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Feb 03, 2022 By Caleb Campbell

Next week, Charleston-based singer/songwriter Pierce Alexander is set to share his debut album, The Minutehand. Departing somewhat from his optimistic 2018 debut EP, The Grand Scheme, his debut was instead inspired by the uncertainty and searching that have colored the past two years for Alexander. Writing only with an acoustic guitar, Alexander wrote nearly 50 tracks for the album before narrowing them down to 10. The first of those tracks released earlier this year with “Make It Up To You,” and today Alexander is back with the record’s second and final single, “Be Someone,” premiering with Under the Radar.

The bare acoustic roots of “Be Someone” are easily recognizable from the opening notes of fingerpicked guitar and gently layered vocals. The raw presentation and stripped-back instrumentation initially recall early Elliot Smith, but the song quickly becomes a more ornate creation. Gorgeous string accompaniments first join the mix, followed by understated percussion and gentle swells of synths, carrying the track into a reflective reverie. Meanwhile, Alexander’s wistful lyricism traces the beckoning pull of nostalgia, surveying memories of past and present longing.

As Alexander describes, ”‘Be Someone’ represents the bittersweet wave of nostalgia that can occur when you are forced to notice the passage of time. In some ways, you miss the innocence but in other ways, you are glad to be in a better place with your life.”

Check out the song below. The Minutehand is due out February 11th.