Wikipedia

Look Over the Wall, See the Sky

Look Over the Wall, See the Sky is a 2023 studio album by Irish folk musician John Francis Flynn. The release was announced in September 2023 and preceded by the single "Mole in the Ground".[2] This collection of traditional Irish folk music,[3] related to the culture of Dublin[4] and an exploration of Irish identity[5] and has received positive reviews from critics.

Look Over the Wall, See the Sky
An ornate glass with green fluid in it, sitting in grass
Studio album by
John Francis Flynn
Released10 November 2023 (2023-11-10)
GenreIrish folk music
Length42:35
LanguageEnglish
LabelRiver Lea
John Francis Flynn chronology
I Would Not Live Always
(2021) 		Look Over the Wall, See the Sky
(2023)

"I was drawn to 'I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground' at the time in Dublin when traditional music was centred round this pub The Cobblestone, and it was under threat. This venue was the real hope of our scene. It's beyond just a pub, it's a social space where people can learn traditional music or the Irish language or even learn French dancing."

—Flynn on including the lead single on Look Over the Wall, See the Sky[1]

Reception

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In Hot Press, Will Russell rated this album 9 out of 10, calling it "a profound album that demands repeated exploration"[6] and a feature interview by Jess Murray included the characterization that this album is "dripping in Flynn's originality and creativity".[7] Siobhán Long of Irish Times scored this release 4 out of 5 stars, calling this album and stating that "the nocturnal, muzzy soundscape builds on what he conjured on his solo debut" and "Flynn's reach is both wide and deep, embracing this time around two songs from Ewan MacColl's catalogue and layering fresh meaning on both".[8] In a feature interview for Loud and Quiet, Ollie Rankine describes Flynn as "being one of the genre's most recent offshoots and contending with hordes of different song variations before him, Flynn still succeeds in finding his niche" with his focus on a Dublin-specific sound and stated that this album "offers an abstract fantasy, a fleeting glimpse of what could exist when all that is truly Irish remains".[9] Neil Spencer of The Observer rated this album 4 out of 5 stars, calling it a "blast from the past" with "songs emerge from walls of growling guitars and doomy drones and disappear into distorted electronica".[10] At The Quietus, Patrick Clarke included Look Over the Wall, See the Sky among the best music of October, stating that the album rewards repeated listening with a sense of cohesion, and it was chosen as Album of the Week on its eventual release.[11][12] Editors at Stereogum also chose Look Over the Wall, See the Sky as the Album of the Week, with critic Ryan Leas remarking that the music is "wracked with sadness, but makes it vivid, immersive, and strikingly beautiful".[13]

Editors at The Quietus chose it for the fifth best album of 2023.[14] Editors at The Fader chose this as the 31st best album of the year.[15] In The Atlantic, it was ranked 10th best of 2023.[16] Look Over the Wall, See the Sky was shortlisted for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2023.[17]

Track listing

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  1. "The Zoological Gardens" – 3:15
  2. "Mole in the Ground" – 3:52
  3. "Willie Crotty" – 6:47
  4. "Kitty" – 7:20
  5. "The Seasons" – 4:25
  6. "Within a Mile of Dublin" – 5:41
  7. "The Lag Song" – 6:25
  8. "Dirty Old Town" – 4:50

Personnel

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Doran, John (18 October 2023). "There's Nowt So Weird As Folk: John Francis Flynn interviewed". A Quietus Interview. The Quietus. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  2. ^ "John Francis Flynn announces new album and shares lead single 'Mole In The Ground'". Music. Hot Press. 12 September 2022. ISSN 0332-0847. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  3. ^ Clarke, Patrick (13 November 2023). "'People's idea of Irishness is so warped': John Francis Flynn, the folk singer fighting for Dublin's spirit". Music. The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. ISSN 1756-3224. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  4. ^ Lalaoui, Lilia (28 November 2023). "John Francis Flynn: 'You don't need to necessarily be Irish to be Irish'". RTÉ. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  5. ^ O'Bryne, Ellie (5 December 2023). "John Francis Flynn: 'I'm not going to save Irish music because it doesn't need saving'". Lifestyle. Irish Examiner. ISSN 1393-9564. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  6. ^ Russell, Will (10 November 2023). "Album Review: John Francis Flynn, Look Over The Wall, See The Sky". Opinion. Hot Press. ISSN 0332-0847. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  7. ^ Murray, Jess (30 November 2023). "John Francis Flynn: "The playing of traditional music is almost an anti-capitalist thing in itself"". Music. Hot Press. ISSN 0332-0847. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  8. ^ Long, Siobhán (3 November 2023). "John Francis Flynn: Look Over the Wall, See the Sky – Dark, immersive folk music in keeping with these dark times". Music. The Irish Times. ISSN 0791-5144.
  9. ^ Rankine, Ollie (4 December 2023). "John Francis Flynn: "I want to challenge people's perception of what Ireland is and how it's sold abroad"". Interview. Loud and Quiet. No. 162. ISSN 2049-9892. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  10. ^ Spencer, Neil (18 November 2023). "John Francis Flynn: Look Over the Wall, See the Sky review – a blast of the past". Music. The Observer. Guardian Media Group. ISSN 0029-7712. OCLC 50230244. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  11. ^ Clarke, Patrick (27 October 2023). "Music Of The Month: The Best Albums And Tracks Of October 2023". Quietus Charts. The Quietus. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  12. ^ Bolton, Tom (9 November 2023). "The Past In The Present: Look Over The Wall, See The Sky By John Francis Flynn". Album Of The Week. The Quietus. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  13. ^ Leas, Ryan (7 November 2023). "John Francis Flynn 'Look Over The Wall, See The Sky' Review". Album Of The Week. Stereogum. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  14. ^ Bolton, Tom (4 December 2023). "Quietus Albums Of The Year 2023 (In Association With Norman Records)". Features | Quietus Charts. The Quietus. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  15. ^ "The 50 best albums of 2023". The Fader. 12 December 2023. ISSN 1533-5194. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  16. ^ Kornhaber, Spener (13 December 2023). "The A0 Best Albums of 2023". Culture. The Atlantic. ISSN 2151-9463. OCLC 936540106. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  17. ^ "RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2023 – Shortlist Announcement'". RTÉ. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
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