Continuing in my series of album reviews, I’ll cover several more albums I’ve listened to in 2005. By popular demand, I’ll try to space them over several entries.

The Dresden Dolls – The Dresden Dolls
I don’t really count them as “new”, since I’ve started listening to them quite a while ago (earliest reference I can find is in April), but it was still in 2005, and I don’t think I gave them the proper attention.
In one review I’ve read, The Dresden Dolls were described as “Tori Amos with balls”. I don’t think this is entirely fitting. It’s not enough to have a female vocalist with issues on keyboards to be compared to Tori Amos, in my book. True, Amanda Palmer (the female half of the duo) does pound the piano keys and sings of frustration, depression and/or castration, but their sound (comprised of keyboards and drums only) is much more eclectic and interesting, and the subject matter ranges from bitter introspection to playful coquettishness, with live shows incorporating costumes and greasepaint in a self-proclaimed Brechtian cabaret (with a modified KurzweilKurt Weil keyboard). And for the intertextual geek within me, they even provide various amusing allusions to other songs hidden in their lyrics – I’ve caught references to The Doors, The Rolling Stones and Gloria Gaynor scattered around.

Recommended tracks: “Coin Operated Boy” is quirky and charming. “Girl Anachronism” is strong and effective. “Half Jack” dark and moody. All three are excellent and a good starting point. Their site, linked to in the title, has several video and music downloads. Check’em out.

Summary: Possibly my favorite album of 2005, one I come back to again and again. It’s been living on my MP3 player since I bought it.