Speaking Blasphemy

[richard]

Alright, I'm aabout to probably get lynched, but in all honesty, I think Poe is crap. I think her haunted album being connected to the book is the equivalent of MZD tossing her a bone. Sort of "Hmm...my sister is a mediocre lyricist with even worse backing music....I'll toss her a few freebies to connect with my work of art to make her feel "special".

I mean honestly, the Haunted album having jack to do with of Leaves beyond a few catch phrases and a few very carefuly planned sound bites...it's garbage. Poe is......well..not that talented. Her bro is doing her a favor by connecting her to the book in my opinion. And at the same time, doing his book a disservice.
But OMG! say the fanboys etc....seriously, listen to her album. She tries to rap ala Blondie for gods sake......

[Angelhaunt]

I like Poe. She's not trying to be Mozart. Will she be remembered in 20 years? Certainly not. But she's as good as early Sinead O'Connor or Kate Bush or other fem singers. Actually I don't know what that genre is called. It's not rock really or punk. It's just good music, not all that profoundly signifnicant, but not trying to be. Nothing in Haunted is hard to listen to at least. Which is more than I can say for Sinead O'Connor's later albums.

[Desplain]

Personally, I think she's got a pretty good voice. I don't like how she plugs the album as being this "tie" to of Leaves, and then fills the album with mostly references to her own life, her father, her childhood, etc. I think that's it wonderful that she wanted to make an album as somewhat of a "dedication" to her father, but frankly, she shouldn't have said that it was ALL about of Leaves, because it's really not.

Lyrically: she's okay. Some of the stuff is too abstract, like she was trying to sound random and deep, but just made me think, "what the hell? great now I have to research this just to get the song!" Books are one thing, but when you listen to a CD, especially one of music, not narration, you should get the song without any complex backstories and stuff. But like I said, some of it was cool.

Musically: this is what really did it for me. Some of the songs just have great chord progressions, background ambiences, specifically placed echoes and voice recordings, etc. Certain songs like Haunted, Hey Pretty, or Wild just happen to have good sounding stuff...at least to me.

And finally Poe herself: pretty damn good. Not great at times, but pretty good. For instance, in the song 5 and a Half Minute Hallway, she starts off easy, nice, and very pleasant, but then something happens...the song turns into this crap melody and things go haywire. I can't see how the melody itself would've ever taken a turn like this, and so I have to conclude that Poe wrote the song for singing and then tried to put music behind it...big mistake. Although she truly shines in my favorite song on the album, Spanish Doll. Her voice is sublimely creepy, and yet stunning and beautiful. I have no complaints with that track and that track alone. Superbly executed.

Overall, I like Poe. her music may be "just okay" but she actually seems pretty nice and in my opinion, complete assholes have pumped out a lot worse stuff than this...and whether the connection is worthwhile or not, at least the album bears some relation to this, wonderful, wonderful book.

[Ellimist]

I think that's it wonderful that she wanted to make an album as somewhat of a "dedication" to her father, but frankly, she shouldn't have said that it was ALL about of Leaves, because it's really not.

Really? Have you been reading the forums? Have you considered that perhaps of Leaves is about their father? So perhaps it has everything to do with it.

[Angelhaunt]

Also, did you expect her to regurgitate her brother's book or use it as inspiration for creativity of her own?

[Desplain]

eally? Have you been reading the forums? Have you considered that perhaps of Leaves is about their father? So perhaps it has everything to do with it.

Everything is little much, isn't it? I mean, even if MZD wrote the entire thing about his father, it has gone so far beyond that, so you can't really say that one CD or book has EVERYTHING to do with it. And I can't really believe that a 736 page book that goes in every which way and covers dozens of topics, genres, themes, and types of literature can be looked at as ONLY about Tad Z. Danielewski.

[Merouda]

I appreciate your opinion, richard. Some of your thoughts are exactly what I was expecting when I bought Haunted. However, now I have listened to the album probably more times than is healthy or sane, I hear things a little differently.

I admit to being somewhat musically illiterate, so my reaction is based on simple observations and feelings invoked by the music.

I personally like the way Poe sounds. I find her voice very expressive. For instance, the line "and I will always miss you" in Haunted feels very painful to me, because of the way it is sung, while the line "you're breaking my stride" in Terrible Thought feels very frustrated, resentful and angry.

Perhaps I think too much, but I hear (and am still finding out) more connections to HoL than just "a few catch phrases and a few very carefuly planned sound bites". I have noticed that my interpretation of a few aspects of HoL has been helped along by Poe.

