Dresden Dolls' Latest Not to Be Missed

Jul 29, 07:44 PM

By ANGELICA WROBEL

There is only one way to describe the Dresden Dolls' latest release -- magnificent! Although the drum, piano and vocal fusion is what first made the Dolls known, the sound is more sophisticated on Yes, Virginia .... The magic sound of punk cabaret has become more sharp-tongued, and that is most certainly thanks to Amanda Palmer, the voice of the duo and its pianist.

The album opens with "Sex Changes," a nice piece filled with breakdowns between Palmer and percussionist Brian Viglione. Over a sweet piano melody, Palmer's lyrics have multiple interpretations. The song is a painful confession nonetheless.

The next track, "Backstabber," captures the before, during and after stages of heartbreak in one of the most memorable songs on the album. Amid the simple and upbeat core of the song, Palmer chants "backstabber, backstabber" repeatedly until it sounds like she's saying "stab her back, stab her back."

It is rare that a band can cater to the masses while staying completely true to itself. Quite possibly, the mix of weirdness, anger, love and hate can earn the Dolls a spot in the heart of America -- maybe not world domination but rather mainstream acceptance.

Down the line, "My Alcoholic Friends" is one of Palmer's greatest lyrical works. Above the choppy piano chords, Palmer sings, "I'm trying hard, not to be ashamed, not to know the name, of who is waking up beside me." Closing the song, she says, "Should I choose a noble occupation? If I did, I'd only show up late and sick, and they'd stare at me with hatred, plus my only talent's wasted on my alcoholic friends."

And that's just in the first half of the album.

The next portion is very soft and allows both Palmer and Viglione to showcase their musicianship. The energy and passion are revived on Track 8, "Mrs. O." It's a slow piece based on an 1897 letter to The New York Sun, in which an 8-year-old girl named Virgina inquired about the existence of Santa Claus. Everything that this album stands for can be found in this song. Palmer softly sings over her piano: "We all know there's no Hitler and no Holocaust, no winter and no Santa Claus, and yes, Virgina, all because the truth won't save you now."

On "Shores of California," the sharp-tongued lyrics reappear and make one crave even more Dresden Dolls toward the end of the CD.

"Necessary Evil" will take a listener's breath away. A spoken- word beginning -- "Let's get lost" -- starts one of the best songs written in a long time. Later in the song, Palmer says, "I've connected speakers to my suitors at the discotheques, and they don't know the difference, are they men or Memorex?"

It's said often that the Dresden Dolls have to be heard to be believed. Yes, Virginia ... offers that opportunity to listen. You won't regret it.

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