The Bluegrass Situation 

Posted February 14, 2019 

Artist: Bobby Long 
Hometown: Wigan, England 
Song: “Love” 
Album: Sultans 
Release Date: March 1, 2019 
Label: Compass Records 

In Their Words: “I wrote this song to a family member because I wanted them to show love more and not hold back expressing it. Life’s too short to sit on the fence with that kind of thing. Especially when it comes to family. The irony though is that I moved away from my family in England, and although we are incredibly close, part of me feels like I let them down a bit. Like, with every song I write I guess I am still self-indulgently writing partly about myself and actions. I have missed a lot of weddings, birthdays and births so my family member had every right to tell me to bugger off. Kindly of course.” –Bobby Long

 

Source 

Scope Magazine 

Posted February 14, 2019 

So we are heading into Presidents Weekend here in the USA – so why not have NY Based British singer-songwriter Bobby Long on here to chat with @skopemag. His fourth album, called SULTANS, will be released on MARCH 1 by Compass Records. He will tour this spring in support of it, including a show at PASSIM in Cambridge, MA on FRIDAY, MARCH 8. Also do not miss the first streamed track called “Mazarati” from the album. 

@skopemag: Where are we talking from today and how is 2019 so far? 

I’m hungover in Jersey City, just across the river from Manhattan. 2019 has been happy so far, and last night I took that happiness, drank it and today has been tough. In general, I’m excited for my new album coming out on the 1st of March. It’s always great to start the new year with new music! 

@skopemag: How long were you preparing for the new album ‘Sultans’ and spring tour? 

I’m always playing and actively involved with music so I try to stay rehearsed and warm to it. Even so, you keep yourself open to things changing. Songs change every night and that is part of the fun.

@skopemag: When & where do you find you are most inspired to create new music? 

I usually write at home and feel really comfortable being there. I’m turning into a bit of a home body and like hanging out. It’s my safe space. My dog, son and wife are there so space or quiet time can be limited, but when things are flowing and quiet, it feels inspiring and a good work environment. 

@skopemag: What makes you most anxious about putting out new music and what is most exciting? 

I think being away on the road offers equal parts excitement and nervousness. Fear of the unknown and wanting every show to be great. I’ve always been able to stay away from reviews and the feeling of people writing about it. That’s a rocky path. I’m fighting the doubt and the rollercoaster of hating and loving a song myself so I don’t need someone else doing it for me. That being said, I care deeply if someone likes or resonates with a song. You feel lucky when that happens. 

@skopemag: If you could force an @skopemag reader to sit and listen to 1 track from ‘Sultans’ which one and why? 

I would go with “Nautical.” I think it’s a bit catchy and gets under your skin in a good way. I’m proud of myself for writing in a major key. My nieces and nephews like the song, and that’s good enough for me.

Source 

One on One 

Audio and Video by Ehud Lazin 

Posted February 4, 2019 

Bobby Long sits down for a One On One Session at City Winery New York on January 22nd, 2019. 

 

 

Setlist: 
Mazarati 
Serpentine 
Nautical 

Songwriting has always been a soul-baring exercise for British singer-songwriter Bobby Long. From the dark themes of his earliest work through to the thought-provoking subject matter he has traversed since then, his body of work is at its core captivating and emotionally raw. Whether mining the depths of despair and alienation or exploring spirituality, apathy and even more mundane topics like love and passion, his songs are word pictures that transfix and transport. 

For his fourth album, Sultans, Long has chosen a somewhat different approach, from conceptualization through the recording process itself. Rather than working within the confines of a producer’s tight schedule, he chose to work with multi-instrumentalist and close friend Jack Dawson, with whom he had toured and collaborated on the 2012 EP The Backing Singer, and they took their time. “Usually with other producers I have worked with, we would meet just before recording. The relationship blossoms just as we record and work together, and by the end, we are really close. With this album, working with Jack especially, the friendship was already so deep, and there isn't another musician I have played with as much as Jack, so everything was intertwined.” 

The trio recorded at Lindsay’s Country Club Studio in Brooklyn over a one year period. “We became a little band during the recording,” says Long. “I played guitar and sang, Dave played drums and Jack played bass. We basically recorded those parts as a band live. We would jam songs out and work things out. We then built the song up by adding parts and using other musicians/magicians to play different instruments. Having the record based around the natural feel of a live performance really added a human element to the album and set the earthy feel, which I really felt was important. As much as I wanted to experiment and feel the freedom to add anything and everything, we all felt it was incredibly important to stay true to our own playing and build from there. Just like the Beatles would have done.” 

