Phenomenal sophomore effort from LA-based, wit obsessed pop artist Poe. Released on October 31st, 2000, Haunted is an extremely personal record, so much so that it almost borders on "concept album" status, dedicated to her father, Tad Z. Danielewski (1921-1993). The following story is included in the liner notes:
A few years after my father died my brother and I came across a box of cassettes -- recordings of my father's voice. One was a letter to my brother that he had spoken into a tape recorder long ago; another was the recording of a speech he had given during his years as a teacher; and a few more contained random recordings of forgotten family noise. Hearing his voice again shook me to my foundation. At first I couldn't bear to listen to him, then I couldn't stop. Finally I began sampling him. It was an eerie process. Had I resurrected a ghost? In some ways I had. Ultimately I entered into a dialogue with that ghost. Pieces of that dialogue compose the story contained on this album.
The samples of Poe's father occur as segues from song to song, teaching, arguing, guiding a child of the past into her adulthood of the present. The songs themselves are self-assured, painting the picture of a strong woman who, in many ways, is still just a girl.

I think one of my favorite series of samples is from one of the father's lectures:

"This cannot be all there is to life because in our confrontation with a cold universe there is something comical to the idea that we can really enforce our will on humanity. Power corrupts.

". . . and at the end of it all lies of course the final phenomenon of deterioration -- entropy -- which is a predictable deterioration when the creative energy ceases: everything has to fall apart."
Poe has matured on this record, and fulfilled all the promises made by her debut. The album's title really sums up the general notions the album comes to. The stark and powerful beginnings end in sentimentality and a resigned sweetness. It's as if we're witnessing the end of a mourning process, and left with the resulting hope.

Track list:

  1. Exploration B
  2. Haunted
  3. Control
  4. Terrible Thought
  5. Walk The Walk
  6. Terrified Heart
  7. Wild
  8. 5&1/2 Minute Hallway
  9. Not A Virgin
  10. Hey Pretty
  11. Dear Johnny
  12. Could've Gone Mad
  13. Lemon Meringue
  14. Spanish Doll
  15. House of Leaves
  16. Amazed
  17. If You Were Here