Esoteric deluxe. Like the illusive, drunken, incoherent but
turbulent folk of Tim Buckley & especially John Martyn,
without sounding like either. That's the music, anyway. Serpe
doesn't sing like a boozed up narcoleptic, he just writes
acoustic guitar music with shuffling drums that sounds like
Seattle rain, incessant but non threatening. The poly-rhythms
& strange ambiance that settles over the record is kind of
appealing.. But when he's on to a good lick, such as the jazzy,
strings- luscious & horns- growling "Keep in Mind" one thinks of
the Tindersticks or Sundays gone ambiguous. Extra points for
the imaginative packaging.
Jack Rabid- The Big Takeover
Opening with a series of incidental sounds recorded off the
street, American Gothic quickly establishes a sense of
community between listener & artist. Serpes dreamy,
repetitive guitar & rough vocals suck the audience into his
own personal daydream.
Every note of American Gothic resonates with the sense
of shared personal investigation & of self-discovery.
Tizzy Asher- The Rocket
"There is a definite intimacy in almost every song."
Fiona Morgan- the online daily of the University of Washington
"Serpe delivered a handful of baroque acoustic pieces that
were not so much songs as fugues with vocals laid on top of
them.
The candle lit scene was remarkable, & drew me deeply into
his music. The sincerity of serpes theatrical vocal styling is
more apparent live than on record; he is at his best when he
just lets go & yells. His set of delicate songs shined & his
performance hinted at hidden worlds."
Grant Cogswell- the Stranger
"New music that came in a way that was refreshing, charming
& whole-heartedly appreciated."
Kathleen Wilson- the Stranger.
"I was floored by the vocal experimentation & playfulness of the music, Serpe was witty, smart with an artful approach."
Molly Kastner- Introvert fanzine