Lou Reed's rock theatre project 'POEtry', based around the writings of Edgar Allen Poe, has been quietly, if controversially, kicking around now for two years. Critics have been divided over the merits of Lou's homage to the American writer - understandable perhaps when Reed himself describes the project as "the opportunity to bring him to life through words and music, text and dance". Cripes!
Originally conceived as a German theatrical piece, subsequent rewrites for the American and French theatres have persuaded Lou that a recording with an all-star cast of 'special guests', (Willem Dafoe, David Bowie, Steve Buscemi, Ornette Coleman and girlfriend Laurie Anderson among them) was worthy of his attentions. Whether the resulting twenty-one track marathon is worthy of the listener's rather depends on your point of view and your approach to Lou Reed. If you've survived 'Metal Machine Music''s assault, 'The Raven' should be a walk in the park. Hell, there's even a couple of old songs thrown in for good measure.
So what does it sound like? Well, a bit of a mixed bag of course. 'Edgar Allen Poe' kicks things off - after the 'Overture' - with a jam/romp that sees Lou delivering the immortal line "Edgar Allen Poe, not exactly the boy next door" - not when you consider he married his 13-year-old cousin, drank to excess, took drugs, penned the magnificent 'The Fall of the House of Usher' and once lived in Stoke Newington, no.
There are some great songs here - 'Who Am I? (Tripitena's Song)', 'Vanishing Act' and 'Science Of The Mind' are all gentle, masterful brush strokes that allow Lou's vocals to ooze over piano and strings a la 'Perfect Day', which itself is reprised here with an extraordinary vocal performance by Antony. But there are baffling moments too - 'Broadway Song', the fat instrumental, 'A Thousand Departed Friends' and the cod-rock ode to ageing that is 'Change'.
Bowie pops round to contribute vocals on the bizarre 'Hop Frog' - a short (1.47) overdriven two chord trick that sounds like an old Skids b-side and was probably more fun to record than to listen to, but Bowiephiles will almost certainly buy it. Willem Dafoe's reading of 'The Raven' - written back in 1845, fact fans - is arresting to say the least. Its pace quickens as Dafoe's character becomes increasingly panicked by the feathered interloper, a triumph of writing and acting.
Lou says he "reels with happiness at the CD's existence" and 'The Raven' is undoubtedly a work of love from one artist to another (check out the photos of Lou posing with a mighty sword in the booklet). Some of it is great listening too, but when the band rocks out, an hour plus probably makes more sense in a theatre than on your CD player.
