Seth Glier

Walk Katie Home, Seth Glier

The emerging folk/pop troubadour fantasizes wistfully on this new single from last year's The Next Right Thing about a romantic liaison with a certain girl in New York that's simply not meant to be. The easy-to-grasp melody, however, is the real thing, and the delivery from the Massachusetts-based singer rings true. - USA Today

Walk Katie Home, Seth Glier

The emerging folk/pop troubadour fantasizes wistfully on this new single from last year's The Next Right Thing about a romantic liaison with a certain girl in New York that's simply not meant to be. The easy-to-grasp melody, however, is the real thing, and the delivery from the Massachusetts-based singer rings true. - USA Today

Lauralee, Seth Glier

Singer with an exquisite tenor echoes Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel in the piano pop of The Next Right Thing. - USA Today

Lauralee, Seth Glier

Singer with an exquisite tenor echoes Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel in the piano pop of The Next Right Thing. - USA Today

In just a few short years, Singer/songwriter Seth Glier has gone from opening act to headliner to Grammy nominee. He took time before his upcoming Chicago show to speak with Our Town about his influences, his work for Autism Speaks and how much he like's Hot Doug’s.

Our Town - How would you describe your sound?
Seth Glier - I like to describe myself as a writer-song-singer. I think my style is storytelling pop music. I love big melodies that get in your head, but I also believe in lyrical content and I want to bring that content back into pop music.

OT Who are your influences?
SG I love Randy Newman, Jackson Browne, & Joni Mitchell. Right now I'm listening to Indian music.

OT You’ve shared the stage with a diverse group of musicians. Who have been some favorites?
SG I've been really lucky to see and get an upfront perspective of some of the greats in the music business. My dad always used to say to me "it's nice to be important but it's important to be nice" and I think that really rings true with my experiences. I'm a fan of the nice people out there. I don't think I have a particular favorite but Edwin McCain & Livingston Taylor certainly come to mind as a role models not just musically but as also as human beings.

OT What led you to become a spokesman for the Autism Speaks?
SG My brother is 27 years old and autistic. He's non-verbal and requires 24 hour support. I am one of his personal care attendants and I talk about him and his role in my life often on stage. I think my brother is one of reasons I write songs. Learning how to communicate with my brother, who doesn't use words, vastly changes how I communicate with words. Now Autism effects 1 in every 86 children being born. I'm lucky enough to be given a microphone each night so you can be sure I'm going to do something about it.

OT Some of your songs have a political bent, others are more personal. Does one type of song feel more comfortable/come more easily to you?
SG Not really, songs are songs, and writing is writing. It's always really hard work for me and I have no idea what a song is going to be about when I start writing it. I thought I did once, but the more I do this the less and less I feel like I have any particular hold on it. Earlier this year, Ani Difranco said to me, “Don't just write the songs that you feel like writing or the songs that others want to hear. Write the songs that need to be sung." Those words really helped navigate my writing.
OT What’s your writing process like?
SG It typically starts with some chord changes that strike up a certain mood. Then over a period of time words are inspired from that mood. But other times I have all the words written down and I'm trying to fit it to music.... that can be really hard. Every once in a while I'll get one of those "gifts" where I can get a whole song in 15 minutes. Often, it takes me months or years to actually finish a song since I'm a ruthless editor of my own work.

OT Do you find that the meanings of your songs change over time as you sing them over and over?
SG Absolutely. Good songs sometimes are just snapshots in time and it’s each listener’s individual life experience that paints in the color.

OT Do you have a favorite song off the new album. Why?
SG From a craft point of view, I'm really proud of "Plastic Soldiers". I took the Woody Guthrie approach and tried to say something social/political without preaching.

OT What are you looking forward to about playing Chicago?
SG I love the windy city. I always make sure I get the best hot dog in the country there at Hot Doug's. My Chicago fans are some of the most loyal I have. I always love my early morning run along the lake shore & friends at WGN TV. I can't wait to play two shows at SPACE and celebrate the release of my new album! - Chicago Sun-Times

In just a few short years, Singer/songwriter Seth Glier has gone from opening act to headliner to Grammy nominee. He took time before his upcoming Chicago show to speak with Our Town about his influences, his work for Autism Speaks and how much he like's Hot Doug’s.

Our Town - How would you describe your sound?
Seth Glier - I like to describe myself as a writer-song-singer. I think my style is storytelling pop music. I love big melodies that get in your head, but I also believe in lyrical content and I want to bring that content back into pop music.

OT Who are your influences?
SG I love Randy Newman, Jackson Browne, & Joni Mitchell. Right now I'm listening to Indian music.

