Amanda Palmer, front woman of the Boston-based duo The Dresden Dolls, decided last year that it was time to go solo. Not to diminish her previous work, the world at large should be grateful for this decision. After much deliberation and studio time, she released her full length solo debut, "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?" on Sept. 8.
Fans of the Dresden Dolls know that Palmer is the more, shall we say, spirited of the two members, and that spirit shows through in all of its glory on her solo album. Without Brian Viglione on the drums, Palmer's operatic piano skills take the fore while Viglione's rock influences take a respite.
The opening track, "Astronaut: A Short History of Nearly Nothing," begins with Palmer's seemingly untrained pounding of the keyboard in a descending scale with a few scattered guttural yelps from the rambunctious singer-songwriter. Palmer throws a wrench into the usual Dresden Dolls song structure when all the instruments stop, leaving only a ringing piano chord, and she begins to recite — not quite sing — the first few lines of the song in near silence. In her uniquely low tone, she sings, "Is it enough to have some love/ Small enough to slip inside a book/ Small enough to cover with your hand/ Because everyone around you wants to look."
What's most refreshing about "Astronaut" is the undeniable fact that the tune plays more like a number from a Broadway musical than an album that's sorted in the "rock" category in record stores. In the third chorus, a string
section comes in to bolster the melody, and the song skyrockets to "end of Act I" passion. The song does a fantastic job of suggesting the motions of a struggling heroine crawling across the stage as Palmer lurches with primal "ughs" and "ahs" placed in choice sections. If this sounds a bit overdramatic, that's because it is, but splendidly so.
"Runs in the Family" picks up where "Astronaut" leaves off, following suit with more rhythmic tickling of the ivories. This song is different, however, in lyrical subject matter. As Palmer chants, "My friend has problems with Winter and Autumn/ They give him prescriptions they shine bright lights on him/ They say it's genetic they say he can't help it/ They say you can catch it but sometimes you're born with it," the waltzy 6/8 beat echoes the previous track, as the melodies differ enough to warn the listener that he or she has entered decidedly different territory.
After "Astronaut" and "Runs in the Family," one hopes that the album will take a short breather from the energetic anthems. In perfect form, listeners are offered "Ampersand," a loose ballad that, despite it's slow tempo, is just as full of pith and vinegar as the prior two numbers. Palmer's quick wit makes the lyrics equally enjoyable as the petite melodies in which they reside. "The ghetto boys are catcalling me/ As I pull my keys from my pocket," croons Palmer. "I wonder if this method of courtship has ever been effective/ Has any girl in history said ‘Sure, you seem so nice, let's get it on'/ Still, I always shock them when I answer, ‘Hi, my name's Amanda.'"
For those with a need for more rocking tunes, "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?" offers up a few hard-edged songs, such as "Leeds United," a straight four-to-the-floor that sees the first use of a bass guitar on the album. The song proposes the deep questions such as the classic Bostonian query, "who needs love when the sandwiches are wicked and they know you at the Mac store?"
Fans will notice that the aforementioned songs are simply the first four tracks from the album, but there is a reason for this stylistic choice: Every track is simply fantastic. Even the songs that don't stick at first reveal themselves on the second and third listens, and Palmer's untouched vocals work exquisitely without being drowned in industry-standard Auto-Tune technology.
Therefore, fans of rock, pop, jazz, opera, theater or witticisms should invest in this album. Scratch that, if you have ears and $10 (or something you can barter for $10), leave immediately and buy "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?"
