The Metal Quan Yin

Her self-described influences include poets Allen Ginsberg and Emily Dickinson and science fiction writers Philip K. Dick and Frank Herbert, and a mix of sci-fi and introspective radical poetry informs her approach. Reciting her poetry on top of some unusual, haunting arrangements by Rent Romus, C.J. Reaven Borosque (could that be her real name?) sometimes succeeds in conveying her powerful messages. "Forget all you know/Come and reform with me," she pleads. Her emotionless readings of her often-sophisticated couplings burst with the tension of the moment, while her musical partners plummet depths of emotion. That it does not always work is hardly an indictment, but rather a commentary on the complexity of the music. When it does succeed, as it does at times, there is Dionysian fury, an ecstatic delivery, and a coming together of seemingly disparate elements. Rent Romus' Lords of Outland (the name of his group) provides well-tuned support that at its best explodes with frenetic energy. Borosque's lyrics can be very good, complimented by a powerful delivery. Sometimes, though, the words ("I am rising like literature to the demands of my era") can detract somewhat from a strong effort by Romus and crew. Borosque put considerable effort into this recording, and a live performance, with its visual aspects, would likely offer additional pleasures.