Amanda Palmer :: "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?"

Being in a band can be a grueling profession: touring non-stop with the same people, seeing them day after day, playing the same songs over and over again, dealing with crazy fans, etc.

Now imagine doing that with an ex or on-and-off lover. Those “off” times can be a bitch.

Well that’s what Brian Viglione and Amanda Palmer go through in order to make the Dresden Dolls work, so you can understand why the band took a hiatus in 2007. From that hiatus came Palmer’s Who Killed Amanda Palmer?; a solo venture she took without her band-mate of several years. Though her male counterpart is absent from the album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer? sounds pretty similar to anything the Dresden Dolls released, but that’s not particularly a bad thing. Is this Palmer’s attempt to escape potentially awkward situations with Viglione? Perhaps, but their live performances show no signs of awkwardness between the two because their energy and chemistry is so electric and energetic. Whatever the reason, I’m glad it happened.

Despite the fact that this album is very similar to the Dresden Dolls, there are a lot more strings to be found on Who Killed Amanda Palmer? She once again proves her smart, satirical lyrical stylings with “Oasis”, an ironic, upbeat-sounding song about a girl getting raped and getting an abortion. This song symbolizes the fact that when you’re a kid, big things seem unimportant but seeing Blur in concert and getting an autographed picture from Oasis means the world. Palmer goes from the human weakness felt from unrequited love (“Astronaut”) to women empowerment (“Ampersand”); from a tribute to the Columbine shootings (“Strength through Music”) to domestic violence (“What’s the Use of Wond’rin?”).

Palmer’s always been known to have some deep lyrics but her solo project takes it to the next level and allows her to explore the use of music as part of the message. For example, “What’s the Use of Wond’rin?” is the sweetest sounding song on this album, featuring Annie Clark (a member of Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens’ touring band) and Palmer in a voice you’ve never heard her use. On the surface, the lyrics seem quite charming and endearing (“What’s the use of wond’rin/If he’s good or if he’s bad?/He’s your fella and you love him/That’s all there is to that”) but if you listen closely, sobbing women can be heard in the background. There’s more to this song than cutesy lyrics.

Another example is “Oasis” which, as I said before, shows its irony with its highly addictive piano melody and controversial lyrics.

Overall, the album is not a giant stretch from the Dresden Dolls, but Amanda Palmer can certainly hold her own. She focuses on word play and the musical aspect whereas the Dresden Dolls featured pounding drums and raucousness while keeping a catchy tune. Both bands are very favorable to these ears but Who Killed Amanda Palmer? seems a bit smarter in my book.

To get a taste of Amanda Palmer’s twisted sense of humor, check out this perfect example of Palmer using music as a tool to get the message across.

Buy the album at our record store on Amazon

Here are some other links you may be into:

• Album Review – B.o.B. presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray
• Artist of the Week – HoneyChild
• Album Review – The Beginning by Black Eyed Peas
• Free Song Download – “Fool” by Yo Video
• The Enter The Shell Show – Omar Torrez Live