My tastes in books, art or music tend to trend towards the content hinting at the inexplicable. Either there is a larger and more fantastic mystery in the story or there is a narrative that is... disconcerting in the picture or there is a heart of sadness in the songs respectively. Some of my favorite things are media that point to something larger. Maybe it will be explained but I am perfectly happy 90% of the time if it is not.
One of my favorite books is called House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. A short synopsis: The narrator receives a trunk full of papers from an old man, Zampano, which tell the tale of a family that moves into a house that, after a time starts to change. The physical dimensions of the house grow, hallways appear along with mysterious doors. The father of the family is a film maker and he documents the events. The narrator finds records of these, but nothing physical. It points towards being elaborate fiction but it has the side effect of making him paranoid beyond belief. The end of the book leaves it so that the events either were real and forgotten or completely made up by a mad old man.
The only reason this book came into my radar is thanks to his sister, Poe. Her album Haunted was written as a companion to his book... or vice versa and both were in a sense made to deal with the passing of their father. Both are... lonely and larger than they seem. There are hints towards sadness and loss and coming to terms with those feelings in both. Moreover they have that feeling of mystery.
Of course the album has to be considered in a different way. Not all songs fit the narrative, this is not a rock opera or a concept album. Songs like Not a Virgin, Control or Lemon Meringue don't provide the same atmosphere but act as catharsis. Control in particular is a good song to play quite loud as you... I dunno, flip off an old job or something.
Now if she could only release a new album, its only been 14 (!) years since the last one.
One of my favorite books is called House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. A short synopsis: The narrator receives a trunk full of papers from an old man, Zampano, which tell the tale of a family that moves into a house that, after a time starts to change. The physical dimensions of the house grow, hallways appear along with mysterious doors. The father of the family is a film maker and he documents the events. The narrator finds records of these, but nothing physical. It points towards being elaborate fiction but it has the side effect of making him paranoid beyond belief. The end of the book leaves it so that the events either were real and forgotten or completely made up by a mad old man.
The only reason this book came into my radar is thanks to his sister, Poe. Her album Haunted was written as a companion to his book... or vice versa and both were in a sense made to deal with the passing of their father. Both are... lonely and larger than they seem. There are hints towards sadness and loss and coming to terms with those feelings in both. Moreover they have that feeling of mystery.
Of course the album has to be considered in a different way. Not all songs fit the narrative, this is not a rock opera or a concept album. Songs like Not a Virgin, Control or Lemon Meringue don't provide the same atmosphere but act as catharsis. Control in particular is a good song to play quite loud as you... I dunno, flip off an old job or something.
Now if she could only release a new album, its only been 14 (!) years since the last one.
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