After the release of Where You Come From in 2008, numerous shows throughout… Read Full Bio ↴After the release of Where You Come From in 2008, numerous shows throughout the northeast for the following year and a half, and the release of the acoustic EP Everything Is Something Else in 2009, Seth and company took some time off from performing to work on a new record: a body of work now dubbed Amplify. Amplify was scheduled to be released in the fall of 2009, but after personnel changes, studio switches, and a vocal ailment that prevented Seth from singing for months, the album was delayed.

After rehabilitating his voice during the first six months of 2010, Seth and company re-entered the studio to complete tracking the new record, Amplify. The aim from the start was to make a record as true to the live experience as possible. Seth explains, “Our influences are more ‘vintage’ if you will... The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, etc. We’re also quite the fans of Son Volt, Wilco, and Counting Crows. We wanted to make a record like our influences did - that sounded like a band playing together in a room.” “Topically, these are the most revealing songs I’ve written thus far. They are all rooted in personal experience, but are open to interpretation.”

A critical element in Seth Adam’s music is the passion and impact of the group’s live performances. Seth has assembled a crack line-up of seasoned musicians that bring color from a wide spectrum of musical genres. These band members, fluent in the language of rock & roll, alt-country, and classic pop, propel the live show and give a modern and forceful lift to Adam’s vintage musical vision. The assemblage (Seth Adam - vocals, acoustic and electric guitar; Gerry Giaimo - lead guitar, acoustic guitar and vocals; Anthony Bianco - drums; and Gerard Bianco - Bass) is a melting pot of talent, a singular unit with a common stride, creating timeless pop-rock music in the Americana tradition.

Through performances throughout the northeast, Seth Adam and the band have put together a show of amazing energy. They have opened for artists such as Will Hoge, Alexa Ray Joel, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers and Chris Barron (former Spin Doctors). These live offerings continue to convert the most unattached, jaded listener into rock & roll believers with liberal doses of brawny electric guitar and sensitive acoustic forays, flooded with emotion. It is no wonder that Seth Adam’s performance caused Roger Friedman of Showbiz411.com to proclaim, “Adam’s appearance last night in New York was a rock revelation.”

Since the inception of the project, Seth and company have released several recordings, including the Seth Adam EP in 2006, Live In New Haven 11.8.06 in 2007, the full-length Where You Come From in 2008, and the acoustic EP Everything Is Something Else in 2009. In 2007, Seth’s song “Get Out” was licensed to Volkswagen for their 2007 Sights and Sounds campaign.

Now, with the release of Amplify, Seth and company will continue to deliver on the promise of vintage-laced, Americana influenced rock & roll. “I’m not concerned about trends. I’m concerned about making the best possible art that I can,” explains Adam. “I think this record is a great representation of that. I’m proud.”

PRESS QUOTES

"For example, during 'Troubled Times,' Seth wowed the audience's ears with deep vocal emotions that brought out the sentimental realism found in the lyrics..."

- Southside, Southside On The Town

"This is the best "unsigned" group in America, and the hardest-working best live act in indie rock. All the songs on Where You Come From are potential radio hits, so catchy that once you've heard them it's hard to get them out of your head. That is, if there were still pop/rock radio, they'd be all over "Promise" ... I promise ..."

- Roger Friedman

"Adam, formerly of the band Green Inside, has developed a quite reputation in the area as one of the most talented songwriters in the New Haven area. Taking cues from artists like the Counting Crows, Tom Petty and Wilco, Adam combines a sharp pop aesthetic with deep rooted Americana."

- Jeffrey Petrin, PLAY New Haven

"I would, without a doubt, throw on a Seth Adam record before a John Mayer or Rob Thomas album. And it’s somewhat unfair to even mention those two when talking about Where You Come From, because Adam and his band rock a little harder than those comparisons, but, you know, you need comparisons in a review."

- Patrick Ferrucci, New Haven Register

Promise
Seth Adam Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I bet that it's better now that I'm gone
I laugh at myself when I think of the times I was wrong
I got carried away from the things that made me feel bright
By myself this time I'll shine

I just can't promise you
What I promised you for a while
I just can't promise you

What I promised you for a while
For a while

And I bet that you're better now that I'm gone
Now you can have all of those expensive things you want
I got carried away from the things that made me feel so bright
By myself this time I'll shine

I just can't promise you
What I promised you for a while
I just can't promise you
What I promised you for a while
For a while

By myself this time I'll shine

I just can't promise you
What I promised you for a while
I just can't promise you
What I promised you for a while
I tell myself all the things
That make me try to smile

I just can't promise you
What I promised you for a while

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Seth Adam's "Promise" reveal a story of a person who has moved on from a relationship that did not work out. The verses portray the singer's reflection, realization, and acceptance of the past. The lines "I bet that it's better now that I'm gone / I laugh at myself when I think of the times I was wrong" suggest that the splintered relationship has a better chance to heal when both parties are apart from each other. The singer fathoms that things did not work out because they lost sight of their individuality and got caught up in trying to impress the other person. The line "I got carried away from the things that made me feel bright" shows the singer's remorse for losing their shine due to trying too hard to please the other person.

The chorus of the song, where the singer repeatedly sings "I just can't promise you what I promised you for a while," indicates the limitations and uncertainties of a budding or failing relationship. It highlights how the singer felt the need to promise something to their loved one but could not deliver. Lines such as "For a while" mention how promises can be for a specific time frame and how they can be short-sighted.

Overall, "Promise" depicts the theme of self-reflection, letting go, and moving on. The singer acknowledges their mistake, learns from it, and becomes hopeful about the future.

Line by Line Meaning

I bet that it's better now that I'm gone
The singer believes that the situation has improved since they left

I laugh at myself when I think of the times I was wrong
The singer acknowledges their past mistakes and can now find humor in them

I got carried away from the things that made me feel bright
The singer lost sight of what made them happy in their pursuit of something else

By myself this time I'll shine
The artist intends to find happiness and success on their own

I just can't promise you What I promised you for a while I just can't promise you What I promised you for a while For a while
The artist cannot fulfill past promises that they made to someone

And I bet that you're better now that I'm gone Now you can have all of those expensive things you want
The singer believes that the person they left is now better off because they can pursue their material desires

By myself this time I'll shine
The singer intends to succeed and be happy on their own

I tell myself all the things That make me try to smile
The artist tries to remain positive by telling themselves things that make them feel happy

I just can't promise you What I promised you for a while
The artist still cannot fulfill past promises they made to someone

Contributed by Keira K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS