"The Raven" is a concept album released by Lou Reed in 2003. Reed reimagined and recounted the stories and themes of Edgar Allan Poe's writing in a 21st-century rock opera format. The double-disc album features a mix of songs, spoken-word performances, and audio theater, often involving voices of notable actors and artists, such as Steve Buscemi, Willem Dafoe, and David Bowie.
The project began as a theatre piece that coalesced before becoming an album. The title is a direct reference to Edgar Allan Poe's well-known narrative poem, "The Raven", showing Reed's admiration for Poe's work.
Reinterpreting Poe's works, Reed aims to explore several themes drawn from Poe's stories including madness, obsession, depravity, and the human ability to cope with pain – all of which can be paralleled with issues faced in contemporary society.
Reed retained the 19th-century atmosphere of Poe's writings while infusing it with modern settings and themes. Music styles in the album blend elements of blues, progressive rock, and spoken word.
Critically, reviews for the album were rather mixed. Some critics praised Reed's ambitious effort in developing Poe's works into contemporary pieces, while others found the album's concept hard to digest. However, its unique fusion of music and literature makes it an interesting artifact in Reed's discography.
