With Laura Marling covered in yesterday’s post, let’s now turn our attention to the other co-headliner of the “Fee Fi Fo Fum Tour” wrapping up at the Rivoli on October 4 – Johnny Flynn. The 25-year old, who just released his debut in A Larum, is either a Shakespearean actor with a musical side-gig or a musician who moonlights as a Shakespearean actor, but is a rare talent whichever way you look at it.

With his band The Sussex Wit and armed with mandolins, banjos, cellos and spoons, Flynn cuts a more traditional-sounding path than his musical peers, and as such is perhaps a little less accessible from the indie-pop world than, say, Noah & The Whale but in a world where The Decemberists can achieve as much as they have, it’s hard to imagine Flynn and company will be discriminated against for their faithful approach to folk music.

On A Larum – a term from old English for “alarm” and used frequently in Shakespeare’s stage directions, if you needed some context – the material veers from thoughtful, almost mournful ballads to more rollicking fare that wouldn’t be out of place pouring out of an old English public house on a Saturday night. Tying them together is Flynn’s strong, authoritative voice and densely poetic and evocative lyrics – early Dylan is a lofty but not inappropriate reference point. Though tourmate Marling is currently getting the bulk of the attention from media types, they and audiences will ignore Flynn at their peril.

WNYC and NPR are both offering up sessions with Flynn and his band while For The Records helpfully points out that he will also be playing an in-store at Criminal Records at 5PM on October 4, in advance of the Rivoli show. As mentioned yesterday, the Rivoli is mighty small so those of you who hesitate to get tickets, this may be your best bet to catch him.

Video: Johnny Flynn – “Tickle Me Pink”
Video: Johnny Flynn – “Leftovers”
Video: Johnny Flynn – “Brown Trout Blues”
MySpace: Johnny Flynn

Nick Cave discuss inspiration and Los Angeles with The Los Angeles Times. Cave, in addition to coming to with the Bad Seed on October 1 at the Kool Haus, intends to release his second novel as well as score the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.

Metro talks to Will Sheff of Okkervil River about the joys and pains of touring. They’re in town at the Phoenix on October 12.

QRO talks to Kelly Crisp of The Rosebuds, who will release Life Like on October 7.

Video: The Rosebuds – “Life Like”

There’s a second MP3 now available from Land Of Talk’s forthcoming Some Are Lakes. The album is out October 7 and they’re playing Lee’s Palace on September 27.

MP3: Land Of Talk – “Corner Phone”

Daytrotter welcomes Ra Ra Riot to their studios for a session.

Pitchfork reports that the security hijinks at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis last month so enraged Ted Leo that he quickly recorded an EP entitled Rapid Response that’s now available for download with all proceeds going to Democracy Now and Food Not Bombs.

Lucinda Williams has also put together a digital-only protest song EP entitled Lu in 08, scheduled for release on October 28 – one week before the US elections. Details at Billboard. Lucinda is at Massey Hall on October 11 and releases Little Honey on October 14.

Pitchfork interviews Shudder To Think’s Craig Wedren.

PopMatters interviews Joey Burns of Calexico, in town at the Phoenix on November 18.

Tiny Mix Tapes has a phoner with Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite while Express Night Out talks to John Cummings and you can now stream their new record The Hawk Is Howling in advance of its release next Tuesday at their MySpace. Remember, I’m giving away Mogwai goodies including passes to their show at the Phoenix on September 24.

Stream: Mogwai / The Hawk Is Howling

Wireless Bollinger talks to Frightened Rabbit front Scott Hutchison. They’re at Lee’s Palace on October 21.