|
| ||||||||||||||||||
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
Special Offers and Product Promotions
- Buy a CD or a vinyl record, get a $1 Amazon MP3 Credit. Limit one promotional credit per customer. Here's how (restrictions apply)
- Includes FREE MP3 version of this album Here's how (restrictions apply)
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Editorial Reviews
Review
(The Dresden Dolls merge) the playful eroticism of Weimar-era German cabaret with the intensity of modern rock opera. -- Hayley Kaufman, THE BOSTON GLOBE
Product Description
Ever since taking up arms in mid-2000, the ber-dynamic duo of Amanda Palmer (Piano/Vox) and Brian Viglione (Drums) has been selling out clubs in Boston, New York and beyond. Palmer accompanies her confessional story-songs with a thunderous and shimmering piano style that rests on the shoulders of Jerry Lee Lewis, Kurt Weill and Nina Simone. Viglione's jazz and hardcore-influenced drums are the perfect foil, providing in turns a delicate cradle of rhythm and a piercing bed of nails onto which Palmer lays her raw, tragicomic lyrics. With the their new debut album, produced by Martin Bisi (SWANS, Sonic Youth), receiving accolades from both mainstream and underground media, the Dolls are poised to transcend cult status and smash all commonly held ideas on what a rock band is supposed to be. Their awe-striking live energy and singular look has earned them opening slots for Beck, the B-52s and Jane's Addiction and a tour with Edward Ka-Spel of the Legendary Pink Dots. Fontana. 2005.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
82 of 90 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Old porcelain toys are what come to mind when you hear the name of the "Dresden Dolls." But their faces and their music sure won't make you think of toys. It's very different from what I had expected, with its raw lyrics and complex piano'n'drums music, and left me expecting future great things from the most original new group in eons.
The sound of a piano builds up to a crescendo in the pummelling, jerky "Good Day," a barbed, sarcastic little ditty. It's not a funny song, but has a dark humor that shines through in the deceptively simple, searing "Bad Habit," the jazzy, self-examining "Perfect Fit," and the quirky, funny "Coin Operated Boy." Some songs are a little more downbeat, like the chillingly creepy "Slide," with its bogeyman line "the orange man got you." Perhaps the best song on the album is "Girl Anachronism," a fast'n'furious, punkish song about a psychiatric patient.
The Dresden Dolls can catch your eye as no other band can, with their face paint and striking black-and-white clothing. And they can back up their unusual look by being just as musically interesting, with a strange mix of piano and drums that somehow weave together seamlessly. The piano at the start sounds like a dusty music box, coming form the corners of a dark, neglected attic. But that illusion is shattered as the album progresses to songs where the piano is as percussive as the hard drums.
Amanda Palmer's neurotic whirl of ex-boyfriends, razors, wind-up boy toys (literally!), black jeeps and not-cured psychiatric patients set the tone of the album. "Sappy songs about sex and cheating/bland accounts of two lovers meeting/make me want to give mankind a beating," she snaps. Her versatile voice can be high and girlish, or boom through the room.
Cabaret punk-rock sounds like some kind of novelty act, but the Dresden Dolls are the real thing: punk piano rock that is sexy, dark, twisted, and deliciously original. A must have.
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By M. Bond
Format:Audio CD
Hello all. This review is to help you decide whether or not you want this album, right? Well. i have to tell you, you're stupid if you don't buy it. but apparently. you need more than just an insult to convince you. so....On with the show. I'll rate the songs by tracks.But First, what you have to realize about the Dresden Dolls, is that their is only 2 members. Amanda is piano/keyboard/toy piano/Vox, and Brian is percussion/drums/guitar/vox. Their sound is VERY UNIQUE, there is no other sound like them. It's a mix of Punk/Cabaret/Rock. Now, you may think that if it's only got a keyboard and drums, then it can't be rock. it can't be viscious, it can't be head-bangingly beautiful. You're wrong.
1. Good Day-4.5/5-Starts slow, but gets into it halfway through.Catchy chorus. Great opener track to ease you in to what they call "Punk Cabaret"!
2. Girl Anachronism-5/5-My favorite track on this album, hands down. The lyrics alone are incredible. but the dueling piano and drums gets to be too much to handle, it's that good. I find myself singing it at work, and i head-bang during the first minute while driving. Kinda hard to do, but...
3.Missed Me-4.0/5-A Great song about pedophilism. It plays like a musical song. Reminds you of cabaret, but viscious. A Truly great song.Catchy tune.
