Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit

Some artists have the power to transport you to different places and times. Whether it's evoking a turn of the century whiskey stomp or just a certain emotion, it really takes a special talent to communicate something to a listener thousands of miles away. Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit have that talent. Hailing from the United Kingdom, the five piece neo-folk group evokes the free wheeling sound of traveling minstrels.

It's probably because Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit are storytellers in every sense of the word. Each song features poetic lyrics that tell a story, while Johnny Flynn somehow manages to perfectly match his voice to the subject at hand. Whether it's light and lovely ("Tickle Me Pink") or achingly angry ("Cold Bread"), the man just knows how to paint a picture. Interesting instrumental choices also play an important role in transporting the listener back to a different time and place. Intricate finger picked guitars and banjos set the musical foundation, while gorgeous flourishes like muted horns or Appalachian styled background vocals add something special to the mix.

The songs sound like they could have been played at some indescript location hundreds of years ago, yet they somehow do not feel dated. I guess good music never gets old? I could write pages about their intelligent, interesting, and, above all else, subtle music... but I'll just leave it at the following: Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit are immensely talented. Jump on the bandwagon now.

[Myspace] Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit
[mp3] "The Box"