Sultans takes its name from the first and last tracks on the album—essentially “Sultans Part 1” and “Sultans Part 2.” “It was a song that was originally just drums, ukulele and a sample that Jack gravitated towards,” Bobby explains. “I feel it sets the tone for the entire album and ends it quite nicely as well. We were obviously inspired by Sgt. Pepper when coming up with the idea of the same start and end point. It gives the album a concept, and although the songs are quite similar, there are differences in dynamics and playfulness. 

In between albums, he channels his writing skills into poetry and has now published two volumes of his work, Losing My Brotherhood (2012) and Losing My Misery (2016). For Losing My Misery he also created the original illustrations. “I feel like a better songwriter after I write poetry,” he says. As for another book, he says, “I have a few things I’m stuck with or half way through. Sometimes you’ve got to wait for a bit of inspiration or timing.” Sultans represents Bobby Long’s continuation of his commitment to creating music that both challenges and entertains. “It’s about the whole body of work for me. It’s all part of the greater. I don’t think you can define anyone by one album. I certainly cannot. The good, bad, successful, underappreciated--it doesn’t matter. It’s about expressing yourself and feeling better for it. I want to do many more albums…no matter what.”

Source 

Compass Records 

January 28, 2018

My new single “Mazarati” is out now on all digital streaming platforms! It’s the first track from my upcoming album, Sultans, out March 1st.

LISTEN HERE: 

https://CompassRecords.lnk.to/mazarati 

FULL VIDEO:

 

PRE-ORDER THE NEW ALBUM: 

https://CompassRecords.lnk.to/sultans 

Talent in Borders

By Lindsey Borders

Posted January 18, 2019

 

As evident on his newest album, Sultans, U.S. based, British-songwriter, Bobby Long‘s love of The Beatles shines through on this release, due out on Compass Records March 1. The two part title track pays homage to Sgt. Pepper, and of course, Long’s memories of the music being played at his home growing up in rural southwest England. The album features new songs of original material, featuring themes of love, loss and heartache, for which Long is known for. 

Long started out his music career playing at open mic nights in London in 2009, and had one of his songs featuring in the hit film Twilight. He then came to the US, relocated to New York, and has made it his musical home since. In that time, he released his critically-acclaimed debut album, A Winter’s Tale in 2011, followed by Wishbone in 2013, and Ode to Thinking in 2015. 

“The songs on this album are a definite continuation and development,” Long explains. “It’s about the whole body of work for me. It’s all part of the greater. I don’t think you can define anyone by one album. When you’re recording, you always have the greater picture in your head. Your imagination runs over the tracks, and they take all sorts of weird forms. The sounds of this record are the closest to what was in my imagination that I’ve come on a record.”  Sultans was produced by multi-instrumentalist Jack Dawson with whom Long had collaborated and toured with on behalf of his 2012 EP The Backing Singer. It was recorded over a one year period in a studio in Brooklyn. With Long on guitar, Dawson also played bass on the tracks while studio engineer Dave Lindsay played drums. 

“Jack and I have a shared love of so much music, and we would talk endlessly about records we love,” Long explains. “Jack, like myself, is a feel guy so we were never too picky about tone or instruments. The album is basically a reflection of our friendship and love of songs. Jack really added his own colours and personality to the album, and it’s definitely the best thing I’ve ever done. Of course, I always feel that the new one is the best one, but I feel pretty strongly about this one. I really love creating and writing. It feels as magical today as it did when I was a child.” 

Tour Dates in support of Sultans: 

March 1 – NYC – City Winery Loft 
March 2 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live 
March 6 – New Haven, CT – Cafe Nine 
March 7 – Portland, ME – Portland Empire 
March 8 – Cambridge, MA – Club Passim 
March 16 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java 
March 22 – Asheville, NC – Fat Tire Friday, New Belgium Brewery 
March 24 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic 
April 5 – Fort Collins, CO – Fat Tire Friday, New Belgium Brewery 
April 11 – Austin, TX – Cactus Cafe 
April 12 – Dallas, TX – Poor David’s Pup 
April 13 – Oklahoma City, OK – Blue Door 
April 16 – St. Louis, MO – Duck Room at Blueberry Hill 
April 17 – Des Moines, IA – Gaslamp 
April 18 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel 
April 19 – Fort Atkinson, WI – Cafe Carpe 

Tickets will go on sale shortly.  More U.S. shows will be announced soon. 

