Devian Starr Merchandise!

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Synopsis

This collection of poetry and lyrics is the debut release by indie artist Devian Starr. Disturbing, offensive as well as poignant and moving, "My Journey to the Bottom" echoes of more thought-provoking work to come.<br><br>***REVIEWS***<br><br>My Journey to the Bottom<br>By Devian Starr<br><br>(Review by Jules)<br><br>First Impressions: This is some of the most revealing material I have read in a long time. This collection is incredibly raw and personal, yet one has to dig deep inside the lines of poetry and lyrics to figure out who the real Devian Starr is. I was truly amazed at the vast amount of material presented. If I hadn't already read and daily visited the website, I would have immediately gone and explored more. I also liked the first couple of pages that read "I tried to escape/the past in my teeth/If I could forgive it/Would that be defeat?" Its a great way to start off the collection.<br><br>Favorite pieces: (in no particular order)<br><br>1) "Astronauts"<br>2) "Thistle"<br>3) "Peppered"<br>4) "Beautiful Thing You Call Love"<br>5) "Apathetic Diabetic"<br>6) "Prick"<br>7) "Arms Length"<br>8) "Cellophane"<br>9) "Dont Twist"<br>10) "The Last Time (You Were in Love)"<br><br>What I like: There is bitterness here, a bitter taste and contempt for life. Yet underneath the bitterness, there is hope. It seems if I read long enough, I would be able to string all of these pieces together and make a life map. There are so many emotions; a person cant possibly read the entire collection in one day without feeling dizzy. These pieces make me wonder, almost yearning, to know more about Devian Starr. Why is he so hurt? Why is he feeling this way? The majority of the pieces are about a lover who has treated Devian incredibly bad. I would have to take a stab in the dark that there are at least two lovers that are spoken of, possibly more. I really like how the narrator is always personified as "I" and he is always speaking to "You". It's truly hard to write poetry in this fashion, yet Devian does it in a way that I feel like it is me who has done him wrong. I can't help but feel guilty by the end. I like that these pieces make me think and try to understand. I can't just take a poem and immediately know what is being spoken of; I must take the poem apart piece by piece. The incredible imagery pops out and makes me think "oh yeah, he's right about that cellophane". A line that says "You smell like a whore that's been fucked by 10,000 Johns in one night" makes me stop dead in my tracks and hungrily read for more. This is bold, brilliant material. It's not often that a writer is able to take such harsh material and be able to present it so well. If I had one word to sum up this collection it would be: INCREDIBLE.<br><br>What I Don't Like: I wish that the lyrics and poetry were separated into two separate sections. I find that I have to read lyrics much differently than an actual poem. It would be much easier on the reader if it were distinctly formed in two sections. Also, a biography page would have been nice. I know it would be hard for the writer to do this since these works are so personal, but I think it would add a nice touch. I also think the letter to the father should have been in the front. It would have set a good tone to the rest of the pieces. Overall, I loved the material; I think they should be left as they are.<br><br>Would I recommend? YES, but only to those who are not easily offended by bluntness, vulgarity, and exceptionally raw material. It is going on in my library for others to enjoy as well. <br><br>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>