Generation Mixtape

Released: October 31, 2000

I look back on the millennium quite fondly. I mean, sure, there was a strange mix of Y2K anxiety and a contentious election that highlighted the flaws in our democratic process, but looking back, it also feels like it was the last gasp of our collective cultural innocence (before a technological tidal wave washed over society and dragged us out to sea). Oh, and the year 2000 also marks the release of an album that has long sat at the top of my ‘near and dear’ all-time list, Poe’s Haunted.

Now, if you are reading this, you’re likely already ‘in the know,’ but a little context never hurts. If Poe (born Anne Danielewski) is known for anything, it’s her mid-’90s debut, Hello, and the trio of trip-hop-adjacent alt-radio hits it spawned (“Trigger Happy Jack,” “Angry Johnny,” and “Hello”). If the story ends there, then Poe is probably remembered by most as an eclectic rocker who rode the Alanis wave to fifteen minutes of glory. Of course, the story doesn’t end there.

Released on Halloween back in 2000 (a week removed from the PJ Harvey masterpiece, Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea), Haunted found Poe drawing inspiration from a dream where her deceased father, Tad Danielewski, a Polish-born film director, urged her to “find his voice.” 

Poe’s relationship with her father was, well, complicated (something she touched upon in her lyrics). After his death in 1993, Poe and her brother, author Mark Z. Danielewski (his seminal debut, House of Leaves, serves as a sort of spiritual companion to Haunted), discovered a trove of cassettes of their father’s voice containing lectures, audio letters, and other intimate moments he’d never shared. These tapes became the emotional core of her sophomore release, and Poe secluded herself in the studio for two years to craft the tribute that would ultimately become Haunted.

In the press surrounding the release of Haunted, Poe talked at length about the lasting impact of her father, something that’s apparent throughout the album. There’s an undeniable sense of unease throughout, notably enhanced by a handful of sound collages (some featuring her late father’s voice) interspersed between songs. 

With an arresting answering-machine message (“I thought you should know, Daddy died today”) serving as its foundation, the album-opening “Exploration B” immediately sets the tone before seamlessly transitioning into the equally effective title track. With its mix of effects-laden guitars, a groove-heavy rhythm section, and Poe’s impressive vocals, “Haunted” essentially establishes the sonic template for much of what follows.

From there, “Control,” “Terrible Thought,” “Walk the Walk,” and “Terrified Heart” each play their part as stage-ready anthems while the nine-minute “Wild” showcases Poe’s experimental tendencies and fully-developed lyrical prowess. Haunted’s first half is full of hummable hooks, but as the record unfolds, Poe pushes further and further against stylistic boundaries.

“5 & ½ Minute Hallway,” “Could’ve Gone Mad,” and “If You Were Here” are about as reflective as “Hey Pretty,” “I’m Not a Virgin Anymore,” and ”Lemon Meringue” are suggestive. And then, of course, there’s the pensive ballad “Spanish Doll,” a nylon-string-driven ode to loss that just might be my favorite vocal performance by anyone ever (yes, really, it’s that good). The album closes with a pair of emotional masterpieces (“Amazed,” “If You Were Here”) that provide a tangible sense of closure and forgiveness.

For a variety of reasons, Haunted failed to connect with audiences. Admittedly, the album is a long (seventy-plus minutes), dense affair, but it also rewards repeated listens in a way that few records can. Unfortunately, Haunted also marked the end of Poe’s recording career as contractual issues and legal battles have thus far prevented her from performing or releasing new music.

So there you have it–Poe is alt-rock’s Lauryn Hill. She dropped a career-defining record and promptly exited public life. And while there have been some rumblings over the years, a ‘return’ has yet to materialize. Regardless, Poe’s distinct and astoundingly emotive vocals, coupled with the album’s genre-bending tracks, make “Haunted” an unsung masterpiece that deserves revisiting. And if, for any reason, you are learning about this record for the first time, then you are in for an absolute treat.