4.Half Jack-5/5-This is another favorite on the album. It starts out kinda slow like "Good Day" but then gets powerful later on. Lyrics are beautifully connected to one another.
5. 672-3/5-Its a 1 1/2 minute intermission. It has few lyrics, but good piano. I'd listen to it just to get to Coin-Operated Boy.
6. Coin-Operated Boy-4.5/5-The song is about a girl who wants a coin-operated boy, to "play" with. So she won't be alone. it's romantic really. It was the first song i heard by the Dolls. It gets sorta old after you hear it a zillion times.
7. Gravity-5/5-Another great track. Great lyrics. AWESOME CHORUS! I see myself cruisin on the countryside, hand out the window. just chillin' with this song. A+
8. Bad Habit-4.5/5-Fast paced and great. One of the better songs on this album.
9. Perfect Fit-4.5/5-This is the one of those songs you skip because it's slow, but later realize, it's truly an important part of the album. You want to scream the lyrics at the end. Very catchy.
10. Jeep Song-4.5/5-This song is hilarious. It's a nearly 5-minute song about how all she sees are Jeep Cherokees in town. How she'll "skip Town till the cars go out of style". It's very funny, and great instrumental accompanyment.
11. Slide-5/5-This song is the CREEPIEST thing i've ever heard. It's about this orange man,(maybe an escaped convict?or...*correct me if i'm wrong) who's going to kidnap a "red little girl" from a slide. At the very end when she's screams "The Orange Man's Got You!" I freaked out (i'm driving by the way), and got a little disoriented, because it sent chills all over my body. Pedophilism. Only Dresden can do a song, and make it stick.
12. Truce-3.5/5-This is the 9-minute epic on the album, and the last track. It's tune you can't get into for very long as it changes constantly. But the Violin solo at the end is mind-blowing. "You can fake it for the papers, but i'm on to you, i'm on to you!"
And then when you thought it was over you hear Amanda's mother or grandmother i'm guessing. "Amanda...You're telling me a fairytale."
Then that's it. A Great Album! Listen to the samples on Amazon. They really do help. Rate MY REVIEW! It's mY FIRST!
1. Good Day-4.5/5-Starts slow, but gets into it halfway through.Catchy chorus. Great opener track to ease you in to what they call "Punk Cabaret"!
2. Girl Anachronism-5/5-My favorite track on this album, hands down. The lyrics alone are incredible. but the dueling piano and drums gets to be too much to handle, it's that good. I find myself singing it at work, and i head-bang during the first minute while driving. Kinda hard to do, but...
3.Missed Me-4.0/5-A Great song about pedophilism. It plays like a musical song. Reminds you of cabaret, but viscious. A Truly great song.Catchy tune.
4.Half Jack-5/5-This is another favorite on the album. It starts out kinda slow like "Good Day" but then gets powerful later on. Lyrics are beautifully connected to one another.
5. 672-3/5-Its a 1 1/2 minute intermission. It has few lyrics, but good piano. I'd listen to it just to get to Coin-Operated Boy.
6. Coin-Operated Boy-4.5/5-The song is about a girl who wants a coin-operated boy, to "play" with. So she won't be alone. it's romantic really. It was the first song i heard by the Dolls. It gets sorta old after you hear it a zillion times.
7. Gravity-5/5-Another great track. Great lyrics. AWESOME CHORUS! I see myself cruisin on the countryside, hand out the window. just chillin' with this song. A+
8. Bad Habit-4.5/5-Fast paced and great. One of the better songs on this album.
9. Perfect Fit-4.5/5-This is the one of those songs you skip because it's slow, but later realize, it's truly an important part of the album. You want to scream the lyrics at the end. Very catchy.
10. Jeep Song-4.5/5-This song is hilarious. It's a nearly 5-minute song about how all she sees are Jeep Cherokees in town. How she'll "skip Town till the cars go out of style". It's very funny, and great instrumental accompanyment.
11. Slide-5/5-This song is the CREEPIEST thing i've ever heard. It's about this orange man,(maybe an escaped convict?or...*correct me if i'm wrong) who's going to kidnap a "red little girl" from a slide. At the very end when she's screams "The Orange Man's Got You!" I freaked out (i'm driving by the way), and got a little disoriented, because it sent chills all over my body. Pedophilism. Only Dresden can do a song, and make it stick.