For instance, I didn't catch the implications of "Lemon Meringue" in HoL before I heard Poe's song.

However, I don't see Haunted as being reliant on HoL, or vice versa. I enjoy the connections, but I don't think that the two pieces of work are inextricably related.

I am sorry for being a message board nerd, but why are we talking about this here and not in the Haunted forum?

Merouda

[richard]

Also, did you expect her to regurgitate her brother's book or use it as inspiration for creativity of her own?

No, I didn't. But to me the "connection" between her album and the book almost seems to be a hastily scrapped together afterthought. More marketing than true artistic vision.

[fearful_syzygy]

I am sorry for being a message board nerd, but why are we talking about this here and not in the Haunted forum?

Heh, no need to apologise; I was about to ask the same question.

[richard]

Well, I'm a message board nerd too, and hell, now I feel embarassed. lol. In my defense, I generally post at around 7am my time! lol So my thought process is buggy at best.
SO if an admin can either close or move this, I'm cool with it.

[eurotrashkitty]

i look at haunted as a completely different entity from hol....like the difference between shock treatment and the rocky horror picture show...or the lucy show and i love lucy.....or the difference between charles nelson reilly and bizarro charles nelson reilly. two ideas sprung from the same seed, each good in their own right, each exploring different hallways of the same house. does that make sense?

[hello?]

does that make sense?

Everything except shock treatment being good in its own right.

[Lude Without a List]

Frankly, there is something unmentionable that I wouldn't mind seeing Poe's thick lips wrapped around....

[DanSRose]

I have to disagree. Haunted is one of the most versitile albums I have come across. I listen to when I write, work out, meditate, drive, etc. It's both relaxing and energizing, with lyrics and music that flow very well together. The focus (the family and father of Poe & MZD) is direct and moving.
This thread should be on the Haunted catagory.
The new setup it fantastic!

Frankly, there is something unmentionable that I wouldn't mind seeing Poe's thick lips wrapped around....

I wasn't going to say anything about this, but yeah. But I wouldn't say that too much, as I hear her brother lurks around....

[Particle Noun]

I felt the same way as the first poster when I cracked open the cd and listened to it once back in 2000, when I bought it. I didn't listen again until a month ago, and my opinion has drastically changed.

I think it's a brilliant album, and speaks to the same core as of Leaves speaks to. To say they are tenuously connected is, I think, to ignore the emotional core they share, which is most likely a VERY personal one for Poe and MZD.

I also think her lyrics and passion are fantastic. I don't love every single moment of the album, but I think, all in all, it is an amazing work, and I'm shocked at the level of emotional honesty (just my opinion, of course, just what I hear) in this work.

This is not at all the "type" of music I listen to, normally. I'm a Mr. Bungle, Estradasphere, NoMeansNo sort of guy, more into agressive, and yes, male, music. So, my love of this album is sort of unusual for me. But, there you have it.

What is it they say about opinions and assholes? If you don't share my opinion you're an asshole, or something like that?

[Stencil]

. . . Mr. Bungle . . .

I don't know, but I think he's sold out after leaving Rainbow. He doesn't give a penny to help Geoffery, who stacks shelves now. It's sad, so sad. . . . :cry:

[Particle Noun]

[Lude Without a List]

Frankly, there is something unmentionable that I wouldn't mind seeing Poe's thick lips wrapped around....

I wasn't going to say anything about this, but yeah. But I wouldn't say that too much, as I hear her brother lurks around....[/quote]

Her brother lurks but doesn't post, eh? I have a sneaking feeling he posts, under various names and "personas."

he can watch. or join. :o

[prelinger]

Her brother lurks but doesn't post, eh? I have a sneaking feeling he posts, under various names and "personas."

My personal way of dealing with the "is Mark here or isn't he?" question is simply pretending EVERYONE on the forum is MZD. He sits and posts all day under any number of names.

What's that? You think that's crazy? Whatever you say... Mark.

As for Haunted: if you like Poe then you'll like Haunted... if not, then no. I guess it's an aquired taste.

[ManiKatt]

My comment is actually a question
What the fuck else is Poe supposed to write her music about if not herself?

[hello?]

My comment is actually a question
What the fuck else is Poe supposed to write her music about if not herself?

Poe.

The other one.

[LooseCaNNon]

Will she be remembered in 20 years? Certainly not.

I believe she will.
Not only in 20 years, but well beyond.
Its already been nearly 10 years since "Hello" was released and I still hear music from that album playing on the airwaves and I anxiously await what she has cooking right now.

