The Dresden Dolls The Dresden Dolls 8 Ft. Records (2003)
One of the few truly original debuts of the past decade, The Dresden Dolls' self-titled album single-handedly introduced "punk cabaret" into the musical lexicon—a furious mixture of Brechtian theater, Tin Pan Alley showtunes and hardcore punk rock. Singer, pianist and chief songwriter Amanda Palmer (equal parts Molly Ringwald and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas, with Robert Smith's flair for gloomy drama) spins tales of hurt, joy, sex and destruction over the bombastic yet deeply nuanced drumming of one-man rhythm section Brian Viglione. With little sonic embellishment (a stray guitar line, a string arrangement here and there), The Dresden Dolls poured their even-then legendary stage personas onto analogue tape with still-thrilling results.
Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione
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"Good Day"
"I'd rather be a bitch than be an ordinary broken heart..." Amanda has one hell of a good day to spite her not-so-broken heart over Brian's electric guitar and thunderous drumming.
"Girl Anachronism"
A relentless, manic rush of staccato piano stabs and hardcore drums that blows past at a thousand miles per hour. "Please excuse her for the day, it's just the way the medication makes her..."
"Missed Me"
A seductive, sinister and playful riff on traditional cabaret show music—Amanda sighs, coos and roars over the breathtaking interplay between her inventive piano dynamics and Brian's quiet-loud-quiet drums.
"Half Jack"
Slow-brewing storm of low piano chords cascading up against cymbals—builds up into a propulsive stomp of "oh-oh-ohhh" harmonies and thunderous drums.
"672"
A brief, mildly eerie solo piano/vocal interlude that segues perfectly into...
"Coin-Operated Boy"
Yes, "the dildo song". Amanda Palmer's ode to "automatic joy" is a gleeful, endlessly bouncy sing-along that spills out into an expansive, gorgeously melodramatic bridge section before returning to its cheerful old self again to finish. It's still fun ten years on.
"Gravity"
A start-stop, massive stomp of piano/drum dynamics, punctuating a quietly seething set of lyrics ("Down at work, I'm getting too familiar with the floor trading in my talents by the mouthful").
"Bad Habit"
A furiously paced ode to self-destruction ("it's more productive than if I were to be healthy") that builds up into an awe-inspiring frenzy of a finish.
"The Perfect Fit"
Downtrodden piano (toy and otherwise) frame a melancholy set of self-defacing lyrics ("I used to be the smart one, sharp as a tack Funny how that skipping years ahead has held me back") that works up to a soaring crescendo, complete with a not-so-subtle "Hello, I Love You" nod.
"The Jeep Song"
Amanda feels hounded by her ex-lover's automobile in this super fun homage to '60s girl groups, complete with "ba-ba-bah" background vocals and Phil Spector's "Be My Baby" drum beat.
"Slide"
Another extra ominous, slowly unfurling web of creeping piano lines and subdued drumming. Spills over into chaos in its last minute before pulling back inside its own shell.
"Truce"
My all-time favorite break-up song—Amanda and her ex split up the world amongst themselves over a gloriously crestfallen solo piano progression that builds into a monolithic dirge of drums and shrieking strings. "Take Berlin and we'll call it even..."
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