I never wrote about Ralegh Long’s debut album “Hoverance” because it took me almost a year to appreciate its singular beauty. I am still a slow learner, and it took a couple of months to find my way into his equally intriguing follow up. The lesson here is that just because something doesn’t jump screaming at you, it does not have to be trivial.
Although “Upwards of Summer” is a poppier listen, Ralegh’s hallmarks are all there; his nuanced and reflective voice, quavery background instrumentation and melodies that unfurl their secrets gradually, both in terms of pace and in time spent listening.
And while the pace is somewhat higher and the rhythm slightly more driving, there is still an appealingly furious tenderness to the songs. Ralegh Long probably couldn’t be loud even if he tried screaming.
Summery on first listen, but with autumnal depth. The album still gets better each time I put it on. I suspect this album will age extremely well, and I will probably still be listening to it ten years from now.
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