In honor of British folk singer Johnny Flynn's upcoming North American tour, I decided to give his most recent album Been Listening, the review treatment. Released almost a year ago, Been Listening continues along the lines of Flynn's blending of both British and American folk styles and once again his full backing band The Sussex Wit featured on Flynn's 2008 debut release A Larum.
Unlike it's predecessor, Been Listening makes far more use of The Sussex Wit in nearly ever capacity. Whereas on A Larum, Flynn's vocals and guitar were at the immediate forefront with the band offering little musical flourishes and ornaments, This time out, Flynn makes full use of his backing band's many talented members with far more intricate instrumental parts. Flynn also makes use of his musical friends: enlisting Laura Marling to duet on "The Water" and Anna Calvi's guitar skills to "The Prizefighter and the Heiress". The highlight of the album is, without a doubt, Flynn's lyrics. Though Flynn's a poet, his choices still manage to render the acute listener awestruck. He has an ability to slip in rather grandiose references (like an allusion to Hemingway's A Moveable Feast) without so much as blink of an eye. The result is something that's smart without being insisting and occasionally fun ("Kentucky Pill", "Churlish May").
Been Listening manages to take the best parts of A Larum and amplify them while also splicing in new elements that happen to work incredibly well. The guest stars, while not necessary to legitimize the record, are certainly a nice touch and Flynn is in rather rare form - shedding a bit of his normally quietude to give a powerful performance in "Howl". It's an excellent follow up to the somber debut. If you like your folk quiet with a lot to say, you'll enjoy Been Listening.
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