''A Larum'' is the debut album of

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

-based

folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk music, folk and rock music, rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the American fo ...

musician Johnny Flynn, released in the UK on May 26, 2008 and in the US on July 29, 2008. On the album, Flynn is backed by his band the Sussex Wit.

Background

The title of the album is the

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English ...

word for "alarm," used in Shakespeare's stage directions to signify a disturbance occurring offstage, and Flynn "quite liked the idea that the noise happening offstage was this album". The record was recorded at a studio called Bear Creek near

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...

. In a 2010 interview, Flynn said of the studio, "The only thing around was a coffee stand where the girls wore bikinis. It was on a main road through the woods, in the middle of nowhere. That made us feel very English."

Reception

In her review for

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

, critic Katherine Fullton wrote "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... The tangible intimacy between Flynn and his group makes A Larum not only an introduction, but also captures the gentle, amicable nature that makes them such an inviting and satisfying listen." Peter Hayward of

MusicOMH MusicOMH (stylized as musicOMH) is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B. History MusicOMH was founded and launched by ...

called the album "a marvellously accomplished and endearing debut that, while rooted in tradition and most easily described as folk, should have broader appeal beyond the beardy-weirdy set." Writing for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

'',

David Fricke David Fricke is an American music journalist who serves as the senior editor at '' Rolling Stone'' magazine, where he writes predominantly about rock music. One of the best known names in rock journalism, his career has spanned over 40 years. ...

named ''A Larum'' as one of "Fricke's Picks", calling it a "dramatic entrance" for Flynn and his band, drawing allusions between Flynn and earlier folk artists such as

Fairport Convention Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig.) They started ...

and

Bert Jansch Herbert Jansch (3 November 1943 – 5 October 2011) was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s as an acoustic guitarist and singer-songwriter ...

. The song "Tickle Me Pink" was featured as iTunes free single of the week. ''A Larum'' was nominated for the

Xfm Radio X is a British National commercial radio station focused on alternative music, primarily indie rock, and owned by Global. Radio X launched in 1989 as a pirate radio station, a licensed London-wide station in 1997 and nationally in 2015 ...

New Music Award (2009) and was also named as the 37th best album of 2008 by

Paste Magazine ''Paste'' is a monthly music and entertainment digital magazine, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with studios in Atlanta and Manhattan, and owned by Paste Media Group. The magazine began as a website in 1998. It ran as a print publication fr ...

. Flynn re-issued ''A Larum'' in October 2019.

Track listing

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Larum, A Johnny Flynn (musician) albums 2008 debut albums Vertigo Records albums Lost Highway Records albums