Customer Reviews

Haunted

5 star:		(252)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

We find Poe on her second album brazen and boundlessly inspired, flexing her creative range with more quality ideas than can possibly be crammed into seventeen songs and a half-dozen genres.

I read an interview on how this amazing disc came about. Finding herself at a loose end creatively after her first album, Poe describes an unsettling dream where her late father mysteriously urges her to "find his voice". Some time later she unearthed a forgotten box of family tapes dating from early childhood, featuring a revelatory array of personal voice recordings by none other than her often remote and complex Dad. Confronting the material wasn't easy at first. Then "suddenly I had 700 songs I needed to write, all of them at my fingertips".

Talk of a concept album alarmed her backers, who suggested she "capitalize on her fan base" instead. Undaunted, Poe withdrew to a private studio and cozied up with her ProTools digital audio workstation, throwing 12-16 hours a day into the quintessential labor of love. Excluding all but an inner circle of accomplices, emerging two years and fifteen filled hard drives later with this incandescent work.

And these songs!! Opulent and gripping, cohesive yet intricate, gloriously melodic, expansive, diverse. Up volume and sit back. Wade that first chilling intro into the heady rush of "Haunted" and I guarantee your pulse and breathing will have noticeably increased. Yes, the headlining "Hey Pretty" is a stunner, but I soon found it more of a bonus track alongside even more precocious siblings, "Control", "Terrible Thought", "Walk The Walk", "Wild", "5½ Minute Hallway"...on down the track list.. Each a consummate short story of it's own, with barely a mediocre moment anywhere.

Songs intensely layered and multifaceted, yet always the sense of Poe in absolute command of her vision. Hard-as-nails guitar riffs blending to irresistible psychedeliscapes, shimmering codas, aching harmonies so fleeting I want to start throwing things. Startling detail, ravishing orchestration, that unbearably expressive voice warm and fragile and savage like the most ardent lover. There is a superb muscularity in Poe's music and especially her singing, a fusion of recklessness and control that sends shivers, puts a twist in your tummy and keeps you coming back for more.

Why didn't we need lyrics with the documentation? Because every word is perfectly distinct. And if you miss one you will need to start again.

To heighten the impact, Poe interweaves her father's disembodied voice with other soul-stirring memorabilia throughout, a mosaic of enthralling vignettes around his pervasive ghost. Unraveling with us a child's love, terror and loss, and things left unsaid, the captivating story never self-indulgent, accommodates us all. Elsewhere flash-forward; the enduring woman, compassionate but uncompromising, aware yet still vulnerable, challenging, unapologetically sexual.

I have a feeling Poe's fan base is doing just fine. Against the best advice, she has pulled off an epic, timeless classic that stamps her unmistakable authority as an artist of great communicative power. She's also really, really good.

I had the opportunity to see Poe (formerly known as Ann Danielewski) ...this past November 12. Something of an odd venue, except that this was a joint outing in accompaniment with her brother, the author Mark Danielewski, whose "House of Leaves" was recently published to some critical acclaim. She was to sing a number of songs from her new CD, "Haunted", but unfortunately I could only stick around for a couple of them.

I do like this album, but I wonder if it is really something that would appeal to the casual music fan. This isn't something that you can just chunk into your CD player and let rip. It's a very complex, layered, intense work, and deeply personal as well. In its broadest outlines, it's an attempt by Poe to come to grips with her late father, who died in 1993, two years before her debut release with her "Hello" album. (I may be a little off with this chronology.) That particular outing featured a lyric that said "Fathers are black holes that suck up the light"; that might give you a hint of her family dynamic.

Recently, while going through her father's stored belongings, she came across several cassette recordings of conversations/monologues that he had recorded years ago, and listening to this spectral voice from beyond the grave inspired "Haunted". Poe has incorporated numerous selections from these tapes into the new songs, weaving them in as commentaries, prologues, segues. In a sense, she is reaching out to her father one last time and trying to achieve...an understanding? A reconciliation? A truce?

