The Serpentine Similar

The Serpentine Similar
Studio album by
Gastr del Sol
ReleasedJune 1, 1993 (1993-06-01)
RecordedSeptember – November 1992
Studio
GenreArt rock
Length31:02
LabelTeenBeat
ProducerBrian Paulson
Gastr del Sol chronology
The Serpentine Similar
(1993) 		Crookt, Crackt, or Fly
(1994)

The Serpentine Similar is the debut studio album by American indie rock band Gastr del Sol, released on June 1, 1993, by TeenBeat Records.[1][2] The album was re-released by Drag City on June 16, 1997.[3]

Background

Guitarist David Grubbs and drummer John McEntire had played together in the post-hardcore band Bastro with bassist Clark Johnson. When Johnson left Bastro in 1991 to attend law school, Bundy K. Brown joined and the group began writing new material, later documented as the instrumental live album Antlers: Live 1991. These songs were then reworked as quieter, acoustic versions for The Serpentine Similar as Bastro became Gastr del Sol.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]

In 2007, The Guardian concluded that "art rock doesn't get much brighter or more accessible."[5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bundy K. Brown and David Grubbs

No.TitleLength
1."A Watery Kentucky"9:18
2."Easy Company"1:08
3."A Jar of Fat"2:10
4."Ursus Arctos Wonderfilis"4:46
5."Eye Street"1:50
6."For Soren Müeller"4:19
7."Serpentine Orbit"0:45
8."Even the Odd Orbit"6:50

Personnel

Adapted from The Serpentine Similar liner notes.[6]

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog
United States 1993 TeenBeat CD, LP TEENBEAT 95
1997 Drag City DC106

References

  1. ^ "Teen-Beat 95. Gastr Del Sol. The Serpentine Similar". TeenBeat Records. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  2. ^ Earles, Andrew (2014). Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996. Voyageur Press. p. 125.
  3. ^ "Gastr del Sol – The Serpentine Similar". Drag City. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  4. ^ Anderson, Jason. "The Serpentine Similar – Gastr del Sol". AllMusic. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  5. ^ "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die". Supplement. The Guardian. Nov 19, 2007. p. 3.
  6. ^ The Serpentine Similar (booklet). Gastr del Sol. Arlington, Virginia: TeenBeat Records. 1993.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)