Eric Long - Looking Up

Eric Long ​

Looking Up
self-released; 2020

4.0 out of 5

​By My Nguyen

Originally from York, Pennsylvania, and now living in San Francisco, singer/songwriter Eric Long is following up from his debut A Long Way From Home with a full band record entitled Looking Up. Departing from the sparse bedroom recordings of the previous album, here on Long’s latest he eases into a full band vibe with deep harmonic overtones. Looking Up features The Short Tempers with David Pascoe on fiddle and mandolin, Rhyne Erde on drums, Thom Beneducci on upright bass, Dave Zirbel on pedal-steel and Tom Belling on resophonic and electric guitar.

With influences ranging from Mississippi John Hurt and Taj Mahal to progressive musicians like Charlie Parr and Jack White, at its core, Long’s music is fundamentally folk music that hones a sound steeped in some of America’s earliest musical roots. His music does have a classic appeal, spinning golden sonic landscapes with his raspy timbre backed by a full band vibe with the fiddle, mandolin, drums, upright bass, pedal-steel and electric guitar jamming in the backdrop.

Looking Up opens with “Everyday,” where deft strumming on the acoustic guitar paves the way on this folksy and Americana track. The energy on this song is raucous. The sounds of the guitar and mandolin goes on to sound off on this track. Long’s vocals are raspy and enthused. The music is warm with a stirring pulse. The bouncy rhythms will get you shuffling your feet and bobbing your head in time to the music.

Following is “Carolina,” which is a sauntering number, making it a definite slow burn. The sounds on this track are soft and quiet. This track covers the Americana and country-blues landscape. The acoustic guitar adds an arresting cadence to the start of “You Only Love Me When You’re High.” This is a stripped-down number with the acoustic guitar and Long’s vocals.

On the closer “Hypocrite,” a sauntering drumming beat gives off an electric performance in the start of this track. Next, the sound of electric guitar riffs sounds off.. This is a slow growing ballad. Long rolls out all the stops with this slow burning number filled with a simmering and sultry vibe.

​The album overall sounds like the band is having a great ole time playing together. Long shows he is an artist willing to work with what’s familiar as well as innovating on a sound that is on its own wavelength. With vocal harmonies with a full-on sound packed with a soulful punch, these tracks covers the American catalogue from folk rock and country blues, to easy riding country and bluegrass. Fans of the aforementioned genres will find themselves having a good ole time with these honeyed spun tracks.

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