At the same time, "Haunted" is meant to be a kind of reflection of "House of Leaves" (her song "5 1/2 Minute Hallway" is directly inspired by a passage in her brother's work). The liner notes will point the reader to numerous references in the novel.

Indeed, it is critical to read these notes. The recordings of her father don't always come through so clearly, so you might not understand what he is saying. Additionally, Poe has intertwined other speaking roles into the mix, so you need to read all of the lyrics to fully comprehend all of the players, as it were.

This is a challenging album. If you're looking for something that is minimalist, you won't find it here. "Haunted" is very much a studio work and a producer's dream, an intricate tapestry of sound. (The live performance was done as "karaoke, Poe-style" as she put it, with the assistance of her DJ, Peyote Cody.)

There's a lot to commend this album. (I particularly like the song "Control".) It is astonishingly brave, and if you allow yourself to let down your guard, you might be deeply moved. There's a lot of anger, a lot of pain. But it moves in the end to acceptance, a kind of healing, when the voice of a young Poe tells her father..."It's okay, you can go now."

Some may find this to be too intimate, and on some level I wonder if the most intimate emotional turmoils of Poe are a fitting topic for only her second album. This seems a bit churlish on my part, but it is true that all of these songs work in concert to her one theme for "Haunted", and so there's far less of the carefree spirit and reckless experimentation that was so evident in "Hello". Approach with caution, and set aside one long evening to allow this work to sink in.

And call your father.

I have had this CD for a couple weeks now and it hasn't left my CD player since I brought it home. It is so amazing and I can really tell POE has matured since her debut album, Hello. My favorite track on Haunted is 'Wild'. The track makes a transition in the middle from serious rock to a clubby dance song. In 'If You Were Here' POE expresses how much she misses her father and feels he would be proud of his children, Annie Danielewski aka POE, and her brother, Mark Z. Danielewski. 'Haunted' is very much intertwined with her brother's book, "House of Leaves." POE's album and Mark's novel are two individual creative responses to the same events. Her brother says of the album, "It's not a soundtrack for the book. It's a parallax view of the same history." POE says," it's the album I've wanted to make for as long as I can remember. Finally, I had the resources I needed and the freedom to focus on nothing else but the task at hand." Once given the limitless space she needed POE created a masterpiece - an album that is sure to be among my all-time favorites.

I am not a rabid fan of Poe... but this album, HAUNTED, is out to make me one! Poe's previous effort, HELLO, was a very pleasant affair indeed: hip-hop rhythms, sampling, her velvety vocals, that GREAT song that launched her career (read: "Angry Johnny"), but it dragged in places and could become tedious at times despite the promise within those first songs. Poe returns with anything but what could be called a sophomore-slump in HAUNTED, a brilliant concept piece about the death of her father, her brother Mark Z. Danielowski's novel, HOUSE OF LEAVES, and her own subconcious. The songs themselves, as the title of this review states, are worth an excellent rating. So rarely are tracks as diverse as the thumping, grooving, and thouroughly melodic "Haunted," and the latin-flavored ballad "Spanish Doll" found on the same album by an individual artist. And that is without mentioning the trippy, hyper "Not A Virgin," the smooth sinistry of "Hey Pretty," the luscious electronica feast of "Wild," and the pounding and relentless power of "Control." But as wonderful as these songs are individually, when heard in succession of one-another, the listener is confronted head-on by Poe's huge-with-a-capital-H-vision, without feeling overwhelmed or bombarded. This feat, not even entirely conquered by rock genius' Radiohead on their recent KID A, displays just the depth of artistry that Poe embodies. It takes a delicate hand and an open mind to create an album so obviously dear to one's heart as this, and yet not to create a forced message and risk losing an audience's imagination. A large part of what helps her production and songs work hand-in-hand is the versatility of Poe's voice. Many artists have lovely and wonderful voices, but never quite know what to do with them. Throughout HAUNTED, Poe displays an intimate knowledge of her own voice and uses it to its fullest effect. It comes across as thick and luscious "Spanish Doll," growling and intense in "Control," flowing and composed in the title track, diva-esque in "Wild," and breathy, teariness on the closing track, "If You Were Here." What's more, none of these variations sound like Poe is posturing. Poe always sounds completely sincere and confident in her delivery, and that is what gives Poe the incredible power of interpretation of emotion that is found on HAUNTED. Without this ability to adapt to musical climate, Poe's vision would have drowned in its own ambition... but her virtuoso voice combines with wonderful songcraft and beautiful, stunning production making this album a truly unique joy to behold... you will hear nothing else quite like HAUNTED. In HAUNTED, Poe has found the perfect balance of production (slick, glossy, but rough on the edges) and vision (so clear, but so listenable and eclectic) and created an avante-pop masterpiece for the world to experience in awe.

