Simply Stunning
Amanda Palmer is best known as singer, keyboardist and performance artist from Boston punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls. With the banc constantly embarking on different projects, Amanda this year released her first solo album, ‘Who Killed Amanda Palmer?’, a coffee table photobook is due to follow this year with photos by Neil Gaiman and inkeeping with the premise of the whole project: that Amanda is in fact actually dead and now an American legend. Alongside Neil Gaiman, Amanda also found a kindred spirit in the form of Ben Folds, who liked The Dresden Dolls’ work and adds vocals to many of the album tracks.
It’s a dramatic affair as you many expect if you’ve heard any of Amanda’s other work. Opener, ‘Astronaut (A Short History of Nearly Nothing)’ starts proceedings with violent percussion, aching cello and an explosive chorus; it’s simply an extraordinary pop song that merges grandiose instrumentation with the songwriting skill to support it and allow the tune to take off. The strongest tunes are undoubtedly those on the first “side” of the album, ‘Runs In The Family’ is a fabulously vitriolic affair and single, ‘Leeds United’ includes a sultry keyboard tune with rich horns. ‘Guitar Hero’ features East Bay Ray of Dead Kennedys and is an energetic, electric anthem, but a little mainstream and therefore far from the most “interesting” example of Amanda’s music.
Some of the slower songs get a little lost, ‘Ampersand’ is probably the finest of these, it’s a deeply passionate song with swelling piano and a gorgeous chorus that simply sweeps you from your feet. ‘Blake Says’ is heartbreakingly delicate and strewn with Lou Reed/Velvet Underground references, which makes it a rather fascinating listen.
The songs are cutting to the point of being coarse, ‘Runs In The Family’ speaks of the role of nurture in formation, while ‘Oasis’ makes abortion seem like a trivial teenage matter, “And is it isn’t my fault that the barbarian raped me, when I went to get tested I brought along my best friend Melissa Mahoney who had once been molested”. The latter’s tongue in cheek comedy is created by a fizzy pop tune, but the lyrics are still a little bit risqué and possibly unnecessary for some. It’s in the nature of genuine cabaret to have some political sentiment though, and this is clearly Amanda’s.
‘Who Killed Amanda Palmer?’ is a tremendous album that bubbles over with drama, excitement and verve. The tunes are top class and though there are some less memorable moments, it’s an excellent listen as a whole. Amanda Palmer is (thankfully) a living legend.