In the two years that has passed since Johnny Flynn released his splendid debut, A Larum, the world has warmed considerably to the traditional British neu-folk sounds of his former opening bands Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling (as well as Noah and the Whale), so much so that Flynn is now considered part of their scene, as opposed to the other way around. Which is a shame, really, since Flynn is creating just as original and engaging music as his celebrated counterparts. Hopefully, with the arrival of his dynamic new record, the cheekily titled Been Listening, the music world that has fallen so thoroughly for his peers will now shower him with that same unreserved affection. The new songs reflect a more mature approach to songwriting and a steadily burgeoning sound for Flynn, whose gift for crafting soaring, singalong choruses is continually on display throughout the new record, alongside surprising Spanish rhythms, rousing, robust horns and subtle strings that all creatively colour his assured sophomore album.

Lead single ‘Kentucky Pill’ kicks things off grandly, maintaining a playful, plucky musical spirit, underscored by dark lyrics ruminating about a childhood lost. Even though Flynn recorded parts of the record in far-off Seattle, he lost none of his traditional folk sound in the process, perhaps identifying even stronger with his pastoral roots due to the great distance he was from home. That inherent tie to convention and heritage is quite pronounced on the stark plea ‘Lost And Found,’ which features a simple melody given added weight by Flynn’s nostalgic lyrics. The Sussex Wit, Flynn’s unattributed but ever-present backing band, really asserts themselves throughout the record, especially on ‘Churlish May,’ which seamlessly blends classic British folk over tribal, African rhythms and deep South calypso horns. It’s assuredly a strange sort of gumbo, but it works here.

The title track features Flynn’s electric guitar riff (which proves to be a jarring departure from the customary acoustic) over mournful strings, ushering in somber, reflective lyrics that carry the song through its somewhat awkward modern flourishes. Flynn attempts to have a more worldly perspective lyrically throughout this record, touching on the trials of war in ‘Barnacled Warship,’ and the harmful effects of globalization in ‘Amazon Love,’ but mostly he’s content to tell the same tales of exploration and loss that went over so well in his debut. The foot-stomping ‘Sweet William Part 2′ and the Waits-ian growl of ‘Howl’ are both much more raucous than the majority of this rather subdued album, echoing back to the often unbridled spirit of A Larum. But ‘The Water’ is clearly the standout on the record, due in no small part to Marling’s angelic vocal accompaniment, but also due to Flynn’s strong songwriting, which features an effective symbolic relationship of water being both a method of transporting oneself to new situations and also a nourishing element essential to life. The water could just as easily be a metaphor for music itself, without which both of these artists, and myself, actually, couldn’t exist.

The slow-building pulse of ‘Agnes’ and the crestfallen closer ‘The Prizefighter And The Heiress’ both echo Flynn’s simple but striking older songs, just delivered with a savvy, more sophisticated bent. And that is, in essence, the beauty of this record: a truly gifted songwriter that was already wiser than his years is coming of age and getting better at his craft. His high-minded songs have always been built on integrity and a durable, indefatigable spirit, and those estimable qualities permeate all of these refreshing new tracks. Whether that garners him the worldwide appeal of his notable compatriots or not ultimately doesn’t matter, for these songs weren’t composed for the limelight, they were made for and from the heart, and that honorable ethos beats strongly within Been Listening. It’s now up to the world to start paying attention.