I stumbled upon Haunted and Poe by accident. I had rented Blair Witch 2 - Book of Shadows despite all the negative reviews. The movie was, IMHO, OK - not as bad as the reviewers claim, but not nearly as compelling or original as the first. But it was the song that played as the ending credits began rolling that really captivated me. I instantly loved the melody, the lyrics, and the vocals. I HAD to find out what that song was and who was singing it. So I scanned the credits and discovered the song was entitled Haunted (I figured as much from the chorus), and the artist was Poe - Never heard of them (I thought Poe was a group). Understand, I'm a 43 year old classic rocker, so I only listen to my local classic rock radio station.

After a bit of research I discovered that Poe was in fact a young lady named Anne Danielewski and Haunted was the title track from an actual concept album - something I thought had long been extinct. I was especially intrigued by the facts surrounding the concept. I HAD to hear more!

As a rule I never buy a new, unknown CD unless it contains at least 3 songs I really like. I already knew I LOVED Haunted so that was one down. The online music retailers only offer extremely poor quality snippets of songs - not nearly enough to form an opinion. So, using a controversial file sharing program (rhymes with shmapster) I randomly selected 2 more songs to audition - Control and Walk The Walk. I was dumbfounded! I RARELY like ONE song the first time I hear it, but THREE, from the same unknown (to me) artist and album was unprecedented. I concluded that I didn't WANT this album - I NEEDED IT!

Poe opens her mind and allows the listener a first hand glimpse inside; something only Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) had ever accomplished as far as I'm concerned. The diversity in musical styling and the personal, profoundly articulate lyrics emanating from a voice with immense range, clarity, and passion make for an unparalleled listening experience.

I particularly noticed how 'The Beatles' has influenced this incredibly talented artist as evidenced by the songs 5&1/2 Minute Hallway, Lemon Meringue, and Amazed. Admittedly, a few of the songs had to grow on me but it only took 2-3 listens to do so. My ONLY gripe, albeit petty, is the sampled vocal effects on Wild are a bit overdone - just MY opinion.

All in all this album is nothing short of brilliant and trust me when I say I'm EXTREMELY selective when it comes to music.

And to think I owe it all to a second rate movie sequel that I almost didn't see.

This album is so bloody brilliant I can actually forgive Poe for taking so bloody long to make it. Her self-titled debut CD (1996) was great, but it was most most definitely a freshman effort - the lyrics were inconsistent and the production often inadequate to support her obvious vocal gifts. Further, she was so "experimental" she occasionally came off as trying to ape somebody like Beck, who is often weird for the sake of it. On HAUNTED she's back with a capital P, and this time, you silly bints, it's personal.

Poe's time away from the studio must have produced an epiphany....i.e., she's a sodding goddess and a genius to boot, so why be modest about it? HAUNTED has everything POE had, but moreso, and it's in your face from the tally-ho. Never content to let her personal issues bottle up, she sprays them all over the listener like a shook up bottle of over-carbonated American beer. Issue # 1 is a hoard of tapes she discovered in the family attic, which were filled with the voice of her father, the by-then-deceased Professor Tad Danielewski. According to the liner notes, Poe took the tapes into the studio, and "began a dialogue with a ghost", the result of which was this album - a combination of Poe's music and her father's voice.