OT You’ve shared the stage with a diverse group of musicians. Who have been some favorites?
SG I've been really lucky to see and get an upfront perspective of some of the greats in the music business. My dad always used to say to me "it's nice to be important but it's important to be nice" and I think that really rings true with my experiences. I'm a fan of the nice people out there. I don't think I have a particular favorite but Edwin McCain & Livingston Taylor certainly come to mind as a role models not just musically but as also as human beings.

OT What led you to become a spokesman for the Autism Speaks?
SG My brother is 27 years old and autistic. He's non-verbal and requires 24 hour support. I am one of his personal care attendants and I talk about him and his role in my life often on stage. I think my brother is one of reasons I write songs. Learning how to communicate with my brother, who doesn't use words, vastly changes how I communicate with words. Now Autism effects 1 in every 86 children being born. I'm lucky enough to be given a microphone each night so you can be sure I'm going to do something about it.

OT Some of your songs have a political bent, others are more personal. Does one type of song feel more comfortable/come more easily to you?
SG Not really, songs are songs, and writing is writing. It's always really hard work for me and I have no idea what a song is going to be about when I start writing it. I thought I did once, but the more I do this the less and less I feel like I have any particular hold on it. Earlier this year, Ani Difranco said to me, “Don't just write the songs that you feel like writing or the songs that others want to hear. Write the songs that need to be sung." Those words really helped navigate my writing.
OT What’s your writing process like?
SG It typically starts with some chord changes that strike up a certain mood. Then over a period of time words are inspired from that mood. But other times I have all the words written down and I'm trying to fit it to music.... that can be really hard. Every once in a while I'll get one of those "gifts" where I can get a whole song in 15 minutes. Often, it takes me months or years to actually finish a song since I'm a ruthless editor of my own work.

OT Do you find that the meanings of your songs change over time as you sing them over and over?
SG Absolutely. Good songs sometimes are just snapshots in time and it’s each listener’s individual life experience that paints in the color.

OT Do you have a favorite song off the new album. Why?
SG From a craft point of view, I'm really proud of "Plastic Soldiers". I took the Woody Guthrie approach and tried to say something social/political without preaching.

OT What are you looking forward to about playing Chicago?
SG I love the windy city. I always make sure I get the best hot dog in the country there at Hot Doug's. My Chicago fans are some of the most loyal I have. I always love my early morning run along the lake shore & friends at WGN TV. I can't wait to play two shows at SPACE and celebrate the release of my new album! - Chicago Sun-Times

With his polished tenor vocals and natural affinity for creating shimmering, seductive melodies, singer-songwriter Seth Glier knows how to sway the sentiments of his listeners. Here, the album title alone is enough to catch one’s attention, but it’s Glier’s precise phrasing and subtle touches that make for an engaging start-to-finish listen. Whether he’s singing solitary ballads like “Everything Beautiful” and “I Am Only as Loved as I Am Open” or tackling the more vigorous refrains that spark “Man I Used to Be” and “Down to the Wire,” Glier draws emotional power from the slightest of suggestions. That’s not to say this Massachusetts native is some brooding shoegazer. On the swampy-sounding “The Stars and Glitter” and brassy “New World I See,” Glier livens up the proceedings with some welcome infusions of energy. Still, he’s a master of nuance, and that’s ultimately what makes Things I Should Let You Know an album with so much to reveal.

Lee Zimmerman - Music & Musicians

With his polished tenor vocals and natural affinity for creating shimmering, seductive melodies, singer-songwriter Seth Glier knows how to sway the sentiments of his listeners. Here, the album title alone is enough to catch one’s attention, but it’s Glier’s precise phrasing and subtle touches that make for an engaging start-to-finish listen. Whether he’s singing solitary ballads like “Everything Beautiful” and “I Am Only as Loved as I Am Open” or tackling the more vigorous refrains that spark “Man I Used to Be” and “Down to the Wire,” Glier draws emotional power from the slightest of suggestions. That’s not to say this Massachusetts native is some brooding shoegazer. On the swampy-sounding “The Stars and Glitter” and brassy “New World I See,” Glier livens up the proceedings with some welcome infusions of energy. Still, he’s a master of nuance, and that’s ultimately what makes Things I Should Let You Know an album with so much to reveal.

Lee Zimmerman - Music & Musicians

We recently reviewed singer-songwriter Seth Glier’s latest release The Next Right Thing (Mpress Records) and floated the suggestion
that he just may be in line to be the next big thing.

“The music offers the affirmation,” wrote our reviewer. “The vast majority of this material sounds like nothing if not classics in waiting, with melodies melded in sync with lush arrangements that find these elements tweaked to a tee. It’s the essence of perfection, a mesh of taste and talent that’s usually found only on well-worn standards that have long since burrowed into the collective consciousness.”



