The Seer

From Augsburg, Germany, the Seer emerged to occupy the space left by the decline of anthem-driven new rock bands such as the Hooters, the Alarm, and Deacon Blue. Taking its name from a Big Country album, the group also signals clear loyalty to the Scottish outfit. Guest contributions from B.J. Cole, Paul Brennan, and John Giblin stood out on the debut pair of releases, Across the Border in 1995 and Own World in 1996. Brennan’s Irish pipes and whistles on the second album blended with Peter Seipt’s accordion and Jo Corda’s mandolin and fiddle work to produce a genuine Celtic-rock atmosphere that was gaining traction across Germany. Songwriters Seipt and Shook, who handle vocals and guitars, regularly weave spiritual themes into the lyrics, sometimes subtly and sometimes plainly, in a manner that echoes both the Alarm and Runrig. Although the folk-leaning textures of the first two albums recede on the third outing, Liquid from 1998, in favor of a modern rock approach, the spiritually grounded words retain their prominence. Captured live in the band’s hometown, Organic from 1999 keeps the original lineup intact and surveys material from the three earlier studio albums.