Hello (Poe album)

Hello
Studio album by Poe
Released October 10, 1995
Recorded 1994 & 1995
Genre Modern Rock/Alternative Hip-Hop/ Electronica
Length 41:24
Label Atlantic
Producer RJ Rice, Jeffrey Connor, Lanny Cordola, Dave Jerden, Jay Dee, Poe
Poe chronology
Hello
(1995)
Haunted
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Hello is the debut album by American singer/songwriter Poe, released in 1995. The album was called "innovative" by critics due to its incorporation of R&B samples into an electronic soundscape, something that was fairly unheard of at the time.

Contents

Background

The first music video for the album was for the single "Angry Johnny"; it featured Poe on the skeletal frame of a bed looking forlorn whilst destroying a variety of effects one might associate with romance (like roses or a box of chocolates.) The song's rage-filled lyrics quickly found her being lumped into the "angry female rocker" category, and the video was heavily played on MTV's Alternative Nation. The second single "Hello" did not fare as well until a remix version was released two years after the album's initial release.

The album is also known for featuring one of the first major-album productions by the late Hip Hop producer Jay Dee on the song "Fingertips". He was responsible for the drum programming on the track.

Full band versions of "Hello" and "Angry Johnny" were sent to modern rock radio stations, leading some listeners to believe that this was the sound of the album; upon purchasing it, the full band versions of the songs are nowhere to be found, the album consisting of only electronic/R&B-styled versions of those tracks (alongside some other full band songs).

Hello was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on November 20, 1996.[2]

After being dismissed by her record label, Poe fought to reclaim rights over the audio-masters to this album, and successfully reissued it on an independent label in 2005.

Track listing

All songs are written by Poe.

  1. "Hello" – 4:31
  2. "Trigger Happy Jack (Drive by a Go-Go)" – 3:36
  3. "Choking the Cherry" – 3:34
  4. "That Day" – 2:41
  5. "Angry Johnny" – 4:18
  6. "Dolphin" – 3:47
  7. "Another World" – 3:20
  8. "Fingertips" – 4:21
  9. "Beautiful Girl" – 3:42
  10. "Junkie" – 3:00
  11. "Fly Away" – 4:34
  12. (ghost track)

Personnel

Production

Chart positions

AlbumBillboard (US)

Year Chart Peak position
1996 Heatseekers 4
1996 The Billboard 200 71

Singles – Billboard (US)

Year Single Chart Peak position
1995 Trigger Happy Jack (Drive by a Go-Go) Modern Rock Tracks 27
1996 Angry Johnny Modern Rock Tracks 7
1996 Hello Modern Rock Tracks 13
1997 Hello (Remixes) Hot Dance Music/Club Play 1

References