Mark your calendars for two performances from singer-songwriter Seth Glier.  He will have an exclusive live interview with Gene Shay and play songs from his sophomore release The Next Right Thing on WXPN’s 88.5 on January 9th at 8pm.  The following Thursday, January 13th, brings Seth’s CD release party at the Tin Angel, also at 8pm.  The album will be officially released on January 11th.

Seth Glier has made quite a name for himself on the national music scene.  He plays hundreds of shows a year, having had the chance to perform with James Taylor, and share stages with the Verve Pipe, Erin McKeown, and John Mayer.  This Massachusetts native composes and sings songs with unabated passion for the craft.  Seth’s ultimate concern when he plays music is to connect to as many people as possible; he really wants to touch peoples’ lives through his sonic stories, and his beautiful and poignant melodies do just that.

Reminiscent of piano-playing greats such as Billy Joel and Elton John, Seth’s voice and piano chops have such vivacity, and frequent use of strings lends an intimacy to his songs that is rare in pop music.  He has an incredible ability to construct arresting melodies that speak so eloquently about the heart and soul of his songs.

The gospel/blues influenced title track is the first song on the album, and immediately resonates with its very present percussion and soulful, incendiary vocals.    The song paves the way for the overarching theme of the album- doing the next right thing- thinking outside of yourself to change the world for the better despite life’s constant challenges.

Creative in his use of instrumentation, Seth has collaborated with many musicians to incorporate banjo into the folky and upbeat “Lauralee”, acoustic strings into several tracks on the album, and a beautiful saxophone solo in “First”.  Choruses can be heard in the background vocals in “Lauralee” and “The Next Right Thing”, adding a whole new energy to the songs.

The beautiful and delicate “Walk Katie Home” recounts the time when Seth drove eight hours to New York City to take a girl he had a crush on out to dinner and walk her home, only to find that she did not reciprocate his feelings.  Even if this song is essentially about heartbreak, Seth has such positive energy in his lyrical and vocal delivery, singing “I would drive through the day just to walk Katie home”.

The song “First” tells the story of Seth’s return to his hometown after having spent time away, to find that things are not quite what he remembered, and people he used to know have moved on with their lives.  The change in himself is what really changed his outlook on a town he once knew.

“Beauty in the Breakdown” is about finding unusual hopefulness in dark situations.  Seth’s inclination to  see optimism or a chance for growth where others might see darkness is not only at the core of this song, but of each song on the album.  Sophisticated lyrics really ring out in their vivid account of the stories of a songwriter who has gone through so many heartbreaking and invigorating experiences in life.   The Next Right Thing is a collection of poetic stories rife with musical diversity.

The Tin Angel is located at 20 S. 2nd st. in Philadelphia.  Purchase tickets here

Free download of “Lauralee”