The Dresden Dolls: Yes, Virginia

Ahhhh Brian and Amanda. They're like the Scully and Mulder of the cabaret world. Along with the amazing showmanship and theatrics, one can't help but notice the energy that comes off of deep friendship laced with sexual tension they exude on stage...it's so thick, you could cut it with a knife. That aside, I will say that even though I prefer seeing these two live, their album recordings are superb as well.

The first time I saw the Dresden Dolls was when they opened for Nine Inch Nails believe it or not. As the story goes, Trent saw the video for "Girl Anachronism" off of the Dresden Doll's self-titled first album and he was instantly hooked. Although not an obvious choice for an opening band, I will say many NINers became new fans after that tour.

Amanda Palmer is a poet and crafts lyrics with plenty of word play and appealing aethetics. A great example is the words to "My Alcoholic Friends:"

I’m counting back
the number of the steps
it took for me to get
back on the wagon of the weekend

I’ll use the autotimer to prove that
I'll get home with my imagination
if they find the body in the basement
“in the very house that she was raised in!”

I’m taking down
the number of the Times
so when we get the sign
from god I’ll be the first to call them

I’m taking back the number of the beast
cause 6 is not a pretty number
8 or 3 are definitely better
a is for the address on the letter
to my alcoholic friends

I’m trying hard
not to be ashamed
not to know the name
of who is waking up beside me
or the date, the season or the city
but at least the ceilings very pretty
and if you are holding it against me

I’ll be on my best behavior
taking shots for mother nature
once my fist is in the cupboard
love is never falling over

(1,2,3,4)

should I choose a noble occupation
if I did I’d only show up late and
sick and they would stare at me with hatred
plus my only natural talent’s wasted on my alcoholic friends
my alcoholic friends
the party never ends
my alcoholic friends


Yes, Virginia continues the same spirit as their first album with a fuller studio sound. I highly recommend it!

Listen to:
"My Alcoholic Friends"
"Backstabber"

Watch the Backstabber video.


Visit:
The Dresden Dolls official Web Site
Dresden Dolls Myspace
Buy Yes Virgina from Amazon.com

on coffee drinks and the Dresden Dolls

It's $4 for one of those Starbuck's mocha creme frapps here on campus. I don't really like sweet drinks (except for white russians, but that's something different) and yet whenever I see someone walking by with one, I seem to have this bizarre sense of entitlement, like: I *deserve* an expensive coffee drink, damnit!.

Never mind that all it really consists of is a shot of caramel syrup, some chocolate syrup, cream, ice cubes and espresso...oh and whipped cream. $4. That's really expensive.

I drank half of mine and then tossed it into the trash because I started feeling nauseated. This stomach virus of mine that I got over the weekend hasn't quite let up 100% so excess sugar is just not a good thing. I didn't even get a caffine high off of this. Instead, I got my sugar spike and now I feel like sleeping a good 10 hours.

***
On a totally different topic, I LOVE the "Back Stabber" video by the Dresden Dolls. It's a bit racy so I didn't stick it directly in the post, but I have to say, I've got a thing for both Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione. For one thing they look incredibly good together, but I just love their interactions. They're so comfortably blunt around each other. There was this documentary I was watching a few weeks ago where she's noshing on salad right before a rehearsal.

She turns to Brian: "Do I have anything in my teeth?"
He responds with something to the effect of: "Yeah, you've got a forest in there..."

They're about to get it on in the video which is why it's a little titillating (not to mention Brian looks fucking hot in drag) but in actuality they've got this solid, comfortable, deep platonic relationship going on. In interviews you read about how much they trust each other fully and completely. I mean, yeah, how many friends would you let grab your tit? Aside from Sammi, I can't think of anyone else and that was a one time deal and by accident (or so she claims. :P )

Amanda and Brian are like Scully and Mulder from X-files, if you ever watched that show. And if you recall, that Rolling Stone cover just made sexually frustrated nerds and sci-fi dorks across America go insane. I recall this one time when Ira Glass (at least I think it was Ira) on NPR just blurting out all of a sudden in the middle of a show that Mulder kissed Sculley after the new year's episode. That's how jarring it was. Scully and Mulder can't kiss! They're friends, damnit and yet, some part of you is just incredibly relieved because the world seems too cruel if they don't hook up just a little bit.

Anyway, the whole Amanda and Brian fascination falls into the same category. The two are artistic partners through and through and hot damn, do they photograph well:





Furthermore, Amanda is just amazingly good at writing. It's not high brow super intellectual blatherings but she has a way of conveying day-to-day life and musings in a such a frank and simple manner incredibly accurately (and really, isn't this the qualifications of a good blogger?). I'm not just talking about her song writing either. Here's a bit from her bio to give you a taste:

for some reason i was pretty friendless throughout high school, so i spent most lunches with my latin teacher or sitting with a styrofoam tray full of canned fruit and peanut butter and fluff sandwich in one of the practice rooms in the music department pounding out chords on the piano and writing about things i didn't like. like malls, and mean boys.

The Dresden Dolls diary is a great read if you haven't visited before.