So we’re doubly pleased to be able to bring you the video premiere of Glier’s new video – it’s the title track, and it was directed by Zack Sweeney.

Incidentally, the 22-year old Massachusetts native (and Berklee-trained singer and pianist) is no fresh-scrubbed newcomer -he’s been making music for years and performs upwards of 200 dates a year. He’s
also active as a “green” artist, promoting environmentalist causes and walking the proverbial walk along the way. You can check him out further at his official website, and also consult the upcoming tour dates for Glier as he’s out on the road pretty constantly through the rest of the spring (he’s in Putney, VT, and Topsfield, MA, this weekend) and into the summer. - BLURT Magazine

We recently reviewed singer-songwriter Seth Glier’s latest release The Next Right Thing (Mpress Records) and floated the suggestion
that he just may be in line to be the next big thing.

“The music offers the affirmation,” wrote our reviewer. “The vast majority of this material sounds like nothing if not classics in waiting, with melodies melded in sync with lush arrangements that find these elements tweaked to a tee. It’s the essence of perfection, a mesh of taste and talent that’s usually found only on well-worn standards that have long since burrowed into the collective consciousness.”



So we’re doubly pleased to be able to bring you the video premiere of Glier’s new video – it’s the title track, and it was directed by Zack Sweeney.

Incidentally, the 22-year old Massachusetts native (and Berklee-trained singer and pianist) is no fresh-scrubbed newcomer -he’s been making music for years and performs upwards of 200 dates a year. He’s
also active as a “green” artist, promoting environmentalist causes and walking the proverbial walk along the way. You can check him out further at his official website, and also consult the upcoming tour dates for Glier as he’s out on the road pretty constantly through the rest of the spring (he’s in Putney, VT, and Topsfield, MA, this weekend) and into the summer. - BLURT Magazine

Imagine being plucked from obscurity and being nominated for a Grammy under the auspices of the most random category: Best Engineered Album in a Non-Classical category? What a goldmine! What a goddamn feat! Not for Best Song or Album which we all know is crap, but something more akin to artistry, creativity and not popularity. This makes me so happy in ways that you can’t imagine. This is a victory for DIY enthusiasts around the world. It is possible to receive accolades as an independent artist from a variety of sources, but from the stodgy and predictable Grammy’s? That’s just insane.

This is what Shelburne Falls resident and Pioneer Valley Performance Arts charter school alum, Seth Glier, is up against tomorrow night at the 2012 Grammy Awards. The 22 year-old singer-songwriter who hails from the Pioneer Valley and is at the cusp of major stardom couldn’t ask for a better career boost. His The Next Right Thing album could’ve just languished as a freshman exercise in futility (or likely, obscurity), but instead, all eyes will be upon him tomorrow night at the 54th Grammy’s.

Recorded primarily in his parent's basement in Shelburne Falls, and further refined in a Stamford, CT studio, The Next Right Thing is an ambitious mix of thoughtful, atmospheric and adventurous pop-folk in the storytelling vein of Josh Ritter.

Glier was nonchalant about the nomination (he professed no knowledge of the award, or when the ceremony was to take place back in 2011 when it was announced) when the media alerted him to it while watching Family Guy. This is ironic, as Seth McFarlane, creator of the hit television show is nominated in the same category for his Music is Better Than Words record.

Glier is also up against recordings by Sarah Jarosz, Gillian Welch and Alison Kraus & Union Station

If you want to know more about Seth Glier and listen to his music, I suggest you click on over to his website. He’s gifted, talented and worthy of some reward. And Seth, if you're reading this, the home town team has got your back. - The Examiner

Imagine being plucked from obscurity and being nominated for a Grammy under the auspices of the most random category: Best Engineered Album in a Non-Classical category? What a goldmine! What a goddamn feat! Not for Best Song or Album which we all know is crap, but something more akin to artistry, creativity and not popularity. This makes me so happy in ways that you can’t imagine. This is a victory for DIY enthusiasts around the world. It is possible to receive accolades as an independent artist from a variety of sources, but from the stodgy and predictable Grammy’s? That’s just insane.

This is what Shelburne Falls resident and Pioneer Valley Performance Arts charter school alum, Seth Glier, is up against tomorrow night at the 2012 Grammy Awards. The 22 year-old singer-songwriter who hails from the Pioneer Valley and is at the cusp of major stardom couldn’t ask for a better career boost. His The Next Right Thing album could’ve just languished as a freshman exercise in futility (or likely, obscurity), but instead, all eyes will be upon him tomorrow night at the 54th Grammy’s.

Recorded primarily in his parent's basement in Shelburne Falls, and further refined in a Stamford, CT studio, The Next Right Thing is an ambitious mix of thoughtful, atmospheric and adventurous pop-folk in the storytelling vein of Josh Ritter.

