Who Killed Amanda Palmer [Digipak] - Amanda Palmer

...harpsichord, it never being clear who it the more tragic, the protagonist or the narrator. The opening of 'Have to Drive', too could have slotted in on 'Little Earthquakes', although the increasingly choral build to the final climax had an identity all of its own.

'Oasis' is perhaps the most distinctive track, being clearly the catchiest song ever to be composed on the themes of date rape and abortion. The Beach Boys harmonies and ...
...anyone's book.

Palmer is remarkably self assured in her consistency; only the closing number 'Another Year' really outstays its welcome although 'What's the Use in Wonderin' is a curiosity that was best reserved for a b-side. Elsewhere the quality control is extremely strong, with the likes of 'Guitar Hero' suggesting a long tail for the single releases, and the wistful 'The Point of it All' is a quiet highlight.

It ... more

So anyway, Amanda Palmer then. Generally speaking I guess when someone bothers to blog about a pre-release album (it's a advance copy..honest guv'ner), you might surmise they are a big fan of the artist. Well in this case, actually no. I was blissfully unaware of Ms Palmer's day job as singer/pianist in the Dresden Dolls, or that she planned a solo release, until she rather oddly gate crashed Ben Folds rather damp Glastonbury set this year. Cutting a rather curious figure somewhere between a punk princess and a 30s burlesque German model, she performed three tracks from this forthcoming record, which were enough to get me to attempt to lay my hands on it some months later.

Palmer's day job is fronting a Brechtian piano punk duo, but this record, produced by Mr Folds, is perhaps a more traditional and certainly to me, more palatable female singer song writer fare. There are shades of the usual suspects naturally; a hint of Kate Bush, more than a soupcon of Tori Amos, and unsurprisingly given his producer and co-writer credits, a big dollop of Ben Folds' dry knowing lyrics and ironic humour.Curtain-raiser 'Astronaut (A Short History of Nearly Nothing)', is probably the best indicator as to whether you are likely to get on with this record. Opening with a stomping piano line, followed by dramatic cello, the track drops to nearly nothing for the first half spoken verse; before building the drama phrase by phrase on the bridge. exploding into the swooping chorus "You are my love, the astronaut...flying in the face of science.". From here the energy seldom falls, with the biting vocal flourish on the middle eight and the swooning instrumental it leads into particular highlights. Palmer rates this as her finest composition to date, and one had to agree, although several other tracks present do run it close.

No need to take my word for it of course - you could just listen to it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOF4A1cL89Q

Nothing else quite matches the sky scraping drama of 'Astronaut', Palmer instead spends the rest of the album flicking between big vocalled pop stompers, the key highlights being flyer single 'Leeds United' and 'Runs in the Family' and some surprisingly tender ballads. 'Amerpsand' a Folds composition, is perhaps one of his most beautiful melodies since 'Brick', whilst the lyric is sharp and shot with the bitter regret of a fear of commitment "I'm not going to live my life on one side of an Ampersand / Even if I went with you I'm not the girl you think I am...".

'Blake Says' meanwhile is the most Amos-esqaue moment, the bewitching circular hook played out on a harpsichord, it never being clear who it the more tragic, the protagonist or the narrator. The opening of 'Have to Drive', too could have slotted in on 'Little Earthquakes', although the increasingly choral build to the final climax had an identity all of its own.

'Oasis' is perhaps the most distinctive track, being clearly the catchiest song ever to be composed on the themes of date rape and abortion. The Beach Boys harmonies and wry lyric from the teenage narrator are a highlight in anyone's book.

Palmer is remarkably self assured in her consistency; only the closing number 'Another Year' really outstays its welcome although 'What's the Use in Wonderin' is a curiosity that was best reserved for a b-side. Elsewhere the quality control is extremely strong, with the likes of 'Guitar Hero' suggesting a long tail for the single releases, and the wistful 'The Point of it All' is a quiet highlight.

It is said the best albums are the most unexpected, and this for me is clearly a 2008 highlight. By turns, upbeat and optimistic, whilst tender and bitterly realistic, Palmer's oeuvre is curiously moreish and compulsive. I raise a cautious nomination for record of the year... 

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