Connect with Bobby on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Source 

Broadway World Music 

By BWW News Desk 

Posted January 17, 2019 

 

New York-based British singer-songwriter Bobby Long's love of The Beatles is evident on his forthcoming new album SULTANS, due from Compass Records on March 1, 2019. The two-part title track that bookends this, his fourth album, playfully pays homage to Sgt. Pepper and the music Long heard at home growing up in rural southwest England, while this taut new 10-song set of original material effectively traverses his signature love, loss and heartache milieu. SULTANS finds Long expanding on his spare, singer-songwriter arrangements for a more adventurous Beatle-esque sound with psychedelic flourishes, electric guitar and keys. 

"Mazarati," the first track being shared, finds Long searching for truth and meaning in life. Electric piano and wah wah guitar wash over the chorus which breaks into a 60s-inspired guitar break. 

"I had this lyric: 'if you're looking for some truth, you've lost it, get saved.'" Long explains. "I think I sang it almost immediately when I first put the chords together. When I realized what I was writing about, it suddenly connected. The lyrics may sound like I'm bashing religion in general, but it's really about my own personal experience. I don't want to tell people what or how to think. However, the song touches on one of my main frustrations, which is the narrow-sightedness of people who won't look critically at outside reasoning. For me, the search for truth is what is most important, not trying to find truth/reason or denying it because I wasn't taught it at school or had it handed down to me by my parents."

g emerged from London's folk music open mic night scene in 2009. Armed with a canon of hauntingly poetic songs and some notoriety for one of them being included in the hit filmTwilight, he relocated to New York and laid down roots there. His critically- acclaimed debut album A Winter Tale (2011) was followed by the more rock-oriented Wishbone (2013). He returned to his singer-songwriter roots for the evocative Ode to Thinking (2015), and nowSULTANS takes a somewhat more adventurous path. 

"The songs on this album are a definite continuation and development," Long explains. "It's about the whole body of work for me. It's all part of the greater. I don't think you can define anyone by one album. When you're recording, you always have the greater picture in your head. Your imagination runs over the tracks, and they take all sorts of weird forms. The sounds of this record are the closest to what was in my imagination that I've come on a record." 

SULTANS was produced by multi-instrumentalist Jack Dawson with whom Long had collaborated and toured with on behalf of his 2012 EP, The Backing Singer. It was recorded over a one year period in a studio in Brooklyn. With Long on guitar, Dawson also played bass on the tracks while studio engineer Dave Lindsay played drums. 

"Jack and I have a shared love of so much music, and we would talk endlessly about records we love," Long explains. "Jack, like myself, is a feel guy so we were never too picky about tone or instruments. The album is basically a reflection of our friendship and love of songs. Jack really added his own colours and personality to the album, and it's definitely the best thing I've ever done. Of course, I always feel that the new one is the best one, but I feel pretty strongly about this one. I really love creating and writing. It feels as magical today as it did when I was a child."

Pre-Order 

TRACK LIST 
1. Sultans 
2. Nautical 
3. Crazy 
4. Mazarati 
5. Goodbye 
6. Serpentine 
7. Love 
8. Venice 
9. Sisters 
10. Sultans II

TOUR DATES 
March 1- City Winery Loft, New York City 
March 2- World Café Live, Philadelphia, PA 
March 6- Café Nine, New Haven, CT 
March 7- Portland Empire, Portland, ME 
March 8- Club Passim, Cambridge, MA 
March 16- Jammin Java, Vienna, VA 
March 22- Fat Tire Friday, New Belgium Brewery, Asheville, NC 
March 24- Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA 
April 5- Fat Tire Friday, New Belgium Brewery, Fort Collins, CO 
April 11- Cactus Café, Austin, TX 
April 12- Poor David's Pub, Dallas, TX 
April 13- Blue Door, Oklahoma City, OK 
April 16- Duck Room at Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO 
April 17- Gaslamp, Des Moines, IA 
April 18- Raccoon Motel, Davenport, IA 
April 19- Café Carpe, Fort Atkinson, WI 
April 23-Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA 
April 24- Rumba Cafe, Columbus, OH 
April 25- Lo-Fi Lounge, Indianapolis, IN

Source 

 

December 6, 2018 

Today, Bobby announced his upcoming Annual Holiday Concert through Concert Window. The event will be held on Saturday, December 15, 2018 at 5:00pm ET / 2:00pm PT. This is a pay per view event, make sure to register early. Please click on the photo below to take you to the event. 

