Johnny Flynn - Been Listening [2CD] (2010)

Tracklist
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CD1
01. Kentucky Pill
02. Lost and Found
03. Churlish May
04. Been Listening
05. Barnacled Warship
06. Sweet William Part Two
07. The Water (Featuring Laura Marling)
08. Howl
09. Agnes
10. Amazon Love
11. The Prizefighter and The Heiress

CD2
01. The Water (Alternate Version with Sofia Larsson)
02. Been Listening (Demo)
03. Lost and Found (Demo)
04. Churlish May (Demo)
05. Howl (Demo)
06. The Prizefighter and the Heiress (Demo)


Johnny Flynn spends half his time working as a Shakespearean actor, and the other half recording folksy, old-world music that takes its cues from the Elizabethan era. Been Listening, the follow-up to his 2008 debut, also throws some modern influences into the mix, resulting in a combo of traditional British folk and quirky, contemporary roots music. For a genre that relies so heavily on stringed instruments - namely fiddle, banjo, and acoustic guitar - there’s certainly a lot of brass here, with Flynn picking up his trumpet during at least half of the songs. There’s also a healthy debt to the crossover-folk movement that swept through England during the first half of 2010, which puts Flynn in the same league as nu-folksters like Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling (who sings harmony on “The Water”), and Noah and the Whale. Been Listening is somewhat softer than those artists; rather than build up to a soaring climax, most of these songs chart a steady course instead, with melody and mood being emphasized over spectacle. Johnny Flynn knows when to give his listeners a break, though, and the one-two punch of “Howl” and “Agnes” helps rustle up some sweaty energy, which keeps the album moving in its second half. ~ Andrew Leahey

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