The first song, "Haunted" is my favorite, and that is saying something. Her voice on this track is just lovely, the production is six-star, and the lyrics are gorgeous. A taste: "I'm haunted, by the lies that I have loved, connections I have hated/Haunted by the lies that wove the web, inside my haunted head." Then: "Don't cry/There's always a way/Here in November in this House of Leaves we'll pray." (Case you didn't get the memo, Poe's sibling Mark Danielewski wrote a Nabakoffesque novel of exceeding genius called HOUSE OF LEAVES)

The second track starts us on Issue # 2, which is Poe's bloody tragic taste in men. "Control" is a none-too-subtle stab in the superior ascending vena cava. "Don't you mess with a little girl's dream," she warns we of the Y-chromosome persuasion. "'Cause she's liable to end up mean....Surprised you to find that I'm laughing/You thought you would find me in tears/You thought I'd be crawling the walls like a tiny mosquito and trembling in fear/Well you may be king for a minute/But I am a queen, understand?/And I got your palms and bishops and castles all inside the palm of my hand."

"Terrible Thought" also has a catchy bit of wordplay which makes light of her obvious penchant for brooding: "A terrible thought has moved into my mind/A giant rat that's nibbling on my pride/It's tearing away my patience and my wit/I must take proper measures to set a trap for it."

The album is for the most part thoughtful, but there are, of course, outpourings of vitriol like "I'm Not A Virgin Anymore" (Poe, love, this was never in doubt), and rockers like "Walk the Walk" which is a good example of how our girl rescues a banal concept (individuality) with some clever lyricism. She also shows trademark contempt for AOR radio by making many of the songs real epics, the sultry-cynical yet oddly romantic "Wild" for example, is nine minutes of wonderfully crafted beat-poetry ("Leaving the perfume of all you adore to die nameless on my floor") set to a half-subtle, half-rollicking beat.

Like POE, HAUNTED shifts its moods more than Chuckie Manson at a parole hearing. Sometimes Poe is cruel, sometimes she's kind, but she's always thinking, and she makes you think as well. "5 ½ Minute Hallway" is a lovely melancholy ("There's only so far you can go/When you live in a hallway that keeps growing/I think to myself, five more minutes and I'll be there/Inside your doorway"), "Hey Pretty" (which has two versions) is just pure wordsmithy set to a haunting, mysterious groove ("Well, it's 3 AM, I'm out here riding again, through the wicked-winding streets of my world/I make a wrong turn, break it, now I'm too far gone/I got a siren on my tail and that ain't the fine I'm lookin' for"). "Could've Gone Mad" is a cheery, humorous paen to a boy Poe actually likes (which unfortunately isn't yours truly.) The album winds down with "Amazed", which is as good as anything else in this box of jewels, and a kind of duet between Poe and her dad called "If You Were Here." Like all great albums, Poe has not written individual tracks, but rather woven threads which blend together into one big-arse tapestry, often using lyrics and refrains from one to make a point in the other, and just as often changing speeds in a song from fast to slow and back again, thus defying categorization. Except, of course, the categorization of, "This is just spectaculously damn good."

I've run out of accolades, so I'm going to knock off to the fridge and grab a black and tan. But in case I've been too subtle, I'm wild about this album, or as the girl says herself, "Wild because the chips are down/Wild because there isn't anybody else around/Wild when the waves start to break and God knows they're breaking in me now."

You and me both, love, you and me both.

Just want to throw in my two cents...you can actually trust the glowing reviews here on Poe's amazing "Haunted." I'm a thirtysomething music fan who usually laughs at all the gushing praise heaped on even the slightest artists here, all the 5-star, weepy, oh-my-god-this-cd-changed-my-life stuff. Well, this cd isn't going to change your life, but it really is as good as people are saying.