December 3, 2018

BRITISH SINGER-SONGWRITER BOBBY LONG’S 

FOURTH ALBUM, SULTANS, SCHEDULED FOR 

MARCH 1 RELEASE FROM COMPASS RECORDS 

U.S. Tour Kicks Off at City Winery Loft in New York City 

U.S.-based British singer-songwriter Bobby Long’s love of The Beatles is evident on his forthcoming new album SULTANS, due from Compass Records on March 1, 2019.  The two-part title track that bookends this, his fourth album, playfully pays homage to Sgt. Pepper and the music Long heard at home growing up in rural southwest England, while this taut new 10-song set of original material effectively traverses Long’s signature love, loss and heartache milieu. 

Long emerged from London’s folk music open mic night scene in 2009.  Armed with a canon of hauntingly poetic songs and some notoriety for one of them being included in the hit film Twilight, he relocated to New York and laid down roots there.  His critically-acclaimed debut album A Winter Tale (2011) was followed by the more rock-oriented Wishbone (2013).  He returned to his singer-songwriter roots for the evocative Ode to Thinking (2015), and now SULTANS takes a somewhat more adventurous path. 

“The songs on this album are a definite continuation and development,” Long explains. “It’s about the whole body of work for me. It’s all part of the greater. I don’t think you can define anyone by one album.  When you’re recording, you always have the greater picture in your head.  Your imagination runs over the tracks, and they take all sorts of weird forms. The sounds of this record are the closest to what was in my imagination that I’ve come on a record.” 

SULTANS was produced by multi-instrumentalist Jack Dawson with whom Long had collaborated and toured with on behalf of his 2012 EP The Backing Singer.  It was recorded over a one year period in a studio in Brooklyn.  With Long on guitar, Dawson also played bass on the tracks while studio engineer Dave Lindsay played drums. 

“Jack and I have a shared love of so much music, and we would talk endlessly about records we love,” Long explains.  “Jack, like myself, is a feel guy so we were never too picky about tone or instruments.  The album is basically a reflection of our friendship and love of songs.  Jack really added his own colours and personality to the album, and  it’s definitely the best thing I’ve ever done.  Of course, I always feel that the new one is the best one, but I feel pretty strongly about this one.  I really love creating and writing.  It feels as magical today as it did when I was a child.”

   Photo by Jeff Fasano 

Track List for SULTANS: 

  1. Sultans 

  2. Nautical 

  3. Crazy 

  4. Mazarati 

  5. Goodbye 

  6. Serpentine 

  7. Love 

  8. Venice 

  9. Sisters 

10. Sultans II 

Bobby Long is set for a U.S. tour in support of SULTANS.  Initial dates scheduled are as follows: 

March 1—City Winery Loft, New York City 

March 2—World Café Live, Philadelphia, PA 

March 6—Café Nine, New Haven, CT 

March 7—Portland Empire, Portland, ME 

March 8—Club Passim, Cambridge, MA 

March 16—Jammin Java, Vienna, VA 

March 22—Fat Tire Friday, New Belgium Brewery, Asheville, NC 

March 24—Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA 

April 5—Fat Tire Friday, New Belgium Brewery, Fort Collins, CO 

April 11—Cactus Café, Austin, TX 

April 12—Poor David's Pub, Dallas, TX 

April 13—Blue Door, Oklahoma City, OK 

April 16—Duck Room at Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO 

April 17---Gaslamp, Des Moines, IA 

April 18—Raccoon Motel, Davenport, IA 

April 19—Café Carpe, Fort Atkinson, WI 

 

Visit:   www.bobbylong.info 

www.musicbobbylong.com 

https://twitter.com/BobbyLongNews 

 www.facebook.com/musicbobbylong 

 www.youtube.com/musicbobbylong 

 www.pledgemusic.com/bobbylong 

www.instagram.com/bobbylongnews/

 

WVCW

Posted November 21, 2018 

Recently Bobby visited radio station WVCW in Richmond, VA to talk about his new album coming out in 2019 and to perform for their Chalkboard Sessions. Below is the video of Bobby's performance. 

 

 This Sunday, Bobby will be performing at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY at 7:00pm. The show is being sponsored by WEXT Radio who is a big supporter of Bobby's music. Tickets are still available by clicking here.  If you live out of the area and are unable to make the show and wish you were closer, your in luck, Caffe Lena will be broadcasting LIVE on Concert Window. You can pre-purchase your tickets by clicking on the Concert Window image. Bobby is also taking requests in preparation for his performance, so if there is a particular song you would like to hear, please either send him a message through his Facebook page, or via Twitter. Then tune in on Sunday night 7PM ET, 5PM CT and 4PM PT.

 

We hope to see you in the chat room.