Hi friends, welcome to Peanut Gallery. Every Wednesday here at MusicOlogy, we'll be presenting two classic albums from the same iconic band or artist and asking you... the smart, savvy, blindingly attractive Ology readers... to debate amongst yourselves over which record reigns supreme. Individual songs, concepts, music videos, lyrics, album artwork—everything's on the table here, folks. Give us your best argument in the comments section below. We'll announce the winner at the beginning of next week's Peanut Gallery face-off.
Last Week's Winner:
We re-enacted the Battle of Britpop by pitting Blur's The Great Escape and Oasis' (What's The Story) Morning Glory? up against each other in a battle to the... well, not death, but something definitely painful. An impossible choice, to be sure… I'm assuming that's why our usual legion of voters sat this one out. In the end, though, history repeated itself with Oasis clobbering Damon Albarn & Co. with 2 votes to 1. Sorry, lads. Small consolation: you're closing the Summer Olympics and the Gallagher brothers are… well, yeah, exactly.
This Week's Match-Up:
Get on your best pair of black and white striped socks: we're debating The Dresden Dolls (2003) vs. Yes, Virginia… (2006).
After a few years of perfecting their famously theatrical live shows in the Boston club scene, "punk cabaret" duo The Dresden Dolls dropped their rightly acclaimed debut album in the fall of 2003. Performed almost entirely on piano and drums, the album is a perfect document of the band's early sound: the nuance-filled drumming of Brian Viglione filling the lines between the wayward piano playing and gorgeously pained lyrics and vocals of Miss Amanda Palmer. Both lavishly theatrical and intensely intimate, The Dresden Dolls easily captured the ears and imaginations of the group's now intensely loyal fan base, introducing punk cabaret to the world and heralding the second most exciting revolution to spring forth from the Massachusetts capital.
Classic Songs: "Coin-Operated Boy," "Girl Anachronism," "Good Day," "Missed Me" and "Half Jack."
Without simply rehashing the first album, Yes, Virginia… took the now-trademark sound of their debut and expanded it in delightfully unexpected new directions. A fuller sounding record, punctuated by organs, bass, guitar and even a choir or two, The Dresden Dolls' sophomore effort capitalized on the creative momentum of the first, boasting songs that managed to be brighter and darker, more devastatingly confessional and universally relevant. From the rolling opening chords of "Sex Changes" through the soaring coda of "Sing," the duo's second (and to date final) proper studio album reigned in scores of more fans while assuring longtime followers that yes, Virginia, The Dresden Dolls were one of the most vital, original and endearing music acts to come around in ages.
Classic Songs: "Mrs. O," "Backstabber," "Delilah," "Shores Of California" and "Sing."
Okay, ladies and gentlemen... it's in your hands now. Hit up the comments section below and let us know which Dresden Dolls album deserves to take home the glory; we'll declare a winner this time next week. See you all then!
Jack Lowe :
This is so difficult. Both albums have songs that resonate with me more than I could ever have imagined possible before I discovered the Dresden Dolls. I think I'm going to have to go with the self-titled album though. I adore Yes, Virginia, particularly Delilah which at times is the only song in the world that can comfort me on those lonely, tear-filled nights. But every song on that record is incredible and I do like the diversity of it compared to the self-titled album. But I don't know if it's just the place that I'm in right now, but I connect so strongly with the pain and angst that comes through in the self-titled album. At times, it feels like the songs were written about my life. Girl Anachronism, Half Jack, Coin-Operated Boy, Gravity, Bad Habit, The Perfect Fit, The Jeep Song... all of these songs are so relevant to my life it is ridiculous. Watching the end of the video for Coin-Operated Boy is pretty much a foolproof method of making me cry. So I have to give it to the self-titled album based on how I relate to the music now, but that is certainly not due to faults with Yes, Virginia.
July 17, 2012
River Vox :
If I have to pick one of these, I'd go with Yes, Virginia because of Ms. O & Delilah. But really my favorite is No, Virgina!
Abagail Link:
It took me a minute. I forgot which of my favorite songs were on which album because I tend to just listen to them together. :< I think I'm gonna go with Yes, Virginia. I love the sound of the first album, but most of my favorite songs are on YV. The songs are catchier, more engaging, a little more lyrically complex, and the fuller sound is wonderful. And with showstoppers like Delilah and Sing, how could you not just be a bucket of tears and fall asleep hugging it? This was hard, though, because Truce, Bad Habit, and Good Day are three of my most favorite songs of all time. But, despite these favorites, the second album is just more amazing as a whole.
July 12, 2012
Cassie Muldrow :
I loved the first album, but I have to give it to Yes, Virginia. I thought it took everything that was good about the first album and amplified it. Way more versatile in terms of energy and genre, I feel like it showcased the talents of both Brian and Amanda a little better than the first album. There's samplings of blues, pop, and rock throughout the album that keeps the listener entertained and engaged. I worked at a coffee shop when this album came out and we used to sing it in the back, prepping food, at the top of our lungs! Backstabber may be my favorite music video of all time. First Orgasm was the first real sampling we saw of the soft, lonely, and somewhat more vulnerable Amanda Palmer (in my opinion), Sing still brings me to tears with it's beautiful message- I can remember singing at the top of my lungs and crying at red rocks when they closed their set of True Colors- it was pure magic. My best friend and I still "cheers" our drinks to mother nature due to Alcoholic Friends. The first album was beautiful, and dark- but I really feel in terms of polish and energy that you can't beat Yes, Virginia. <3
July 12, 2012
Karina :
self titled! it has truce on it which is the greatest song ever written, recorded and performed live.
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