Poe is an excellent song-writer and an amazing lyricist. Everything she sings seems to be deeply felt, and she manages to make music that is both original and familiar, spooky and comforting, hip and unpretentious, all at the same time. Some may find this record overproduced -- a legit gripe -- but I love all the crazy cacophony swirling around in these songs, and the way Poe can move from gorgeous ethereal mid-tempo pop ("Haunted") to chugging, seething rock ("Control") to almost Shania Twainesque stylings ("Walk the Walk") so effortlessly.

The ribbon of dialogue with her late father and the haunting telephone call segues only add further depth to an already outstanding collection. I do think the album gets a bit thin in the second half (hence only 4 stars instead of 5), but the first half on "Haunted" is so tight it almost deserves 5 stars all by itself.

Once a year I am confronted by an album so perfect, that I listen to almost nothing else for weeks at a time. Haunted by Poe is such an album. A concept album built around some found recordings of her late father, Haunted brings Poe to terms with her father's legacy and her feelings toward him. These recordings punctuate and accentuate the songs. The eerie Exploration-B has Poe leaving a message on her mother's answering machine, "I thought you should know, Daddy died today." This leads directly into the title track, which is as haunting as it's name. This leads into the driving Control (which has one of the great lines on the album "A small bead of sweat on your brow, and a growl, in your belly you're scared to let through."

The stylistic diversity on this album is amazing. Yet the spoken interludes tie the album together and keep it from fragmenting into a million pieces. Notable songs include the rocking Walk the Walk, the Beatlesque 5 and 1/2 Minute Hallway, the delicate Spanish Doll. Her lyrics and delivery combine for some terrific moments. Some favorites include in the playful Lemon Meringue, "Had me a little hussy down under the covers, it was delicious to me." Her phrasing makes it salacious yet innocent at the same time.

The unifying theme of all of these songs is confronting one's ghosts. At the very end of the album, she tells her father "It's alright, you can go now." I am haunted by this album, and I don't mind it one bit.

HAUNTED - Poe : **** 1/2

The concept of this album is interesting. Poe has created an album based on recordings of her father who passed away. Using her father's voice and speeches throughout the album would seem like a disrupting idea, but it never is. In fact, the use of his voice enhances the mood of the album and turns what could have been a general collection of good songs into a very personal and immensely satisfying album.

The first two tracks are a perfect start. It begins with a ghostly answering machine message and moves into a catchy, driving song with sound effects added in to enhance the quality.

Poe then moves along, intertwining beautiful melodies ("Spanish Doll"), eerie interludes ("House of Leaves, Terrified Heart), and songs that just plain rock (the addictive and blaring "Walk the Walk").

The album never drags and Poe does a masterful job of shifting her voice from growly (The powerful "Control") to sweet ("Lemon Meringue") without missing a beat. The styles shift effortlessly from song to song creating a vast mix of melodies and rhtythms. This truly is an impressive album.

An added bonus, this CD sells for well under the overpriced standard of $17-18 (I found my copy for $10) and is easily worth more than most of the cookie-cutter material that is released too often at the higher price.

I learned of Miss Poe from a Garbage mailing group. I am very glad I heard of her. This album is one of the best CDs I have ever heard. She tops other singer/songwriters in this genre of music such as Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, and PJ Harvey. There is not one song on this album that I do not like. "Haunting" is a very appropriate, because this album can be eerie and downright spooky at times:

Exploration B: The eerie introduction to this album with some disturbing dialogue. ("I thought you should know, daddy died today...")

Haunted: The album then very smoothly flows into this well-orchestrated and thought out songs. It talks about, well, being haunted by your past. It has a very nice melody and adds a choir to the background to give it a more eerie feel. (Time to gather up the splinters, build a casket for my tears.)

Control: The CD then flows into this vengeful. Poe's voice is very deep and menacing in this song. This is a very addicting melody. You'll find yourself humming it in your car or at work. (All the things that you taught me to fear, I've got them in my garden now and you're not welcome here.)

