I Would Not Live Always

I Would Not Live Always is the debut full-length album by Irish folk musician John Francis Flynn. The album mixes traditional music with contemporary instrumentation and has received positive reviews from critics.

Reception
A 2022 profile of Flynn in Financial Times found Garth Cartwright calling this album "unique [for] both Flynn’s voice—mournful, deep, expressive—and the adventurous arrangements of songs by celebrated British folk authorities Shirley Collins and Ewan MacColl, alongside centuries-old ballads". In The Guardian, Jude Rogers scored this release 4 out of 5 stars, stating that it has "an unearthly intensity" that made it the folk album of the month. The publication listed it among the best albums of August 2021 and it topped the best folk releases of the year. In Hot Press, Kate Brayden gave this album a 9 out of 10, calling it "at times otherworldly and poignant, often hauntingly gripping but always spine-tingling". The Irish Times also included it among their 10 best Irish albums of the year. In an overview of the best Irish underground music for October 2021, The Quietus' Eoin Murray called this release "traditional songs with an experimental twist, weaving subtle elements of kosmische and electronic music into the form’s deep roots" with "drones that tie Irish folk music to numerous contemporary experimental styles gleam". In Uncut, Rob Hughes gave this album 4 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as "an extraordinary debut by any standard" and praising Flynn's combination of traditional tunes with modern sounds and supporting session players.

Track listing

 * 1) "Lovely Joan" – 3:56
 * 2) "Cannily, Cannily" – 5:44
 * 3) "My Son Tim" – 2:41
 * 4) "Tralee Gaol" – 2:53
 * 5) "Shallow Brown" – 7:57
 * 6) "Chaney's Tape Dream" – 2:05
 * 7) "Bring Me Home Pt. I The Dear Irish Boy" – 3:13
 * 8) "Bring Me Home Pt. II I Would Not Live Always" – 4:11
 * 9) "Bring Me Home Pt. III An Buachaillín Bán" – 4:09
 * 10) "Come My Little Son" – 7:19

Personnel

 * John Francis Flynn – guitar, tin whistle, vocals
 * Consuelo Nerea Breschi – vocals
 * Ross Chaney – drums, synthesizer, loops
 * Phil Christie – keyboards
 * Brendan Jenkinson – synthesizer, clarinet, electric guitar, engineering, mixing, production
 * Saileog Ní Cheannabháin – vocals
 * Ultan O'Brien – fiddle

Chart performance
I Would Not Live Always reached eighth place in its 11 weeks on the Folk Albums Chart in the United Kingdom.