A IS FOR ACCIDENT

The Dresden Dolls | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Label: 8 Ft. Records
• ASIN: B0009N2H8G
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,982 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars F is for "fair", May 18, 2005

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A IS FOR ACCIDENT (Audio CD)

Good things come to those who browse indie stores. It was by one such store that I found the Dresden Dolls' self-titled debut, a stormy mesh of twisted lyrics about everything from insanity to self-mutilations, raw punk music and cabaret kitsch.

And it was -- I found out -- only in such stores that I could find "A is for Accident," a collection of the Dolls' live performances from 2001 to 2003. The cabaret-punk music is exceptional, but the sound quality varies wildly from song to song.

A handful of these ten songs are also included in their album, such as the playfully strange "Coin-Operated Boy," the staccato piano of "Missed Me," and the expansive, slow-building "Truce," where Amanda Palmer sounds her dark best. But there are also several songs that were NOT on their debut, such as the ominous ballad "Mrs O," the aching yowls of "Glass Slipper," the slithery piano melody of "Thirty Whacks," and the kitschy glamour of "Bank of Boston Beauty Queen."

"A Is For Accident" is definitely a good listen for fans of the Dresden Dolls -- not only does it have live songs, but also several that otherwise can't be heard. Perhaps the Dolls will put them on another album, but as it stands, it's great to hear Amanda belting out those songs. And, sometimes, the applause.

She and co-musician Brian Viglione create smashing music. Literally. Palmer plays a toy piano, ripping over it and wringing raw music-box melodies out of it. Viglione adds the "punk" to punk-cabaret, with jagged drums that give this twisted music its furious edge. Together, they're absolutely brilliant. And Amanda's throaty voice gets to be funny, strange, dramatic and drama-queeny.

The problem? Well, while the songs are good, the sound quality is uneven. Some songs are so clear that they could have been recorded in a studio, but others sound distant and even muddy. "The Time Has Come" is a problem, for example, with Palmer trying to cope with rotten acoustics; at other times, you can barely hear what she's saying. (Not for lack of effort either)

The Dresden dolls are the most wonderfully twisted thing to ever come out of Boston, and "A is for Accident" is definitely worth having, despite the varying quality of the sound.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the debut!, June 30, 2005

By 

Catherine Nyt (McHenry,IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A IS FOR ACCIDENT (Audio CD)

Wow! I bought this CD on a whim, and I have to say it is just as good, if not better, than the Dresden Dolls self-titled debut album.
This CD really captures the angst and emotion of Palmer's voice,and there are eight new songs on this CD. Eight! And the live versions of "Missed Me" and "Coin-Operated Boy" just sound better on this live disc.
If you can find this through a third-party seller on Amazon, buy it now! You will listen to it over and over in your car, if you're anything like me...

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brief review, May 16, 2005

By 

Melkor "dark lord" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A IS FOR ACCIDENT (Audio CD)

This CD came out first in, I believe, 2003. Now it has been re-released, available at indie CD stores as well as at the band's web site. If you enjoy their eponymous release, then you should really enjoy this. It is a compilation of live shows spanning from 2001 - 2003. Only three, or so, songs are on the studio album. They have only been released on this CD (so far).

For a live CD, the sound quality is wonderful. If you're a fan of this band, this is something you must have! The music is as blissful as you would expect a Dresden Dolls CD to be. If you've never heard of the band, they've been dubbed with the category "Punk Cabaret", and until someone comes up with a better phrase, that is probably the best way to describe them. Good luck tracking down a copy of this wonderful music!