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How many times have I written about Spooky Serna?
How many times have I tripped out to their music?
And how many times have I closed my eyes and just let them take me on a haunting sonic experience?
I’ve lost count.
There’s just something about the combination of Pedro’s steady pounding on the drums, Leo’s melodic solos and Joey’s bass line and plaintive singing voice that tugs at your heartstrings.
A few months back, Joey and the rest of the band were heavy into painting thick layered musical sounds heavy on effects with little to no vocals. Their move towards a more accessible musical format has given rise to a new breed of fans. So now Spooky Serna has those who got used to their instrumental exploits and those who swoon (and yell “I love you Juweh!!!”) to their alt pop approach. It’s amazing how they never seem to lose count, remaining as tight as they lead us on a roller coaster ride of delay upon delay.
Their pedal boards are chock full of goodies that make every guitarist in attendance drool. They’re literally stepping on a fortune every time they go onstage.
Some may think it’s just noise but I see and hear highly accomplished musicians walking a tight rope, keeping count, evoking strange feelings and basically just leading us along a musical path. If you close your eyes and really let the music take you, it’s a psychedelic experience. I wonder if ‘shrooms’ll enhance the experience. hahaha!
I remember having a conversation with Joey at Pete’s Point about his hesitation and fear of being labelled a sell-out because of the change in musical direction. As an artist, he wants to keep on exploring the boundaries of piling layer upon layer of sounds, keep it real. But, as a performer, he wants to bring joy to the audience.
Frankly, I like how they are continuously evolving. Art evolves. You can’t please everyone.
Except me. I’m a fan.
“Ang paglipas ng panahon na nilamon ng kahapon… Di akalaing masilayan dating pag-asa na naglalaho”
God, I wish I had half the brain to write something as simple & beautiful as that.
Here’s their video for Naglalaho (performed at Suazo, recorded at Pete’s Point)
That song is a hit! And let’s all do our part and share their music to the rest of the world. Or at least to people outside of Davao. Ok?
Let’s see where Spooky Serna goes next. Let’s join them on their musical journey and see where this takes us.
