Seth Celdrán

photography by Gavin Alexandra / artwork by Reeves

What if a young Paul McCartney had the opportunity to study the expansive career and music of none other than Paul McCartney? What elements of the music would this young Paul maintain? Which parts would evolve for an audience of today? These questions have been stirring in my head since having a sit-down conversation with one of Austin’s fastest rising musical performers, Seth Celdrán. The comparison is grand, clickbaity, and downright dangerous! But impossible to ignore. I even hesitate to include Seth’s young age or use the forbidden P word, because that would imply that there’s still pieces of his music that are unsettled or unpolished and this could not be further from the truth. Whether listening with headphones, experiencing the band live, or even having a conversation with him about his work - What we have here is a solid foundation of musical talent, relentless examination, and an expression of effusive energy.

Seth does not hail from Liverpool, but rather America’s Liverpool - Southern West Virginia.

He grew up in a small town where resources for those driven by music were scarce. Luckily, he had a grandfather who taught him guitar and opened his eyes to the music of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Kinks and really every band from the 60s to 70s. You probably read that sentence and rolled your eyes at its popular sentiment and broad range of time. It is here I must communicate that when Mr. Celdrán speaks of these bands, it is with the same fiery cadence one would use to describe an amazing non-name act you discovered at some hole-in-the-wall and now hold a sacred connection that could never be broken or fade with time. It’s this thrill of discovery that has fueled his process since middle school.

With a wonderfully flushed out education of rock and roll bands and their organic instrumental sound, it was in middle school where he was introduced to the world of bedroom pop.

Suddenly the tools for the creation of his grand design were all within reach. Band class, school orchestra, and piano lessons all became vehicles for knowledge and skills that he could put to immediate use. Two worlds collided to create a universe where parallels between Paul McCartney and Mac Demarco were being drawn. Paul’s divine ability to create with every instrument paired with Mac’s “what you see is what you get” expression. The Beach Boys parturition of new electric sound cross-examined with Dayglow’s meticulous digital creation. The combination would begin to lay the foundation of Seth’s process and what would ultimately become his own personal style - The spirit of the 60s and 70s with the mindset of bedroom pop. The fundamental goal of the music is to feel as fun to play as it is to hear and unabashedly make you want to move.

On January 27th, 2024, the crowd at Inn Cahoots was electrified and made to feel alive through the music that has been cultivated through his process, discoveries and collaborations. Hearing him and his band perform live for the first time was an experience I’ll always treasure and I know I’m not alone as they no doubt gained some life-long fans that night. But the songs themselves would not sound or feel like the way they did without some formative people that Seth has encountered along the way. No artist can flourish on an island, no matter what tools they have at their disposal or how many influential ghosts they study. To create something that is meaningful in this world one must collaborate and share their work and process with those who can elevate it to a form that the artist did not know was possible. And as much as a melodious swiss-army knife Seth has become to be, he credits many people in his life for helping shape and form his music through the different stages of his career. Back home in West Virginia, Seth’s family was undoubtedly the first influence to inject the wonder of what music is and what it can be. Growing up his best friend Max was the perfect complement to make music and write songs. Where Seth was floating, Max was grounded. Where Seth was bouncy, Max held a little darkness. Together their Yin and Yang kept each other’s minds open when producing sound and lyrics.

Since his time in Austin, he has accrued several bandmates whose own tastes and interests have introduced new ideas not only to the songs but to the performance on stage too. James on drums has a vast knowledge and passion for early jazz that has not only solidified the technical foundation of the band but invites more improvisational elements to their live shows. The other anchor of the sonic foundation is Nolan, who is also Seth’s roommate, a classically trained pianist.

At home, the two maintain a healthy competitive collaboration where Seth will hear Nolan practice a new song or tune in the other room thus halting whatever he’s doing to try to quickly create something new of his own or inquire what was that new sound. Now, if you were there for their show January 27th you may be anxiously waiting to hear about the other guitarist in the group who blew wigs off and dynamized the crowd into a frenzy. That would be Marc Renee, who is not only fluent in Seth’s creative sounds but is given the freedom on stage to exercise his wizardry to the songs and somehow build something mystical on top of what is already an exciting rhapsody. Something that must be experienced live. And, of course, the music and dynamics of the band would not be as effective in it’s delivery without the wickedly talented Spencer holding it all down on bass, he is the glue that binds. Together this group is a well-oiled machine that leaves crowds exhausted from dancing, tantalized with catchy lyrics, and in wonder of how each member is so alive on stage.