Terrible Thought: I really like this song. It seems a lot lighter and carefree than the last two. It's not really as memorable, but it's fun nonetheless. Has a kind of light rock feel to it. (You're breaking my stride, you poisonous vine, you're strangling me inside)

Walk the Walk: This has got to be the most catchy song on the album. Basic message: stay away from the mainstream and do what YOU want to do. Nice message, nice lyrics, great singing, great music. (Hey everybody, when my daddy died, he had a sad sad story living in his eyes)

Terrified Heart: Another spooky little interlude, very similar to Exploration B. (Sometimes, terrified of my own heart)

Wild: This song is epic. A full 9 minutes, it starts off as a moderately fast rock song about a relationship gone wrong, then halfway throught becomes a dance song. Poe's voice sounds sad, hurt, and angst-ridden to me. (So this is what it's like living in a limbo, first I'm high, then I'm solo)

5 1/2 Minute Hallway: An almost Beatle-esque acoustic folk song. I don't really get the meaning behind the song, but I haven't read "House of Leaves." It's a good song. (And just when I think I found the trick, I'm tumbling like an echo)

Not a Virgin: This song is very catchy, but it doesn't really appeal to me (for a good reason =P). It's very "country meets rock/pop" and sounds much like a Shania Twain song or something. Poe's voice sounds very playful and provocative in this song. (Daisy chains and mary janes, fairy tales, cannot fool me now)

Hey Pretty: This song is amazing! This is my favorite on the album. Very seductive and kind of spooky. This song reminds me much of the style of Garbage. Poe uses her sexy seductive voice in this song. (I can't forget I'm a sole architect, I built the shadows here, I built the growl in the voice I fear)

Dear Johnny: Not much to say about this song. It's very short. It seems like a cross of one of her songs and her interludes. I wonder if she's talking to the same Johnny from "Angry Johhny..." (Johnny, dear, don't be afraid, I will keep your secrets safe)

Could Have Gone Mad: One of the more forgetful songs, but good nonetheless. This song is more of the alternative rock style. It has a nice melody and kind of weird lyrics, but it isn't quite up to par with "Haunted," "Hey Pretty," or "Spanish Doll." (If I decided to make you my religion, I think God would be kind)

Lemon Meringue: A playful and ironic song. It reminds me of Fiona Apple's song, "Criminal." It sings about life's little foibles. (Hold on you gotta wait just a minute! You see the cookie jar I've got my hand caught in it! Just let me try to explain!)

Spanish Doll: This is a very lush and latin-influenced ballad. It has a very spooky sound to it as well, with echoing brass and pianos, much like Portishead. There are also beautiful Spanish lyrics in the background. I have provided the translations of those lyrics below: Sierra la bonita - The pretty mountains Si nunca te fue - If you never left La grima - The tears Busca me - Find me Yo soy rompido mi muñeca - I am torn, my doll Del oro - Of gold Cuida me - Take care of me Requerda me - Remember me Esta conmigo - Here with me (All that's pure and clear, you left it with me here in this souvenir)

House of Leaves: One word: FREAKY! (I know a game we all like to play inside la casa, "the house." We will play hide and seek)

Amazed: Starts out with some weird percussion instruments I don't really like. It improves quickly and becomes a very nice song. (The voice of my father still loud as before, It used to scare me but not anymore)

If You Were Here: Some people find this song very inspirational and emotional, which it is. However, I find it, well, boring. There isn't much instrumentation, all there is a guitar and some ambient sounds in the background. An okay song, but "Fly Away" from the first album was better. (Father: What is it Annie? Daughter: I miss you...)

If you have enough money, I recommend buying "Hello," Poe's first album, as well. These albums are masterpieces, and everyone should own them. It's a shame our radiowaves are filled with boy "bands" (I have the quotations because as far as I know, bands play instruments) and pop "divas" (Ms. Spears is FAR FROM a diva).