No Virginia Dresden Dolls Reviewed By : Shreena Soomarah

The Dresden Dolls are fantastic live.  I first discovered them in 2005, and have returned to their unique style of theatre several times since.  They're one of those bands who run the risk of losing their spark on record, but have managed to maintain their punk-nostalgia on both their eponymous debut and Yes, Virginia without falling into cliché or running out of fresh ideas. Even their B-sides and off-the- cuff-pieces like Ampersand bring something original and charming to their repertoire.. So, unsurprisingly, their third studio effort was highly anticipated.

… Oh dear. While Dresden Dolls was quirky and delicate, and Yes, Virginia a cabaret show, this album could be mistaken for something a computer had generated based on their previous material. Every track sounds a-bit-like-but-not-quite something they've put out before, and Amanda Palmer's wailing and howling has started to grate a little None of the songs are that memorable; choruses are lazily replaced with "uh-oh-oh-oh"s, and verses are seemingly compiled from a 10 Typical Dresden Dolls Words. 

This is a decent effort, and had I not heard any Dresden Dolls before, I'm sure I'd be more excited by it. But, off the (disappointing) record, you'd be better off stealing the album and spending the money on seeing the band in concert. They put on an awesome show. 5/10

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