I happened just by accident to stumble upon this artist. He was opening for Marc Cohn who we were about that evening. Marc was good, but this guy just totally blew me away with his show. Just two people onstage. Just Seth and his sidekick Joey Nerny. Joey is an old blind guy who sings and plays harmonica and sax (and some percussion I think). I was amazed at these guys! They definitely caught my eye. Then I find out Seth was grammy material.

A few things occured to me as I watched and listened. One was dynamics....... Their music went up and down in both intensity and vocal range. The arrangements themselves are very dynamic.

Okay so I was instantly a fan. They put on a great show. Went and bought Seth's cd on the way out. I began playing the cd on loop mode in my car. The cd was full band as opposed to the live show, but the live show did not lack at all for this IMHO. The more I listened the more his songs have grown on me. His tracks are a study in dynamics, and I have tried to learn from his approach to arrangement. Just goes from full tilt to silence, and back again, without hurting the whole song's flow. It really is an amazing thing to work dynamics like this. The cd I speak of is "Things I Should Let You Know" by Seth Glier. The whole cd is on YT somewhere. Really the more I listened the more I hear and learn from this guy about dynamics. You have to listen to the whole thing and then pay attention to how he works dynamics with both performance and arrangement. It really has grown on me, especially as I listen from a writer and producer's point of view. I really think there is a lot to be learned from him if you are open to it.


Went and saw him again and this time he was the main act. Bought and have been listening to his latest too. One thing I saw him so is using HIS VOICE for a lot of this stuff I thought was synth. I saw him do it live onstage. Yes he used a live sampler to loop his voice, but it was still all him and we saw him do it so no denying it was his voice. He accompanied himself big time with samples of his own voice. That in itself is not a new thing. People been doing this awhile, but the performance is amazing! The man is intense and he writes intense songs and lyrics. How does a guy get so much insight so young? This has also grown on me the more I listen. Even if it's not your type of music, listen to the dynamics. Builds and dies down. His latest:

 

Love his use of tremelo guitar is some of his more soulful tracks on this latest album. The backing vocals on "Just Because I Can" give me goosebumps. Very soulful! The end of "Water On Fire" I thought was synth. It's his voice. Saw him do it. His show was full of that kind of surprise. This last show was 3 people onstage and equally amazing. He had a girl playing upright bass and gtr and singing with him. The whole thing was vocal driven. Love great vocal tracks.

 

Like I Do is intense. He really does a good job of conveying the emotion. The vocals....... He puts a lot of people to shame just in his intensity. His shows are intense. That's what music is about.

 

I think this link should play the whole cd one after another. Especially the later songs on it are dynamic and intense.

 

Seth is a big guy. I would bet well over 6 ft. You would never expect this high pitched voice to come out of this guy. Quite a high range, and near as I can tell perfect pitch. No autotune for this one. All the people onstage with him are that calibre too.

 

Seth and Joey. Saw them do this onstage. Great raw feel.

 

He might be talented but I can't listen to his voice. It grates on me.

 

I could I could hear strong influences from the Beatles, P. Floyd, Stones...among others. His muse seems to come from the old classics, and I think that's part of his "charm" and why he's so versatile. I can't honestly say I'm a "fan," but I admire the hell out of his tastes and how it spills into his own music.

 

if you think that is good ( not bad though)
check out something of this caliber.

plus this can give great inspiration for your own wring (all the melodies and harmonies)

 

Actually I would agree with both of the above replies. At first I could have agreed with both (his voice and fan), but the more I listened and watched, the more I liked it. I acknowledge all said, but it really grew on me. But actually the biggest thing I am pointing at is the "dynamics" of both the performances and arrangements. All said aside ( I can acknowledge what was said), I think we all could learn to work dynamics like he does. It kind reminds me of the first time I heard Queen. I thought is was a mixed sex vocal ensemble the first time I heard Queen, but the more I listened the more I was intrigued. It's not everyone's cup of tea. I am more drawn to the bluesy rock side of Seth's tracks. I guess I could include his acoustics too. Even my GF said the same thing. The more you listen to it the more it grows on ya. I started listening from a producer's point of view and the amazement grew. Drums are my first instrument and so for awhile I had a tendency to punctuate my changes with cymbal crashes. I have learned to try to avoid that, although I have to conciously do it to break old rock drummer habits. His approach to the changes in his arrangements are very good. Yep I can acknowledge the uncommon vocal timbre. At this point it does not bother me, but at first I was with ya on that. It is similar to how I grew to like Freddy Mercury's voice (mostly). There are still some Queen tracks I pass on. The performances are very good. His show is very good. My opinion. I won't expect everyone to agree but listen to his approach.

 

This is good but feels like full tilt most of the time. I did hear them die down and get soft at times (like during the spoken parts), but most of the time this feels like full tilt. No denying the talents. I tend to go for vocal driven tracks though, but yes great video. A different animal altogether but great.

 

His live shows are more like the track with just him and Joey. He doesn't use a full band onstage (that I've seen). I think he improvises quite a bit when live. I can tell they are the same tracks but some medleys and improvised intros etc. Somewhat rehearsed but he moves around a lot. I bet no two shows are the same.

 

I think he could do a hell of an ambient album.. just leave his voice out of it, or get someone else that doesn't
sound so, ummm chipmonk-y ...

yeah that's the real deal.. not millenial-ish self indulgence...
they're all immensely talented... my eyes were drawn to the bass player...
just sick how he's cruising up and down that neck.... like nothin' to it

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jan 9, 2018

I thought you were going to write about Jacob Collier, who is even younger and way more talented (and has better voice, etc).

 

To my taste, Jacob Collier is one of the names to be watched, that boy is gifted, but i like the op as well. Of course @MMJ2017 's post is one of the all times top league no doubt 'bout that. But since the op is about young musicians i fail to see how it is related, Sonny Rollins in 1980 must 've been 50 yo hehe. Still great tho. I 'd like to add this old vid with a 20 year old Bootsie Collins:

 

Went and found him on YT. Thanks for turning me onto this. Great stuff. I love them both now. I will be checking his out more now. Thanks for the share!

 

45 seconds in and I'm out.

 

so, kooper, do you like seth glier? is he dynamic?

 

I thought this thread would be about Jacob Collier as well. I recognize the talent but they both bore me to death. Also, I'm not really into singing vaginas.

Even in female singers, I tend to lean towards those who put an uhmp into it, grit, pain, something I can feel. Joplin does (did) this well.

 

Last edited: Jan 10, 2018

nothing against young guys, or high registers for that matter... good? that's another question...

( may not play in FF )

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2018