Birdtalk

So far best known as Damien Rice’s cello player and the provider of quirky cover versions, Long could well be a star waiting to happen. Birdtalk is a good place to start. The EP’s lead track ‘They’re Not Waving’ tries to balance drama and pop and nearly succeeds, while ‘Never Leave You’ has a downbeat, almost rap feel. While the two cover versions included (Pharrell Williams’ ‘He Wants To Move’ and the Flaming Lips’ ‘Yoshimi’) are both great, you still feel that they’ll still end up overshadowing Long’s own material, which would be a shame.