Glier was nonchalant about the nomination (he professed no knowledge of the award, or when the ceremony was to take place back in 2011 when it was announced) when the media alerted him to it while watching Family Guy. This is ironic, as Seth McFarlane, creator of the hit television show is nominated in the same category for his Music is Better Than Words record.

Glier is also up against recordings by Sarah Jarosz, Gillian Welch and Alison Kraus & Union Station

If you want to know more about Seth Glier and listen to his music, I suggest you click on over to his website. He’s gifted, talented and worthy of some reward. And Seth, if you're reading this, the home town team has got your back. - The Examiner

Every once in a while, an artist comes along, and they make you go, damn, I bloody love music. Seth Glier is one of those artist's. He's not a popstar. But he's also not just another boring bloke with a guitar singing about Global Warming. He's an singer-songwriter with a knack for making songs that really make you think. In a good way, I mean. Not like those maths test back in school.

Anyways, Seth was very kind, and had a little chat with me & answered some questions for us, so that you guys can get to know him a little better! Believe me, he's very humble to say that he's a Grammy Nominated artist. Let's go!

Hey Seth, for those unfamiliar with you, could you tell them a bit about who you are and what you do?
Well I am a writer-song-singer from rural western mass. I am a 24 year old, Berklee college of music drop out, who is excited every morning to start with nothing more than a blank sheet of paper.

How would you describe your sound?
I consider my style to be storytelling pop music. I love the classic songwriters who had something important to say such as Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, & Randy Newman. I want to bring lyrical content back into the pop music of today. I want to write melodies that get in your head but metaphors that sink in your heart.

Who would you compare yourself to in the industry right now?
I'm a huge fan of Dawes. I love what they're doing. I also really like Bruno Mars. I think Ed Sheeran is doing wonderful work pushing the limits of what we as a society are capable of listening to on the radio.

So, what can people expect if they come down to one of your shows?

My goal when I step on stage is to allow myself to be completely transformed and I hope the same of my audience. I want people to feel completely changed. I want them to laugh and cry. I want them to feel a little less alone. And I want them to feel like they can do anything.

I try to set the bar high...at least for myself

What can people expect from your new album? ("Things I Should Let You Know")
It's sort of all over the map. It's got the classic 70s singer influence, some New Orleans big band, & even some middle eastern instruments. I paint with a lot of colors.

I'd like to think that there is something for everyone in there.


And what's your favourite song you have written?
My favorite song I've written so far is "Plastic Soldiers". To me it's my best work from a raw craft standpoint of songwriting.
It's a song about a boy playing with toy soldiers as a kid, then becoming a soldier himself and losing his legs in war. The song ultimately finishes with the character having to make a choice of whether or not to pass his toy soldiers onto his own son. He has to make the choice of what kind of life he wants his son to have.
I'm a huge woody Guthrie fan and tried to channel as much of him as I could in this song. Woody Guthrie sung about social and political issues but it was never preachy. He always kept his sentiment inside the lives of the characters in his songs so the message was felt as oppose to just heard

And finally where can your fans (or new fans) find you?
www.sethglier.com

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram: @sethglier

I'd like to thank Seth for taking the time to answer these questions!

Wow. What can I say? That's the first time an artist on here has took the time to answer these questions in depth. This just shows the compassion & effort that Seth puts into things. I've been listening to his new album a heck of a lot lately, and man, it is so good!

It's the first time in a while, that I've actually wanted to follow the story of a song in my head, and that applies to practically every song on this album. - PopShade

Every once in a while, an artist comes along, and they make you go, damn, I bloody love music. Seth Glier is one of those artist's. He's not a popstar. But he's also not just another boring bloke with a guitar singing about Global Warming. He's an singer-songwriter with a knack for making songs that really make you think. In a good way, I mean. Not like those maths test back in school.

Anyways, Seth was very kind, and had a little chat with me & answered some questions for us, so that you guys can get to know him a little better! Believe me, he's very humble to say that he's a Grammy Nominated artist. Let's go!

Hey Seth, for those unfamiliar with you, could you tell them a bit about who you are and what you do?
Well I am a writer-song-singer from rural western mass. I am a 24 year old, Berklee college of music drop out, who is excited every morning to start with nothing more than a blank sheet of paper.

How would you describe your sound?
I consider my style to be storytelling pop music. I love the classic songwriters who had something important to say such as Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, & Randy Newman. I want to bring lyrical content back into the pop music of today. I want to write melodies that get in your head but metaphors that sink in your heart.

Who would you compare yourself to in the industry right now?
I'm a huge fan of Dawes. I love what they're doing. I also really like Bruno Mars. I think Ed Sheeran is doing wonderful work pushing the limits of what we as a society are capable of listening to on the radio.