12. Truce-3.5/5-This is the 9-minute epic on the album, and the last track. It's tune you can't get into for very long as it changes constantly. But the Violin solo at the end is mind-blowing. "You can fake it for the papers, but i'm on to you, i'm on to you!"
And then when you thought it was over you hear Amanda's mother or grandmother i'm guessing. "Amanda...You're telling me a fairytale."
Then that's it. A Great Album! Listen to the samples on Amazon. They really do help. Rate MY REVIEW! It's mY FIRST!
25 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The Dresden Dolls self-titled debut is a refreshing album that should please most people who are looking for something new and original. The Dresden Dolls consist of the very talented duo, songwriter Amanda Palmer (piano, vocals), and Brian Viglione (drums). They play cabaret music with a modern twist.
Even if you're generally not a fan of cabaret and/or avant-garde music, you may find yourself captivated with this album. Amanda Palmer has written a collection of very dark songs that create a haunting atmosphere that stay with you long after the CD has ended.
After one listen, I was drawn to this album, but this CD defiantly grows on you. The songs are somewhat off-center and therefore not instantly catchy and assessable. They are, however, quite mesmerizing and captivating. If you stick with this CD, the songs tend to grow on you with each successive listen.
One thing that really works for this album is its off-center pacing. The songs go from mid-tempo, to manic, to soft-spoken, to a fast pace, to mid-tempo and so on. The listener never knows what to expect. The album's haunting melodies and morose themes never loose momentum or get tedious.
If your looking for something offbeat, refreshing and original, the Dresden Dolls debut album is highly recommended.
Even if you're generally not a fan of cabaret and/or avant-garde music, you may find yourself captivated with this album. Amanda Palmer has written a collection of very dark songs that create a haunting atmosphere that stay with you long after the CD has ended.
After one listen, I was drawn to this album, but this CD defiantly grows on you. The songs are somewhat off-center and therefore not instantly catchy and assessable. They are, however, quite mesmerizing and captivating. If you stick with this CD, the songs tend to grow on you with each successive listen.
One thing that really works for this album is its off-center pacing. The songs go from mid-tempo, to manic, to soft-spoken, to a fast pace, to mid-tempo and so on. The listener never knows what to expect. The album's haunting melodies and morose themes never loose momentum or get tedious.
If your looking for something offbeat, refreshing and original, the Dresden Dolls debut album is highly recommended.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life is a cabaret
Ok, I'm late to the scene. This album is a hit with me- I've got a background in music & the theater. I also share an interest in cabaret; Wiemar cabaret specifically. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Drobin
5.0 out of 5 stars
LOVE it!
I really enjoy the clash and the approach they take to their music. This album has most of my favorite songs by The Dresden Dolls and I enjoyed every minute of it! Check it out!
Published on March 31, 2011 by amie
5.0 out of 5 stars
strange and unusual in all the greatest ways
an awesome group and no better place to start with the self-titled. very entertaining and you wouldn't expect a duo to produce like this.
Published on February 18, 2010 by J. Ehlers
4.0 out of 5 stars
nostalgic
While I might not be as fond of the Dresden Dolls other work, this album is one of my favourites. I love how the entire album makes you feel nostalgic for something, but you can... Read more
Published on October 20, 2009 by Melody
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential album.
Beautiful dark cabaret music from the East Coast art movement. Amanda Palmer has a unique singing style and the piano and drums work together in a fantastic gothish style.... Read more
Published on July 25, 2009 by CRAZOTOLOGY
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but not great
There's a couple of songs on here that made me take notice of the Dresden Dolls in the first place (Girl Anachronism and Bad Habit). Read more
Published on October 17, 2008 by Uthor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dresden Dolls
I love this band and this album! They are so passionate it's amazing!!! You can really feel the sparks fly. LOVE IT!
Published on May 20, 2008 by N. Bracco
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am so happy I came across this band!
I really, really, love this band. Both memebers have so much energy, there is so much passion in their music.
I just recently discovered them on Amazon and am so happy I did! Read more
I just recently discovered them on Amazon and am so happy I did! Read more
Published on March 14, 2008 by Mena Reid
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Dresden Dolls - LOVE 'EM!!
I don't usually like music with voices and words; I much prefer to listen to instrumentals and not have to concentrate on anything but the tune itself; words usually just get in... Read more
Published on January 27, 2007 by Rebecca L. Latson
3.0 out of 5 stars
Dresden Dolls
The album has a few really good tracks, but overall it could use more variety.
Published on January 11, 2007 by Kevin Matlock II
Listmania!
|
|
