With his debut, Young Pilgrim, Charlie Simpson proved he could thrive outside the shadow of his former bands: the punk-pop trio Busted and the alt-rock group Fightstar. On Long Road Home, he continues to refine his earthy brand of affecting indie folk. Simpson's guitar work is more assured here, as evidenced by the tidy plucked chords of songs like "Winter Hymns" and "Forty Thieves." Yet his knack for switching between introspective acoustic ballads and barnstorming anthems remains the singer's main appeal. "Comets" and "Haunted" both pack the ebullient punch of Mumford & Sons, with Simpson's plaintive vocals and gutbucket instrumentation causing quite the stir.