The Dresden Dolls
Pff, Hmph
“Yeah, yeah, the Dresden Dolls, couple of performance arts weirdos who play dress up in Vaudeville clothes because they think it’s ironic,” said B., a good friend of mine, as I was urging him to listen to The Dresden Dolls’ new song Night Reconnaissance. He “pff’d” and “hmph’d” over and over again until I did finally get him to sit still, be quiet, and listen to the song.
It was hard, I must admit, to get him to pay attention. Bribery was involved. In the form of a box of ginger snaps. He loves ginger snaps. It may have been an underhanded trick, but I wanted him to listen to the song because I knew he’d love it.
What’s not to love? Night Reconnaissance is a toe-tapping rocker aflame with Amanda Palmer’s passionate and visceral pianowork, upheld by punchy drums courtesy of the ever-vivid Brian Viglione. Palmer’s vocals are audaciously spot-on, theatric and deep, squeakingly decadent at times, and commandingly melodic at others; she’s in top form for a song which ended up on a B-sides compilation, which is also a testament to the breadth of their musical depth. And let’s not omit to mention that Viglione’s rhythmics are sound, strong, intricate and splendid, piping in another unexpendable percussion salvo. In all objectivity, I can understand why some people are turned off by the music of The Dresden Dolls, but Night Reconnaissance has everything to make a non-believer or a neophyte uncover a shade to the duo often dismissed for their more bombastic accomplishments.
Like my friend B., who “pff’d” and “hmph’d” at the end of the song, not out of dislike as he did at first, but out of foolish pride.
MP3: The Dresden Dolls - Night Reconnaissance
www.dresdendolls.com
myspace.com/dresdendolls
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