Style: Prog rock/operatic piano pop; compare to Tori Amos, Evanescence, Fiona Apple
Top tracks: “The Search,” “The Haunting,” “The Mad Mad March Hare Acoustic Exposition”
One of the more intriguing albums I’ve heard in a while, Grassman’s 58-minute opus is a unique mix of bombastic prog rock, piano pop, and opera. The versatile Texan says she drew on 1930s influences such as Duke Ellington, Dinah Washington, and Frank Sinatra to write these songs, which she hopes will encourage listeners through the recession as those artists did during the Great Depression. A concept album laden with classical and theatrical flourishes, Serpent Tales progresses through songs of confusion and sadness ultimately arriving at joy and peace.
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