Quick Review: The Dresden Dolls: Yes, Virginia

[Yoggi]

Vocals:8.5
Lyrics:10
Instrumentals:9.5
Replay Value:10
Overall:9.5
Summary: The Dresden Dolls are a self described "Punk Cabaret" band. You probably haven't heard of the genre before, but they aren't the only band of this persuasion. The two person group consists of vocalist/keyboardist Amanda ?Palmer? and Drummer/Accoustic Guitarist/Backing Vocalist Extroardinaire Brian Viglione (my personal favorite drummer to watch play). Together they weave intricate melodic and rhythmic masterpeices that are incredibly catchy, coupled with some of the most cynical, bitter, and entertaining lyrics i have ever read. The idea behind their sound is based around Amanda's fairly masculine vocals combined with the melodic piano, with the drums providing the rhythms, along with some melody of it's own, to make a unique sound that you will either love or absolutely hate.

Sex Changes:
A great song that blurs the lines between literal sex change operations, and a metaphor for the way that sex changes people, switching between the two themes, and, at times, doubling the meanings of both.

You get your choice of an aesthetic
We'll need to chop your clock off (tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock)
It might not be what you expected
There is no money back once you've been ripped off
...

Today's a very special day
And how you'd love to have a little thing with which to play
But love wont get you very far
Today be still your beating heart
You'll have to keep on feeding it tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Boys will be boys will be boys will be boys will be boys will be boys will be girls with no warning
Girls will be girls will be guys will be boys that don't cry over toys that they use to beat girls they
Despise by the morning
They always said that sex would change you...


But while you happen to be here
Why don't you whisper all those sweet forevers in my ear
Stiff upper lip for all this sorrow
Hurry up and stick it in
You never when it will end
Tomorrow or tomorrow or tomorrow...


Backstabber
Fittingly the most bitter song of the album, goes from softer and poppy sounding, to angry piano pounding.

The record goes from blue to gold
So thank you for all your help
I know you want to jump around
But try to contain yourself
You always struck me as the type to take it lightly
But now you're gonna have to shut your mouth and fight me

Backstabber

You're all alone you're all over
The popular magazines will never care what do you care
You're down with the Japanese
But you've got no right to sit there saying I abuse it
When you only sleep with girls who say they like your music

Backstabber....

Backstabber! hope grabber!
Greedy little fit haver!
God I feel for you fool
Shit lover! off-brusher!
Jaded bitter joy crusher!
Failure has made you so cruel

Rotten to the core
Rotten to the core

Rotten like a crackwhore
Begging out the backdoor
Show us what you're good for
Post it on the noise board
Come on join the bloodsport
Show us some support
Still working at the drugstore
Is it because you're
A FUCKING

Backstabber! hope grabber!
Greedy little fit haver!
God I feel for you fool
Shit lover! off-brusher!
Jaded bitter joy crusher!
Failure has made you so cruel

So don't tell me what to write
And don't tell me that I'm wrong
And don't tell me not to reference my songs within my songs
You backstabber! hope grabber! greedy fucking fit haver!
BACKSTABBER!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=K9zMizbLHYk

Modern Moonlight
Another great song, fast paced and catchy, slowing down at the end for the powerful final message, surprisingly enough including some impressive double bass playing by Brian, which you probably won't notice unless you're listening for it.


Presenting modern moonlight just as advertised
Coke and pepsi finally found a compromise
How can they complain that we're all fucked up kids
When they keep on changing who our mother is?

...

Wire cutters of the world
You know what to use it for
Spread the word to all the tightrope walker boys and girls
Brace yourself for miracles
You're in for a nasty shock
When the war is over
You can read the paper

Delilah
My favorite song of the album. Very emotional and soft to begin with, growing in power throughout. There's been speculation to what the meaning is, and I don't know exactly myself, but i'll just post the lyrics and let you decide for yourself what you want it to mean.

There's no end to the love you can give
When you change your point of view to underfoot
Very good
You may be flat but you're breathing

And there's no doubt he's at home in his room
Probably watching porn of you from the fall
It's last call

And you're the last one leaving
And you thought you could change the world
By opening your legs
Well it isn't very hard
Try kicking them instead
And you thought you could change his mind
By changing your perfume to the kind his mother wore
O god delilah why?
I never met a more impossible girl....

In this same bar where you slammed down your hand
And said "Amanda, i'm in love"
No you're not
You're just a sucker for the ones who use you
And it doesn't matter what i say or do
The stupid bastard's gonna have his way with you...

You're an unrescuable schizo
Or else you're on the rag
If you take him back
I'm gonna lose my nerve
I never met a more impossible girl....
I never met a more impossible girl....

At four o'clock he got off
And you called up
"i'm down at denny's on route one
And you won't guess what he's done"
Is that a fact delilah?
Larry tap let you in through the back
And use his calling card again
For a quick hand of gin

You are impossible, delilah: the princess of denial
And after 7 years in advertising you are none the wiser

You're an unrescuable schizo
Or else you're on the rag
Cause if you take him back
I'm gonna lose my nerve
He's gonna beat you like a pillow
You schizos never learn
And if you take him home
You'll get what you deserve

So don't cry delilah
You're still alive delilah
You need a ride delilah?
Let's see how fast this thing can go.....


Theres so much more great stuff on the album, I would highly recommend the purchase of this one. If i feel like it I'll add to this, but for now, I'm all reviewed out (2 reviews in 2 hours  )
www.myspace.com/thedresdendolls

[Yoggi]

bump?

[MetalMusicMan]

I like the lyrics of the last song alot-- do you have a myspace link or something for some of the songs?  I'd like to give them a listen since it sounds as unique as I'm come to expect from you in terms of goofy interesting music

[Yoggi]

I like the lyrics of the last song alot-- do you have a myspace link or something for some of the songs?  I'd like to give them a listen since it sounds as unique as I'm come to expect from you in terms of goofy interesting music

http://www.dresdendolls.com/main1.htm
http://www.myspace.com/dresdendolls

[Yoggi]

for good songs that arent on myspace:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8xQ4Wcsa7ZY

couldn't find a good one of delilah, i have a good version of it on dvd but no ripper sadly

[MetalMusicMan]

That's some quirky interesting stuff.  I liked "backstabber" alot, the video was very weird, but I liked the song quite a bit, and despite the oddities the video had some good imagery too.  You should put that video in the main post IMO.

The second video that you linked from youtube was not so good but live performances aren't usually the best way to introduce yourself to a band so I'll take that with a grain of salt.

[Yoggi]

That's some quirky interesting stuff.  I liked "backstabber" alot, the video was very weird, but I liked the song quite a bit, and despite the oddities the video had some good imagery too.  You should put that video in the main post IMO.

The second video that you linked from youtube was not so good but live performances aren't usually the best way to introduce yourself to a band so I'll take that with a grain of salt.

i didn't watch all of it lol, just enough to see if it was a bootleg or not

[Yoggi]

Also:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=tU5K_ZDnYyM

[MetalMusicMan]

I forgot how awesome that "Backstabber" song was, just gave it a re-listen.  I really like that song.  That cover of "mad world" rocks too.

[Yoggi]

their new album is pretty bitchin, its called "No, Virginia."

[MetalMusicMan]

Haha, that's clever.

[Yoggi]

its 5 songs from the Yes, Virginia sessions, and 6 new ones