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Since bursting onto Boston’s music scene in 2001, the Dresden Dolls have made waves with their odd cabaret rock.
Lead singer Amanda Palmer has always had a quirky theatrical quality, especially when her soaring pipes are blaring over her piano. So when she decided to let herself loose on her debut solo album, and team up with Ben Folds, who produced the disc, the result was to be expected: an odd collection of distorted rock tunes, piano pop and more than a few forays into Broadway territory.
Fortunately, the eclecticism doesn’t -detract from what is a solid and infectious effort. Standouts include the amped-up Guitar Hero and the operatic What’s The Use Of Wond’rin? But the weirdest and catchiest track has to be Oasis, a bouncy Folds-like tune about rape, abortion and fundamentalist Christians.
Palmer plays the Mod Club November 30. i
