Artist:Dresden Dolls

CD Review

CD Title: Yes Virginia…

Record Label: Roadrunner Records

By Caren Spitler

I've always thought sophomores were hot. Thusly my soft spot for the Dresden Dolls new CD Yes Virginia… produced by Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie (the Pixies, Hole, Radiohead). Giving away to a slightly more commercial sound and losing some of their Bretch-like flare for the dramatic this album finds a slightly new horizon for the Dresden duo. Don't get me wrong they have lost none of the passionate fire that drives them. And, yes, singer/song-writer/pianist Amanda Palmer is still influenced by the ghosts of Stephen Sondheim and Kurt Weill. The well-crafted tracks on this CD are aptly punctuated with the sharp pings of Palmer's piano notes. It's just slightly less "show-tune" driven than the first time around. Still slight changes aside it is a sound that is uniquely theirs at this point in time. No one does what the Dresden Dolls are doing.

Yes, Virginia... awakens you with Amanda exercise her demons with "Sex Changes". A cautionary tale spelling out the horrors of sexual politics. Later she lyrically waxes masturbatory with "First Orgasm". In "Modern Moonlight" this duo is set ablaze, Amanda plucking her piano keys to life in kinetic pace to keep up with Brian Viglione drums. There is a cynical eye turned to substance abuse in "Your Alcoholic Friends" where tongue in cheek meet as bouncy sarcasm in his tune. There is a nice mix of more ballads driven tunes to signature cabaret-style songs. Palmer's voice reaches out to you more than ever. You caught bits of what she was capable of in the self-titled release, but here she is all about showing her talents. The band even opted to lose some of the background pings, clings and crashes used as a bit of a theatrical crutch in the first album.

Over all the sophomore release is a good sound album with just a few lulls into the boring. They manage to stay true to a vision of who they are while growing and moving up to the next level. Yes, Virginia... even matured for them lyrically in most of the songs. They are still one of those bands that is a bit of an acquired taste. The Dresden Dolls are not quite for everyone, but check them out if you're curious you might just be surprised.