Critic's Review
Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide
Released in what would become a prolific mid-'90s period for Gastr del Sol, Serpentine Similar alerted the indie underground that Slint's David Grubbs was again ready to push the limits of experimental music. After foreshadowing post-rock with his former group, Grubbs scales back the guitars on Serpentine Similar and limits the loud/quiet bursts of punk energy that connected Slint to a generation of artistic-minded punk rock listeners. With Gastr del Sol, Grubbs and co-conspirator Bundy K. Brown head off into improvised landscapes both minimal and emotionally charged. The isolated, wandering pianos on "A Jar of Fat" and "Eye Street" toy with the definition of song, paying special attention to repetition, or the lack of it. The entire record is dominated by a loose, wavering melodic gravity that will challenge some, but listeners unimpressed with the many "underground" artists driven more by attitude than honesty and expression will find Serpentine Similar quite refreshing.
