Maybe you’ve seen Central Florida singer-songwriter Lexi Long, or maybe not. But the odds favor the latter. Although distinctly promising, her time in the Orlando music scene was both underground and fleeting.
While in college at UCF in the late 2010s, Long made some noteworthy local appearances at concerts by Orlando indie promoter Ugly Orange. That may not be much of a footprint but her stirring, virtuosic performances nonetheless impressed.
Ever since graduating in 2019 and moving back to her hometown on the Space Coast, how- ever, her music has practically gone silent. Then, from total obscurity, Long suddenly reemerged recently with a debut full-length album titled Sunswept. Now, she returns this weekend for an Orlando album release show.
Lexi Long is a folkie. While legions of generic acoustic dilettantes have also been called this, she is not one of them. Long has always had an interestingly indie bent, and on her new 10-song album, that character has ripened considerably in her time away. The twee folk of her youth has now blossomed into a sound more crafted, nuanced and resonant. Traditional threads like banjo and steel guitar play alongside Long’s effervescent alt-pop melodicism to weave a breezy aura that’s simultaneously familiar and fresh.
Years ago when she first came on the scene, Long’s style already had a level of skill and artistry remarkable for a young self-taught musician. On Sunswept, that aptitude’s still on display — she commands most of the instruments herein, including guitar, six-string banjo, keyboard, harmonica and stylophone.
Long’s singing also returns with more sophistication. Although her voice still moves like a lithe zephyr, it now carries a calm gravity that can make her radiate like a whimsical Karen Carpenter. It’s a balance of agility and grace that’s the best showcase of Long’s vocal prowess to date.
Even when you consider the years that’ve gone into it, Sunswept is still an astonishing debut album. It’s both a return and a reminder of a native talent that’s overlooked but shouldn’t be. Sunswept is a Bandcamp-only release that’s also available on vinyl.
This weekend, Long will do a full-band Orlando release show with talented Orlando openers Zoya Zafar and Janet LaVigne (8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, Bynx, $15).
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This article appears in Nov 6-12, 2024.