So, what can people expect if they come down to one of your shows?

My goal when I step on stage is to allow myself to be completely transformed and I hope the same of my audience. I want people to feel completely changed. I want them to laugh and cry. I want them to feel a little less alone. And I want them to feel like they can do anything.

I try to set the bar high...at least for myself

What can people expect from your new album? ("Things I Should Let You Know")
It's sort of all over the map. It's got the classic 70s singer influence, some New Orleans big band, & even some middle eastern instruments. I paint with a lot of colors.

I'd like to think that there is something for everyone in there.


And what's your favourite song you have written?
My favorite song I've written so far is "Plastic Soldiers". To me it's my best work from a raw craft standpoint of songwriting.
It's a song about a boy playing with toy soldiers as a kid, then becoming a soldier himself and losing his legs in war. The song ultimately finishes with the character having to make a choice of whether or not to pass his toy soldiers onto his own son. He has to make the choice of what kind of life he wants his son to have.
I'm a huge woody Guthrie fan and tried to channel as much of him as I could in this song. Woody Guthrie sung about social and political issues but it was never preachy. He always kept his sentiment inside the lives of the characters in his songs so the message was felt as oppose to just heard

And finally where can your fans (or new fans) find you?
www.sethglier.com

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram: @sethglier

I'd like to thank Seth for taking the time to answer these questions!

Wow. What can I say? That's the first time an artist on here has took the time to answer these questions in depth. This just shows the compassion & effort that Seth puts into things. I've been listening to his new album a heck of a lot lately, and man, it is so good!

It's the first time in a while, that I've actually wanted to follow the story of a song in my head, and that applies to practically every song on this album. - PopShade

It's a load and it's a churn. It's all just part of the storyline, cutting through all of the travails and the fuzzy interpretations. There are more versions of ourselves to identify in old photographs and by looking down at our aging skin than we ever really think about. We can be constantly amazed by the different looks, by the ways that we allow ourselves to be so fluid rather than rigid and fixed. We find that we're fond of certain aspects of the new versions and still, the ones that we got away from or left behind are the ones that drum up the most fondness for. We were more virtuous then. We caved so much, to so many things, since then. We were more innocent. We were less shut in. Then again, the future selves that we envision are composite sketches of the old us and something more evolved yet - the us that we haven't even thought about yet, one that oddly probably turns us into modernized versions of our fathers, mothers, grandfathers or grandmothers. It tends to always go that way, without fail.

Seth Glier, a songwriter from Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, thinks a considerable amount about the person that he was, the person that he is and where it's all going from here. He likes to believe - as we all do - that we're inherently good people, but we know that it's not a guarantee and we've seen ourselves do some real shitty stuff over the years. Glier wonders about the man he used to be, wondering if it's possible to get back to that, or to just disappear. It feels that this might just be a bit of an exaggerated way of coping with some sad episode, but it's effective in addressing the meaningful and the vacated tangents that one's gone down. He comments that, "The heart as we know it is nothing but skin," and this would lead us to believe that following it at all times might not be the best thing to do, even when that's all we're taught - heart and guts, go with them. While Glier questions the man he's become, there's a girl that he sings about in this session who's quite different. She's still yearning, thinking that the best her is ahead, not behind. "She dreams of a wrap-around porch and snapping peas all day," he sings. He might do well to dream with her. Sounds healthier. - Daytrotter

It's a load and it's a churn. It's all just part of the storyline, cutting through all of the travails and the fuzzy interpretations. There are more versions of ourselves to identify in old photographs and by looking down at our aging skin than we ever really think about. We can be constantly amazed by the different looks, by the ways that we allow ourselves to be so fluid rather than rigid and fixed. We find that we're fond of certain aspects of the new versions and still, the ones that we got away from or left behind are the ones that drum up the most fondness for. We were more virtuous then. We caved so much, to so many things, since then. We were more innocent. We were less shut in. Then again, the future selves that we envision are composite sketches of the old us and something more evolved yet - the us that we haven't even thought about yet, one that oddly probably turns us into modernized versions of our fathers, mothers, grandfathers or grandmothers. It tends to always go that way, without fail.

Seth Glier, a songwriter from Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, thinks a considerable amount about the person that he was, the person that he is and where it's all going from here. He likes to believe - as we all do - that we're inherently good people, but we know that it's not a guarantee and we've seen ourselves do some real shitty stuff over the years. Glier wonders about the man he used to be, wondering if it's possible to get back to that, or to just disappear. It feels that this might just be a bit of an exaggerated way of coping with some sad episode, but it's effective in addressing the meaningful and the vacated tangents that one's gone down. He comments that, "The heart as we know it is nothing but skin," and this would lead us to believe that following it at all times might not be the best thing to do, even when that's all we're taught - heart and guts, go with them. While Glier questions the man he's become, there's a girl that he sings about in this session who's quite different. She's still yearning, thinking that the best her is ahead, not behind. "She dreams of a wrap-around porch and snapping peas all day," he sings. He might do well to dream with her. Sounds healthier. - Daytrotter

Ellis Paul, a veteran singer-songwriter who first made his name in New England's folk clubs in the 1990s, found himself in a disconcerting position last year. He had decided not to renew his contract with Rounder Records, his longtime label, but wanted to make a new album.

