Many bands submit their latest releases for review with the claim that they are ‘gonna be the next big thing’, that they ‘rock more than everyone else’….so on and so on…to be honest, who the fuck are we not to agree? Serpentone, on the other hand, make no such claim…no false promise awaits as I place the CD onto the deck…what I know is that if you like your music played from the heart, no bells or whistles, overproduction or self-indulgent musicianship, then you’ve come to the right place.

Erika Meyer knocks out tune after tune, in her unique vocal style, backed by a ‘Wall of Sound’ grungy attack by the rest of the band….it’s not all loud and aggressive though…there are quiet tender moments too….but gladly, the songs have been so well written that the underlying angst isn’t lost.

This is a great disc, you should check it out!!

Read the review here…

SERPENTONE – Spiraling (self release) – A healthy bit of defiantly classic scratchy 90’s North American home-made punk rock reality waiting for you here – a three piece led by the raw emotion and powerful voice of one Erika Meyer, Serpentone are a powerful Babies In Toyland flavoured angry angsty set of adventures, statements, observations and explorations. Relationships, gender politics, S&M hints, Minivan moms – Erika in on the front cover, bent over her guitar, lost in a frail of hair, the cover photo gives you more than a healthy clue. They’re from Portland Oregon and they damn well sound like it. Raw throated do-not-mess-with-me goodness – some of it is very obvious and maybe even a little naive, that’s kind of good though, that honesty is why this album works and bites and demands your ears so much more than the new Free Kitten album – real pearls that’ll tie you up. Dirty old school sound, raw grunge and riot grrl flavoured bite, the real honest deal, you can’t fake a sound like this, you can’t fake lo-fi raw energy – it either happens naturally or it sounds wrong. Spiraling is a very real, very honest, very direct album, a naked album and no one’s going to put her in a line and tell her what to do, no swallowing sugar coated lies – even when she rather convincingly reaching deep inside and tells us she’s a little crazy and messed up – we love it when things are good. Would you? Serpentone blister, Serpentone bite, the band are good, raw live sound and basic production but the band carry it all – yep, this is basic striped down punk rock and there ready for yer, go grab it – www.serpentone.com

OREGON

Portland, Oregon: Sonic Recollections, Exiled Records, Discorage Records, Green Noise Records, Music Millenium
Clackamas, Oregon: FYE (For Your Entertainment) on Sunnyside across from the mall

WASHINGTON

Vancouver, Washington: Mermaid Music
Seattle, Washingtion: Silver Platter Records (three locations)