Love Is Red

David Poe | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 21, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: The Lab
• ASIN: B0009S2TFM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #258,141 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. You're the Bomb

2. So Beautiful

3. Love Is Red

4. Wilderness

5. Reunion

6. Moon

7. Settlement

8. You Got a Reputation

9. Doxology

10. Love Won't Last the Afternoon

Editorial Reviews

The second he utters his first line, You re the bomb, David Poe draws a red flag on Love Is Red. But lest you think you re in store for a tired, irony-filled indie-rock affair, Poe recovers immediately, twisting the lyric around and pulling you into an elegant, brushed percussion-propelled song that is equal parts sex, jazz and lounge. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Poe gets in the groove, August 4, 2005

By 

JG "wordmule" (...onward....thru the fog!) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love Is Red (Audio CD)

I haven't listened to Poe's previous record "the late album" for a while, but remember it evoking what its title suggests....an album meant to be listened to in the late hours. That album always made me think of a sexy, dimly lit, late night lounge with a jazzy band playing in the shadows, where most people were too absorbed in their own paramours to pay much attention to the music. The opening track of "Love is red" starts where "the late album" left off, with that same, smoky, moody feel. But then, something totally different happens. As the record progresses, Poe gets into a wicked, mildly psychedelic groove that recalls nothing so much as Nirvana's final live show "MTV unplugged in New York" which was recorded just weeks before Cobain's untimely demise. That show was a departure for Nirvana, in that they deconstructed their own songs, turning them into intense, more quiet psychedelic songs instead of the loud, feedback riddled electric feel of the originals. On "love is red", Poe's voice sounds eerily similar to Cobain's on several of the tracks. "The late album" was great for certain moods. "Love is red", on the other hand, is an album you can groove on anytime, and on balance, is a much better record than its predecessor (unless, of course, lounge jazz is your thing). One can only hope this new direction is a sign of things to come from Poe.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A melange of subtle spices., December 15, 2005

By 

spiral_mind (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love Is Red (Audio CD)

That description may be a tad dramatic, but it's a good summary of this guy Poe's music. Lyrically he comes from the wry sardonic tradition of Richard Thompson and Warren Zevon, but musically the sound also draws from David Sylvian and Morphine with touches of Nick Drake (a blend that's perfectly suited to his velvety voice). Wrap all those influences into a smoky/mellow acoustic brew that remains intelligent and avoids sounding derivative, serve chilled with a tasteful cham-PAN-ya, and you've got Love Is Red. This disc is missing the fun & laughs of a live DP show, but otherwise it's got the same warm intimate feeling down pat.. and it's his finest album yet.

It does leave one wishing for more - a couple songs are repeated from past albums and the whole still doesn't pass 35 minutes - but it's all solid from start to finish. The tunes sit somewhere between smooth jazz (I mean 'smooth' a-la Miles, not the laughable Kenny Gs that have given the term a bad name) and soft pop, with other subtle touches such as the Spanish-tinged title track. The production is perfectly understated; some backing bass and drums is really all that's needed. The lyrics are subtly witty and the whole experience is an alluring treat for folks of almost all musical tastes. It's a beautiful disc you can play around your spouse, your friends or your parents. Here's hoping his next album (which he says will be "a record about God and porn") doesn't take another four years to see the light of day.. or more likely the dim-lit glow of night.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rare Find - CD you can listen to ALL THE WAY THROUGH, July 8, 2005

By 

BJ Barratt "Clever BJ" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love Is Red (Audio CD)

In an age of downloading just the "good" song or two off a CD, David Poe's LOVE IS RED is the delightful exception. Pour yourself a glass of rare red wine, sit back and you'll never have to hit the 'skip' button once. There's not a bad song in the bunch. Granted, you have to be in a mellow mood - it's not "party" music...unless it's a relaxed dinner party with your favorite friends.

First single "So Beautiful" and title song "Love is Red" are personal favorites, but "Wilderness" begins to haunt you after a few listens too. "You're the Bomb" is just brilliant in it's metaphors and ability to recreate the feel of an old "standard". Tony Bennett eat your heart out!

If you have been lucky enough to see David Poe live, you know how incredibly seductive his voice can be. You will be amazed how well that quality comes through on this CD. If you haven't seen Poe live yet, you don't know what you're missing! Go to www.davidpoe.com find out where he's playing and GO! Until then get this CD and enjoy it again and again.