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Single Review: Johnny Flynn – The Lady is Risen

After embarking on a deliberately extemporaneous songwriting journey, singer/songwriter Johnny Flynn is set to release his third album ‘Country Mile’ at the end of this month. Flynn has described his approach to this album as “demoing with intent”, allowing the endeavour itself to be the goal, rather than trying to create a predetermined result.

The album’s first single, ‘The Lady is Risen’, is a perfect microcosm of that idea. Its lyrics explore the imbalance between idyllic notions of love and the reality of romantic relationships. Flynn’s stream-of consciousness poetry is set to music in such a way that each rhyming couplet blends seamlessly into the next, without regard to dramatic denouement. The song lacks a true chorus, depending on the repeated title line to round off each verse.

Flynn’s unadorned, declamatory singing style keeps the focus on his evocative poetic imagery, while the echoing guitar and the gentle, soulful backing vocals provide a sense of warmth and intimacy to match the lyrics, especially the lines “Is it snowing in London and warm in your bed? / Have I nothing to give you? I’m cold in your head / But you’re burning in mine…” The lyric video released as an accompaniment to ‘The Lady Is Risen’ (which can be viewed below) is a fine compliment to Flynn’s steadfastly non-linear songwriting.

7.5/10

Johnny Flynn’s new album ‘Country Mile’ will be released on the 30th of September through Transgressive Records. Preorder the album, and you’ll get ‘The Lady is Risen’ immediately as a free download.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy8RqQnKh7Q[/youtube]