Been Listening
Johnny Flynn’s debut album, *A Larum*, was a suitably diverse collection of old-world folkisms and modern-day studio updates. This Shakespearean actor is an astute songwriter able to write in a variety of voices. His second album, 2010’s *Been Listening*, coupled here with the *Sweet William* EP, is another strong effort. The acoustic guitars are deep and beautifully trace the traditional melodies. “Lost and Found” is a touching piece of updated British folk. “Churlish May” kicks up the band with a touch of brass. “Kentucky Pill” uses the same approach but with a denser mix that provides a denser pop moment. The title track, with its elegiac harmonies, flows with a sense of mortality chasing its tune. “Barnacled Warship” strikes up the band with a primitive grind while “Sweet William, Pt. 2” lightens the touch. Both feature a vocal that recalls the lusty howl of Brit-folk legend Bert Jansch. “The Water,” featuring notable folksinger Laura Marling, is another sweetly harmonic number. The four tracks from the *Sweet William* EP build on rustic arrangements that have their roots in sea shanties.
With his impressive 2008 debut A Larum, Johnny Flynn snuck into the collective consciousness of folk fans, alongside fellow Brit compatriots Mumford And Sons and Laura Marling. With his follow-up, this fall’s Been Listening, Flynn has again produced an achingly lovely pop record all by his lonesome. The hyper-literate…