I believe their different, yet similar form of spoken/sung art is connected by their love for each other. And they are both brilliant. As far as pimpin or plugging each other, hell yeah, and I would do the same for my sibling as well. It was POE’s CD that inspired me to buy of Leaves. And I think that’s great. And so is her music.

I believe the best from POE is yet to come.

[growing scared]

this thread got sort of disgusting, i hope poe has a bodyguard.

i guess that's why realpoe.com is cool to me, much more respectful.

some things make me ill in those regards...



and yes, i know poe will be remembered in 20 years time, by people who are repoe's now, as well as the up-and-coming supporters of poe's music, following her future releases.

i too only heard about HOL after hearing 'haunted', and the 'scratch my back, i'll scratch yours" thing regarding MZD and poe...

..well, i think it's only right and proper for siblings to do so.
to support each other and open doors for each other whenever the time is fitting.

i think it's admirable that they're so apprectiative of each other's work.

[*o*]

...

[growing scared]

Pardon my french (haha!) but who gives a fuck wether or not Poe will be remembered in twenty years from now?

it was brought up in an earlier post "will poe be remembered 20 years from now?"...

so that's relative to the person.

and really, i find it fairly dull, the content of much of these posts.

opinions are opinions, and really i wonder sometimes about people's appreciation for interesting things.

people have different tastes in music, as they have different tastes in writing.

i just find it odd that people here who obviously have read house of leaves don't find the connections in 'haunted' fascinating.

then again...


'how pleased can one sunsetting make you
if you humble yourself to it?
how greatful can you really say that you are
just to be here and live through it?
and when beauty asks a question
how often do you reply?
how often do you wonder about life on the other side?
on the other side of sorrow/anger
on the other side of rage
on the other side of okay at all
in any way.."

sorry, but i'm finding this board to be so closed in so many regards.

it's sad really.

[1exist]

What will be remembered 20 years from now is contingent the individuals, at least the ones who last that long. While it's true that popular culture is unlikely to honor Poe in the future, I'd daresay that 99% of the people on this forum (if not 100%) don't give a damn what pop culture thinks. Furthermore, I believe that Poe's longevity will be forever tied to of Leaves, as fans of one are unlikely to forget or outright dismiss the other. As long as of Leaves lives, Haunted will live. It's in the mindset of people who are interested in this book to seek out supplementary information sources and connections. Especially one as deliberate as this.

But I suppose none of this answers the question of what I think of her music; I think it's great. That "Not a virgin" song kind of freaks me out, but I don't think it gets much better than 5 1/2 Minute Hallway. Especially with the TZD quote at the end. Yes, Poe, I can definitely relate...

[DeliriumXV]

I heard Haunted before I read the book, but I didn't really notice all the things they had in common until after I started listening to the CD again after reading the book. I don't like doing both at once. I find it too distracting, like surround sound.

I didn't really care for Hello, but I think that Haunted is masterful because it's all tied together and it tells a story from the beginning to the end. Some of the stuff makes me say "What the hell?!" just like someone else mentioned on here earlier, but I don't think that anyone is meant to understand it in its entirety.

Anyway, what I meant to say was that the book has lost its intrigue for me. I think it's because I spent too much time on here and just stopped caring. Haunted has proven to be more tolerable to me, and I still enjoy it a lot. It's powerful in a much different way than of Leaves was.

[OrangeTangoDoble]

Lyrically: she's okay. Some of the stuff is too abstract, like she was trying to sound random and deep, but just made me think, "what the hell? great now I have to research this just to get the song!" Books are one thing, but when you listen to a CD, especially one of music, not narration, you should get the song without any complex backstories and stuff. But like I said, some of it was cool.

So you only want to listen to music that doesn't challenge you?

[clarealyce]

Really? Have you been reading the forums? Have you considered that perhaps of Leaves is about their father? So perhaps it has everything to do with it.

I wouldn't say "everything" but I agree with you.
Not to mention I love Poe.

[nothinghurt]

I really like Poe, though I still prefer Hello to Haunted. I'd listened to the album long before I read of Leaves and didn't realize they were connected until I started noticing similarities (like the Five and a Half Minute Hallway), and I have to say, not that it was an unenjoyable album before, but I feel like I understand and appreciate it better after having read of Leaves. Hello I could connect with on a basic level, but Haunted always felt more cryptic to me so having a seperate context for it has helped me better enjoy it.