smoe.org mailing lists
ivan@stellysee.de
| From | Stewart Mason <flamingo@theworld.com> |
| Subject | Dresden Dolls (Re: Borack Thought) |
| Date | Sat, 28 Aug 2004 01:58:48 -0400 |
[Part 1 text/plain us-ascii (2.0 kilobytes)]
(View Text in a separate window)
At 08:32 PM 8/27/2004 +0000, markeichelberger@comcast.net wrote:
>I happened to catch a live performance of the Dresden Dolls and
>Stewart's description is hilariously accurate. I can't say that
>I really liked them, but yep, they sure do have their own unique
>sound!
After over a year of them being THE buzz band in Boston -- they won the
Rumble last year, beating Apollo Sunshine and someone who I can't remember,
and I'm pretty sure they're the first band since Til Tuesday not to
immediately break up after doing so -- we finally only saw them for the
first time back in May when they opened for Mission of Burma's record
release show. I had been dubious, because on paper, the whole thing sounds
really gimmicky, but I was converted by the end of the first song: they're
this brilliant mix of left-field hooks ("Coin-Operated Boy" in particular
is one of those songs you just can't get out of your head), intense urgency
(Brian Viglione is a simply amazing, kick-ass drummer, one of the only
drummers I can think of who makes a virtue of overplaying in the grand
Keith Moon tradition), and songs that really do sound like Kurt Weill and
Bertolt Brecht as played by a punk band. (Amanda Palmer probably plays a
Kurtzweil electric piano just so she could hack the logo on the front to
make it say KURT WEILL.) And my god, talk about stage presence. You know
how all these rock journalists have gone on and on about how commanding and
terrifying a stage presence Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is, when what
they really mean is just that they'd like to fuck her? Well, Amanda Palmer
really IS a commanding and slightly terrifying stage presence, though in a
really sly, theatrical, sort of self-mocking way. If you require that all
your bands sound sort of like the Beatles, you'll hate them, but I can
think of a handful of folks round here who'd love 'em. Self-titled debut
album out on Roadrunner Records now.
S
NP: THE POWER OUT -- Electrelane
For assistance, please contact
the smoe.org administrators.