Adrianne Serna

Michael Allison (Associate Writer)
2003-04-18

Artist: Adrianne Serna
Title: Another Day In America
Label: Poor Girl Records (www.poorgirlrecords.com)
Genre: Acoustic Pop/Rock

I had my doubts about reviewing this album at first, simply because I'm not really into any acoustic/folk type genres of music. Something made me decide to give it a listen, so I did. Am I ever happy that I did decide to give it a listen. This music is simply amazing. I love this album, and can't seem to put it down now.

Adrianne Serna is one incredible singer/songwriter with a voice that just makes her listeners feel good. There's something about this album that I can't find words to describe, but one listen and you should get the picture. Adrianne's voice is almost perfect for this style of music. Very charming, very warm and very infectious. Adrianne reminds me a lot of Lisa Loeb.

The musical style is a modern acoustic pop/rock sound that contains some great lyrical work. The melodies are very warm and pure. There's nothing about this album that could possibly turn it's listeners off. Adrianne is a future influential artist in the making.

Sometimes we make decisions on things for reasons unknown. This is one of those times where I'm glad I made the decision to listen to this album. I now have an album that will not leave my CD turntable for a long time. Now it's your turn. Give it a spin.

- MusicDish.com

Wow, women like Adrianne make me proud to be a woman and reaffirm the meaning of "Goddess Queen". In the course of just over three years, she has released two albums on her own independent label, Poor Girl Records and earned a Bachelor's degree in Music Business at San Francisco State University. Her second album, "Time And Place" is a delicious mix of folk and pop/rock. With her Suzanne Vega-meets-The Sundays style singing fused together with clever lyrics, catchy choruses and solid musicianship and production, you can't help but tap your foot to this 13-song disc. I hesitate to say that it's got that 70's "feel good" vibe but, it does!... But don't let those words fool you; this CD is much more complex.

While listening to "Look Around", Ani Difranco came to mind. This song strikes a chord in anyone watching closely to the sometimes confusing world we live in and wondering where our values are. "High Time" is a hopeful song with lighter undertones while "Strange Rain" is an obvious tip of the hat to Bob Dylan mixed with Adrianne's own unique vocal style and interesting lyrics. She has something to say, and she says it. I think "Reason To Stay" might be my favorite on the disc. Adrianne perfectly nails the complexity of the question we have all asked ourselves at one time or another, "should I stay or should I go?"

The musicians on this record are solid, precise and tasteful. There's even a flute on a couple of tracks which just takes things to another level for me. Andrianne's voice is sweet and at the same time, deeply emotional. All in all, this is an excellent record and well worth having on the iPod! - Goddess Queen Magazine

For Adrianne Serna, starting her own record label was easy:

Just get a business name - in her case, Poor Girl Records - a license, and a mailing address, and like everyone from Ani DiFranco to the Beatles, you've got a label.

Now comes the hard part for the 28-year-old Sylvania native: running it herself, taking care of the production, promotions, marketing, dealing with the media, mailings, touring, and, oh yes, creating new music.

From the time she first picked up a guitar eight years ago to the release of her second disc - the melodic, graceful "Time and Place" - Serna has learned a lot about the music business and hard work.

"What I have going on right now with two albums out, a band and then being the leader of the band, and I do all the production and publicity - I'm really tired," she said, laughing. "For everything you do there are a million other things you could've done."

Serna, a 1994 Northview High School graduate, came relatively late to the business. Despite growing up in a musical family - two of her brothers, Desi and Sean Serna, play on "Time and Place" - she wasn't inclined to play until knocking around at Ohio State University and the University of Toledo.

"Looking back, I was really bored and unsettled and I realized that I had a frustrated songwriter in me the whole time," she said. "I was just trying to figure myself out, and then I picked up a guitar and was like, 'Oh, that's it.' "

She moved to the San Francisco area, where she still lives, and completed a bachelor's degree in the music business curriculum from San Francisco State University.

Like a lot of independent artists, she found out quickly that the music business is not friendly to anyone but the most established artists. Serna made her first disc, "Another Day in America," in 2002 and it didn't attract much attention.

So she created Poor Girl Records and got to work.

"Basically it just came out of necessity. I put out my first record and there weren't any labels knocking on the door," she said.

She'll be playing material from the new disc, which is available at poorgirlrecords.com, at her CD release show tomorrow night at Mickey Finn's Pub, 602 Lagrange St.

An obvious inspiration for her music is Ani DiFranco, who created a template for independent artists by starting her own label, Righteous Babe Records.

"May I Take Your Order Please" from "Time and Place" echoes DiFranco with its rubbery rhythms and wry lyrics. Serna also cites Liz Phair as an influence, which shows up on a number of her songs, while maintaining her own unique qualities.

It's good stuff, but without distribution from a major label, Serna is on her own in getting it out to the rest of the world. "The people who know my music love it, but there are too many people who just don't know it," she said.

The next step is to get enough attention that she can build a team that includes a booking agent, a producer, some investors who support marketing and financial breathing room.

"As an independent artist it was all about control and doing it my way and etcetera, etcetera," she said. "Now I'd really like some help."

Adrianne Serna and her band will perform tomorrow night at Mickey Finn's Pub, 602 Lagrange St., taking the stage at about 10 for the first of two sets. The opening act will be Kate Pivoriunas, who will play at about 9:30.
- Toledo Blade