Irish alternative pop group Reluctant Bob & the Lonely Lovers release their new single Not the Enemy on 19 November, with Zoé Basha guesting on vocals.
The song is about sticking by someone you've known forever, even when they make it increasingly difficult. It was recorded live at Black Mountain Studios in the Cooley Mountains, Co. Louth, with vintage synths from the studio's own collection. Robert Baker wrote it, Phil Christie and Robert Baker produced it, Chris Barry mixed it and Seán Mac Erlaine mastered it, with Peter Baldwin engineering. The artwork and visuals come from animator Leo Franchi.
Reluctant Bob & the Lonely Lovers is a new project from songwriter and producer Robert Baker. The band make dreamy alternative pop, drawing on classic 1960s production and psychedelic acts including The Flaming Lips, Beach House, MGMT, The Velvet Underground and Stereolab. Robert himself suggests it might suit fans of Mercury Rev, MGMT, Flaming Lips and Mac DeMarco.
Their singles so far have picked up support from RTÉ Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio Ulster and NPR Music, and producer Steve Lillywhite named their debut single Dreamager his Track of the Week.
A song recorded live in a studio in the Cooley Mountains, with a guest singer and a cupboard of vintage synths, is my kind of release. The Steve Lillywhite endorsement and the Electric Picnic slot this year say plenty about where the band are heading, and I'm very happy to back them as the debut album gets closer.
Live, the band go for an experimental, hypnotic sound, with a line-up that often grows to include strings and woodwind, alongside visuals from Leo Franchi. The debut album is due in January 2027, and the live dates are:
- 31 Jan – Dublin – Whelans (Upstairs)
- 13 Feb – Belfast – Sunflower
- 27 Feb – Cork – Crane Lane
- 3 Mar – Dublin – Cat & Cage
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