Over The Wall, See The Sky don’t feel tethered to their past identities.
Granted, Flynn isn’t going to be for everyone. Even the whiff of something ancient will certainly send a portion of curious listeners for the hills. Flynn’s voice also might be a bit of an acquired taste, especially on the more discordant tones that these melodies sometimes force him to sing. It’s not like Fontaines D.C. or Gilla Band or, god forbid, U2. It’s real-deal Irish music, and for the uninitiated (like me, for example), it can be a lot to get your head around.
But the genius arranging and inspired ideas that Flynn wraps these old tunes around make this album truly great. The darker cello lines, backwards guitar, and post-punk drum beat of ‘Mole in the Ground’ come out of nowhere after the deeply meditative and increasingly heady ‘The Zoological Gardens’. ‘Within a Mile of Dublin’ begins like a traditional dance before spiralling into a synthetic experimental black hole. While ending an album with ‘Dirty Old Town’ might be the most Irish thing that an artist could do, Flynn’s rendition feels like no other version of the song that has ever existed.
Only after taking it all in did my mind ever start to wonder about the history and origins of these songs. That’s perhaps the greatest trick that Flynn pulls off: once you become hypnotised by his arrangements, the door opens to a world of additional tales. In that way, nothing that Flynn does in Look Over The Wall, See The Sky is at all a desecration of the past. Any gatekeeper of Ireland’s proud musical traditions would be astounded by Flynn’s ability to keep his chosen material traditional while making it sound like it was created today.
By obliterating the wall between the stories of the past and the expanse of the modern day, Flynn has managed to create something truly all his own. He’s perfectly capable of channelling that same sound and energy in his own writing, but to be able to use the words of his heroes, Flynn has added a new chapter to their own fascinating tales. It’s not all selfless work either: Flynn comes off looking, sounding, and feeling like a true visionary as one of the only people who can wrap his arms around 100 years of music.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.