Bobby Long’s music is the backdrop to a loner sitting in a coffee shop on a rainy night.  At least that’s what his latest effort, Dirty Pond Songs, sounds like.  Long calls it “a big EP” of ten original songs that were recorded in his bedroom.

In “A Passing Tale,” Long channels his folk inspirations such as Bob Dylan and Elliott Smith with lyrics, “I don’t know where I’m headed to, but at least I know where I’ve been.”  The raw sounds of the record contribute to the melancholic theme it possesses.

Dirty Pond Songs opens with “Who Have You Been Loving,” a Jeff Buckley-esque song with chords and lyrics that are dreary but addicting — a smart choice for a first track to a debut record.

“The Bounty of Mary Jane” melds his influences of Tom Waits balladry and the bluesy chords of Dylan.  Long shows off his guitar playing skills with the intricate chords of “So Tear Me Up,” one of the stronger tracks on the record.  “The Rattle and Roll” is an inspirational hymn in which Long sings, “My love is like the raven.”

“Penance Fire Blues,” “A Passing Tale,” and “The Old Shamed Face” are a little weaker, with similar melodies and hymnal lyrics.  Long seems to bounce back with the strong tracks of “Being a Mockingbird” and “Left to Lie,” both slower in tempo but still strong.  Dirty Pond Songs ends with “Dead and Done,” and announces that “Heaven is a place where people die pretty.”  The song is nostalgic and is reminiscent of Dylan’s later work.

There are ten songs that round up Dirty Pond Songs.  Although it is an overall strong list, there are some setbacks.  The middle of the album is forgettable and sounds too similar to the earlier tracks on the album.  The melodies are almost too fluid, not giving the listener a lot of variety but a great batch of lyrics.  Anyone who loves the storytelling that comes with folk music, however, is sure to love this songwriter.

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