With no immediate ideas for funding, Paul took a novel approach: He enlisted his fans, posting a letter on his website asking for donations. Since July they've surprised him by contributing more than $90,000 through a Framingham-based online service called Nimbit, along with checks sent in the mail.

"When you're only selling 20,000 or 30,000 records, you don't really need a label," he says. "We figured we could do this in-house, but we just needed the money, and where was the money going to come from?"

In a growing trend reminiscent of the old-fashioned ways of artists and patrons, musicians around the country - including local singers Mieka Pauley, Mark Erelli, Kris Delmhorst, and former Throwing Muses singer-guitarist Kristin Hersh - are depending on their fans for unprecedented financial support. And it's not just limited to American artists. In France, singer-songwriter Grégoire channeled fan funding through the website MyMajorCompany.com and released "Toi Moi," which peaked at No. 2 spot on the French album charts.

Even as the economy deflates and the record industry continues its downward spiral, indie artists are finding that their supporters are eager to help. In a sense, the fans are replacing - or at least augmenting - the traditional role of a label, which previously would have financed the album with a monetary advance and then taken care of the promotion and distribution.

Piano-playing songwriter Seth Glier, who lives in Western Massachusetts, is only 20 but has already built a fan base that supported him on a recent monthlong tour. Through online efforts, Glier raised $2,500, which came in handy as he and a bandmate zigzagged across the Northeast and had to pay for gas, tolls, and the occasional hotel room.

The initial goal was to raise $500, which Glier accomplished within two hours and then kept going. Glier admits it takes a certain caliber of artist to ask fans outright for money. "It was an idea I had a couple of years ago, but I have a really hard time asking for help," he says. "When I was able to unclench my fist, it was great to realize how many people were there for me."

The fans aren't technically just giving money to these artists: They're buying services.

To fund "The Day After Everything Changed," his new album out in the fall, Paul allowed fans to buy different tiers of sponsorship, ranging from $100 (the "Antje Duvekot Level," named after the local singer-songwriter) up to $10,000 ("the Woody Guthrie Level").
Page 2 of 2 --

The higher the contribution, the greater the goods. For $100, you got an advance copy of the album with a bonus disc of demos and outtakes, along with tickets to one of Paul's shows. For the top-level contributions, of which Paul received a few, fans got several perks - everything from a one-year membership to Club Passim to a signed acoustic guitar to a credit as an executive producer of the album.
- James Reed

"the vocal prowess of a performer with a lifetime of singing experience" - Philly Edge

"An appealingly eager soulfulness… songs of escape, romantic idealism and life on the road." - The Herald (Edinburgh)

�swiftly making a name for himself on the national scene� - Pittsburgh Tribune Review

“huge music talent… his voice grabs your attention from the start and keeps it throughout the album...� -music critic Rickard Holmgren (Melodic.net)

"Seth Glier has one of those voices that immediately captivates...One part Ray LaMontagne, one part Tracy Chapman" - MassLive.com

"When it comes down to Seth’s music, either you love it or you've never heard it before.� - CD Baby

“Takes you to a place with his intoxicating groove.� – Performer

“A voice that has never sounded better…� The Recorder

“A star in the making� - The Vineyard Times

“I really loved the song “Gotta Get Away� as soon as I heard it� – The Album Project

“The next generation is alive and well� - Livingston Taylor

“Talent like Seth Glier’s brings out the psychic in all of us...He’s gonna be huge� - Ellis Paul

“Seth’s songwriting hearkens back to songwriters who broke in the ‘70’s like Billy Joel & Elton John...he has impressive range that grabs new audiences immediately� - Rachael Sage

"Imagine the voice of a young Art Garfunkel, singing about...melancholy
and angst" - ScotsGay Magazine

- What the critics are saying about Seth Glier

"the vocal prowess of a performer with a lifetime of singing experience" - Philly Edge

"An appealingly eager soulfulness… songs of escape, romantic idealism and life on the road." - The Herald (Edinburgh)

�swiftly making a name for himself on the national scene� - Pittsburgh Tribune Review

“huge music talent… his voice grabs your attention from the start and keeps it throughout the album...� -music critic Rickard Holmgren (Melodic.net)

