Sillion is the fourth[a] studio album by British singer-songwriter Johnny Flynn, released in 2017 through Transgressive Records.[1][2] The album reached no. 96 in the UK.[3]
| Sillion | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 24 March 2017 | |||
| Genre | Folk | |||
| Length | 44:56 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | Transgressive | |||
| Johnny Flynn chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editSillion was Flynn's first studio album since 2013's Country Mile.[4] In the interim, Flynn was increasingly active as an actor.[4] The record was recorded at Soup Studio in London.[5]
Flynn has said that the album was influenced strongly by this personal life:
My Dad died when I was 18, and that was quite a galvanising experience,' he says, 'and there's often an element of that in anything I’m writing; every big loss that you suffer in life, I think everything comes through the conduit of that. And I had a really strong sense of my daughter having elements of my Dad when she came along, and it made me kind of laugh – that cyclical sense, of thinking of my daughter as my Dad.[6]
The track "Heart Sunk Hank", which explores Flynn's relationship with his wife, was inspired by the folk song "Fare Thee Well".[7] The song was also partially recorded on a 1940s Voice-o-Graph, giving it a unique sound and making it the "record's highlight" per Rhian Daly of DIY.[8]
Flynn released music videos for the tracks "In the Deepest", "Wandering Aengus", and "Raising the Dead", all directed by Simon Ryninks.[9][10][11]
Reception
editSillion reached no. 96 in the UK, Flynn's third album to chart in the top 100.[3] The record has a score of 74 on the review aggregator Metacritic, signifying "generally favorable" reviews.[12] Timothy Monger of AllMusic indicated that the opening three tracks of the album "stand among the best of [Flynn's] career".[4] Sarah Dawood of The Line of Best Fit praised the album, calling it "an emotionally challenging piece that engages and encapsulates its listeners" and a "piece of art."[13]
In a more negative review, Harry Harris of The Skinny opined that the record felt like a "side-project" to Flynn's acting career, while still finding that it was a "perfectly fine" record.[14]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Johnny Flynn
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Raising the Dead" | 3:33 |
| 2. | "Wandering Aengus" | 3:47 |
| 3. | "Heart Sunk Hank" | 3:11 |
| 4. | "Barleycorn" | 4:32 |
| 5. | "The Night My Piano Upped and Died" | 3:55 |
| 6. | "In the Deepest" | 3:11 |
| 7. | "In Your Pockets" | 3:16 |
| 8. | "Jefferson's Torch" | 4:23 |
| 9. | "Tarp in the Prop" | 3:55 |
| 10. | "The Landlord" | 6:34 |
| 11. | "Hard Road" | 4:39 |
| Total length: | 44:56 | |
References
editNotes
edit- ^ Not including a live album and film soundtrack.
Sources
edit- ^ Shaw, Peter. "JOHNNY FLYNN: SILLION". www.folkradio.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ That, Thank Folk For (31 March 2017). "Album Review: Johnny Flynn – Sillion | Thank Folk For That". Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ a b "JOHNNY FLYNN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ a b c Sillion – Johnny Flynn | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 19 April 2021
- ^ "Johnny Flynn – Sillion". Soup Studio – Analogue Recording in London. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ "Album Review: Johnny Flynn – Sillion". DrownedInSound. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ Records, Transgressive. "Johnny Flynn / 'Sillion' out now". www.transgressiverecords.com. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ Subscribe. "Johnny Flynn – Sillion | Reviews". diymag.com. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ Johnny Flynn – Wandering Aengus, retrieved 19 April 2021
- ^ Johnny Flynn – Raising the Dead, retrieved 19 April 2021
- ^ Johnny Flynn – In the Deepest, retrieved 19 April 2021
- ^ "Sillion by Johnny Flynn", Metacritic, retrieved 16 April 2021
- ^ "Johnny Flynn returns with the draining, enriching Sillion". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ "Johnny Flynn – Sillion album review: The Skinny". www.theskinny.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2021.