Twenty-year-old Seth Glier’s voice catches you off guard, like the first time you heard Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall sing “Holding Back The Years.” Glier backs up this “aha” moment with an album’s worth of diverse material — showcasing his rich falsetto, his Cat Stevens-esque hushed storytelling, and a prodigious vocal range in between.
On Nov. 3, MPress Records will release Glier’s “The Trouble With People,” featuring 12 original songs by the multi-instrumentalist/pianist. The brick-and-mortar release will be preceded by an Oct. 6 digital-only version, via iTunes. This will be Glier’s label debut, following a series of DIY albums.
The singer-songwriter was raised on the music of Joni Mitchell, Martin Sexton, and Jeff Buckley, but he considers his brother to be his greatest influence. “My brother is autistic and non-verbal. I learned to communicate with words better once I realized how to communicate to someone without them,” he says.
Perhaps it’s that unique sensitivity that gives Glier’s songwriting such resonance. Much like Shawn Colvin’s “A Few Small Repairs,” Glier’s folk/pop album weaves understated tales of real people in quiet pain. It’s a sophisticated collection that shows surprising maturity and self-reflection. Maybe the term “old soul” has meaning after all.
Catch Seth Glier at NoDa’s Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St., on Oct. 16. Get more information at www.theevening
muse.com.
— Compiled by Q-Notes staff. Seth Cohen PR contributed.