"Seth Glier has one of those voices that immediately captivates...One part Ray LaMontagne, one part Tracy Chapman" - MassLive.com

"When it comes down to Seth’s music, either you love it or you've never heard it before.� - CD Baby

“Takes you to a place with his intoxicating groove.� – Performer

“A voice that has never sounded better…� The Recorder

“A star in the making� - The Vineyard Times

“I really loved the song “Gotta Get Away� as soon as I heard it� – The Album Project

“The next generation is alive and well� - Livingston Taylor

“Talent like Seth Glier’s brings out the psychic in all of us...He’s gonna be huge� - Ellis Paul

“Seth’s songwriting hearkens back to songwriters who broke in the ‘70’s like Billy Joel & Elton John...he has impressive range that grabs new audiences immediately� - Rachael Sage

"Imagine the voice of a young Art Garfunkel, singing about...melancholy
and angst" - ScotsGay Magazine

- What the critics are saying about Seth Glier

With a beautiful voice that has brought him comparisons with Mick Hucknall of Simply Red, Seth Glier could probably forge a successful career as a singer of other people's songs.
But the 20-year-old Boston native came to music as a form of personal expression and hasn't really thought about singing anything but the songs he writes himself.

So far, that plan is working.

Glier arrives at the University of Hartford on Friday night for a stop on a 50-date national tour that continues through the fall. Glier's debut CD, "The Trouble with People," is set for release on the Internet next month and on CD in November.

In a recent phone interview, Glier said one of the reasons he dropped out of the Berklee School of Music in Boston was the vocal major's realization that singing was just a tool for him.

"Singing and playing the piano are utensils, they're not the meal," Glier said.

"I'm always writing," he noted, adding that the whole process is still somewhat mysterious to him. "There's lot of magic in it, lots of spirituality."

Glier attributes part of his development as a songwriter to the ongoing process of learning how to communicate with his 24-year-old autistic brother.

"Up until I was 16 or 17, I didn't really have much of a relationship because I didn't know how to talk to him. Then I learned (that communication) had nothing to do with talking -- it was all about listening," he said.

"My songwriting started to change. It was not about adding words but leaving them out. The songs became more ambiguous and started to resonate with people. My brother is my touchstone. A huge influence," Glier added.

Like everyone else trying to carve out a life in music these days, Glier has been forced to take charge of many aspects of his career that in an earlier era would have been left to a record company or management group.

He still acts as his own booking agent, and "The Trouble with People" is a remixed and somewhat polished version of recordings he made a year ago.

After MPress Records signed him, Grammy-winning producer Kevin Killen was brought in to remix the original tracks (Killen has a long list of credits that includes working on albums by U2 and Elvis Costello).

"I originally recorded it in my basement over the course of a month," he said, adding that Killen remixed the material, re-recorded some of the vocal and "tied up the loose ends."

"It was a lot more challenging than I anticipated. It was opening something up after a year away from it. It's very, very difficult to keep your head in that place," Glier said of returning to the recordings after a year of performing and writing other songs.

"I feel like I'm planting seeds with this record. ... I'm looking forward to all this touring, meeting people, seeing new places, because that always inspires me," he noted.

Glier likes the "grass-roots" nature of working in music these days, with a musician being able to control most of his own "image" on social networking sites, and a free flow of communicaton between artists and their fans.

The performer was written up in The Boston Globe last year when he decided to use the Internet to launch a small "fan-funded" tour. Glier was looking for $500 to help pay some of his expenses and was shocked to receive three times that much.

"I did it just before I was offered (the record contract). I was a little nervous and felt a little weird asking people for money, but I found out there was a real community out there. There were people in Hong Kong who heard my music and sent me something. It changed how I look at my place in music. It's much more about community and building relationships than I thought," he said.

Seth Glier performs Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Wilde Auditorium, 200 Bloomfield Ave., on the University of Hartford campus. $18. 860-768-4228, www.hartford.edu. For more information on Glier, visit www.sethglier.com.
- Connecticut Post

Here comes another huge music talent. Seth Glier is only 20 years old, but has already shared stages with acts like John Mayer and Martin Sexton. He has also written and co-produced the debut album. An album packed with piano based pop songs.

One thing that you need is a standout voice, and that is something that Seth has. He has been compared to Mick Hucknall of Simply Red, but I can also hear some James Blunt in his voice.

Seth is treating us to solid songs, the sound can be compared to the slower songs of Jon McLaughlin's Indiana album. The songs are well composed, and the lyrics are interesting. And the voice grabs your attention from the start and keeps it throughout the album.

Some of the songs are just beautiful. For example, Julie's Song is a very nice song and probably my favorite on the album. Other nice songs are the title track The Trouble with People, Nervous Laughter and the closing track, I Just Want to Make My Daddy Proud.

