The Next Right Thing

iTunes Review

A ringing note of idealism runs through the tunes on Seth Glier’s sophomore album The Next Right Thing. The 21-year-old Bostonian distinguishes himself both as an adept song craftsman and an elegantly emotional vocalist in these tracks, harkening back to the urban pop/rock tradition of Billy Joel and early Springsteen. Usually singing in the silvery upper end of his range, Glier is an unabashed romantic, as tender numbers like “Walk Katie Home,” “Lauralee” and “Soul, Skin & Bones” make clear. A strong sense of social conscience comes through explicitly in the title track and indirectly in “First” and “I Don’t Need You.” Glier alternates his personal testimonies with lovingly rendered character sketches like “What the Others Have Done” and “No Place to Land.” The album’s production relies on sparse piano and acoustic guitar lines, with occasional strings and saxophone added for color. Overall, Glier pulls off the neat trick of coming across as sensitive without seeming cloying or wimpy. Beneath its wistful surface, there’s a strength of conviction to The Next Right Thing that sustains it.