Right now it is easy to see how much of a classic frontman Seth Celdrán is when he owns the stage. But in 2018 he couldn’t fathom singing a note in front of people, let alone moving and shaking on stage to each of his songs. All his time to that point had been dedicated to creating music in privacy and with close friends, never performing for any crowds in his hometown where opportunity was slim and unideal. When he moved to Austin in 2021, it became a goal to perform in front of others. Breaking the ice of being on stage was not his only concern as he was aware of how high of quality he was able to record his songs and began to worry that what people heard on stage would pale in comparison and be a much poorer version. Focused on his goal, he wanted to close that gap between the two skill sets and give his songs the life on stage they deserve. He channeled the same energy and discipline he applied to producing and went back to the well that quenched him from the beginning. He studied the bands from 60s to 70s and how they conveyed their presence on stage. Cherry picking the elements he felt should be in his music while also learning from local musicians at open mics and jams like Gilad Bogner (see Issue 8). The group would have their first show on Feb. 18th, 2022 and Seth was scared as all shit. The shows were going well but he admits he was getting too caught up in how audiences perceived him on stage and if that was helping or hurting the songs. Still finding his footing and wondering if he was too mechanical or too loose. It would be the advice of his close friend and local artist, Savannah Marie, who instilled a stronger sense of belief in himself. She was totally transformative in how he went about his creative process and how he talked to himself when making and performing songs. He began to embrace play and worry less about doing everything correctly or up to invented expectations. No longer getting caught up in how he presented himself to a crowd but rather trusting his instincts on stage which naturally flow with his lyrics that were born from those same creative instincts. A wonderful testament to the collaboration of artists across mediums here in Austin, Texas that has led to the development of one of the more exciting bands to hear and watch in this fair city.

In my conversation with Seth, I quickly learned his strongest traits were his work ethic and his love of being a student of the craft. Two characteristics that were infused in him at an early age and perhaps most prevalent in his songwriting. A process that involves tedious documentation and organization of the sayings and colloquialisms he encounters and overhears in his everyday life. Informal expressions with a rhythm that arrange nicely with his free-flowing melody. An exercise that feeds his natural fascination with language and love for cultural sayings but also translates very well to pop song lyrics as they can be recognized and understood by a large audience. Of course the songs are personal for him, but not so confined to where the meaning only makes sense to one. The goal is always to bring people together and allow them the freedom to discover their own meaning and interpretation in the words, no matter the emotionality of the tune. The inspiration for the themes can be directly sourced to his favorite songwriters from the.. You guessed it.. 60s and 70s and specifically how they talked about love, an appreciation that struck him at an early age. But the music is not all lovey-dovey and sugar pie. Songwriting has become a therapeutic practice to process new experiences and new emotions as he navigates through life. The tone of the tracks range from a free and soft “Next To Me” to the burdened and gritty “Ballad of A Broken Man.” And these are just the lyrics that come to light, where innumerable others sit in a notebook unseen and unheard. Most of the songs he has released and performed have all flowed instantaneously from brain to pen in a divine manner, which comes to little surprise given the smooth and easy feeling most songs make you feel. But that does not mean the unused words and poems are condemned to darkness, but rather swimming in murky waters that in time will become clear in how they breach the surface and into the light of his music.

The future is promising for these locked lyrics and for this musical wunderkind. It is at this point in this article I must reveal that our artist in question is only twenty years old at the time of this publishing. As fun as it has been to cover what he has done, it will be even more exciting to experience what he is about to do.

Settling into the Austin musical community is the goal of the band right now, whether it’s booking shows, meeting artists, or collaborating and producing others’ albums - including Amethyst Jonquille and Jersey J. Austin, Texas is where they plan to play and grow - following the path of Black Pumas, Dayglow, Shakey Graves, Gary Clark Jr… to mention a few. In the immediate future, Seth Celdrán and his band have several new singles to be released titled “Make Up Your Mind” and “Unleash Your Love”. His studies of his favorite 60s and 70s bands will continue, now with more emphasis on how to be the best frontman he can be. All a part of his grand plan to study the greats and become greater.