The only negative I have to say about this album is that the songs tend to sound a little bit too much like each other, it is almost the same tempo throughout the album. I would have liked a few more up-tempo songs to balance the slow songs.

If you are a fan of James Blunt, Jon McLaughlin and Mick Hucknall, this should be an album for you. Also if you are into piano based songs. Impressive debut.
Tracklist
1. The Trouble With People*
2. Gotta get Away
3. Naia
4. Someone Else To Crown
5. Bending & Bowing
6. Reply
7. Who Would Have Thought
8. Julies Song*
9. Kiss & KIll
10. Best Side Of You
11. Nervous Laughter*
12. I Just Want To Make My Daddy Proud*


* Highlights - Melodic.net

With a beautiful voice that has brought him comparisons with Mick Hucknall of Simply Red, Seth Glier could probably forge a successful career as a singer of other people's songs.
But the 20-year-old Boston native came to music as a form of personal expression and hasn't really thought about singing anything but the songs he writes himself.

So far, that plan is working.

Glier arrives at the University of Hartford on Friday night for a stop on a 50-date national tour that continues through the fall. Glier's debut CD, "The Trouble with People," is set for release on the Internet next month and on CD in November.

In a recent phone interview, Glier said one of the reasons he dropped out of the Berklee School of Music in Boston was the vocal major's realization that singing was just a tool for him.

"Singing and playing the piano are utensils, they're not the meal," Glier said.

"I'm always writing," he noted, adding that the whole process is still somewhat mysterious to him. "There's lot of magic in it, lots of spirituality."

Glier attributes part of his development as a songwriter to the ongoing process of learning how to communicate with his 24-year-old autistic brother.

"Up until I was 16 or 17, I didn't really have much of a relationship because I didn't know how to talk to him. Then I learned (that communication) had nothing to do with talking -- it was all about listening," he said.

"My songwriting started to change. It was not about adding words but leaving them out. The songs became more ambiguous and started to resonate with people. My brother is my touchstone. A huge influence," Glier added.

Like everyone else trying to carve out a life in music these days, Glier has been forced to take charge of many aspects of his career that in an earlier era would have been left to a record company or management group.

He still acts as his own booking agent, and "The Trouble with People" is a remixed and somewhat polished version of recordings he made a year ago.

After MPress Records signed him, Grammy-winning producer Kevin Killen was brought in to remix the original tracks (Killen has a long list of credits that includes working on albums by U2 and Elvis Costello).

"I originally recorded it in my basement over the course of a month," he said, adding that Killen remixed the material, re-recorded some of the vocal and "tied up the loose ends."

"It was a lot more challenging than I anticipated. It was opening something up after a year away from it. It's very, very difficult to keep your head in that place," Glier said of returning to the recordings after a year of performing and writing other songs.

"I feel like I'm planting seeds with this record. ... I'm looking forward to all this touring, meeting people, seeing new places, because that always inspires me," he noted.

Glier likes the "grass-roots" nature of working in music these days, with a musician being able to control most of his own "image" on social networking sites, and a free flow of communicaton between artists and their fans.

The performer was written up in The Boston Globe last year when he decided to use the Internet to launch a small "fan-funded" tour. Glier was looking for $500 to help pay some of his expenses and was shocked to receive three times that much.

"I did it just before I was offered (the record contract). I was a little nervous and felt a little weird asking people for money, but I found out there was a real community out there. There were people in Hong Kong who heard my music and sent me something. It changed how I look at my place in music. It's much more about community and building relationships than I thought," he said.

Seth Glier performs Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Wilde Auditorium, 200 Bloomfield Ave., on the University of Hartford campus. $18. 860-768-4228, www.hartford.edu. For more information on Glier, visit www.sethglier.com.
- Connecticut Post

Boston singer/songwriter Seth Glier joins Brad Yoder and Heather Kropf for an evening of music at the PULSE House. Seth Glier is a 20 year-old singer/songwriter/pianist from Massachusetts swiftly making a name for himself on the national scene. His debut album for MPress, The Trouble With People, is both timeless and modern and has drawn comparisons to Billy Joel, Marc Cohn, Gavin DeGraw, Elton John and Paul McCartney. - Pittsburgh Tribune Review

Boston singer/songwriter Seth Glier joins Brad Yoder and Heather Kropf for an evening of music at the PULSE House. Seth Glier is a 20 year-old singer/songwriter/pianist from Massachusetts swiftly making a name for himself on the national scene. His debut album for MPress, The Trouble With People, is both timeless and modern and has drawn comparisons to Billy Joel, Marc Cohn, Gavin DeGraw, Elton John and Paul McCartney. - Pittsburgh Tribune Review