Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra Theater is Evil 8ft. Records
Anyone familiar with bisexual cabaret singer-pianist-songwriter Palmer’s sonic output in recent years knows that anything can happen. Horns, ukuleles, you name it. It’s all fair game when Palmer is in the studio, even more so with this release, as she’s brought her backing band, The Grand Theft Orchestra, into the fold.
On previous solo efforts, Palmer kept one foot in band-land, using backing musicians to add some character or flesh out her songs, but kept another foot in solo-ville, keeping things sparse enough that she could perform the songs without backing musicians when her tour plans demand austerity.
That is not the case on this album. The songs are brash, bold and bigger than ever. Some of the songs are exploding with late-era Beatlesque bombast, like “Smile” and “Do It With a Rockstar.” Songs “The Killing Type,” “Bottomfeeder” and “Want It Back” flirt with new wave and New Romantic textures.
Fans who are pining for more introspective piano-driven songs akin to Palmer’s work with Dresden Dolls or her earlier solo efforts will profoundly enjoy sprawling and gorgeous tracks like “Trout Heart Replica” and “The Bed Song.” But those are just a few islands of tranquility on an album that is determined to rock out with furious abandon and whip the listener into rapturous submission.
If this is evil, we never want to be good again.
Blaqk Audio Bright Black Heaven Superball Music
The second album from Blaqk Audio, the synthpop side project of AFI’s singer and guitarists Davey Havok and Jade Puget, does its best to cover as much territory as possible within the realm of dark electronic music. It’s to their credit, as even some of the best full-time practitioners in the genre can sometimes come across as one-note — boring listeners to death with the same sounds and vibe throughout an entire album.
That is not the case here. There’s a classic Depeche Mode vibe on the filthy groove of “Faith Healer” and the more classic sounds of “Let’s Be Honest” and “With Arms Around You.” The duo shifts into faster Europop on tracks “Fade to White,” “Say Red” and “Bon Voyeurs.” Tracks “Cold War” and “The Witness” are sure to pack a dancefloor if club DJs pick up on them. AFI fans who can’t wait for the goth/punk outfit’s return might find enough familiar-feeling sounds to hold them over on tracks like the grandiose “Deconstructing Gods” and the moody gloom of “lll-Lit Ships.”
As much as we hate to say it, we’re starting to like Blaqk Audio more than we like AFI.
Shiny Toy Guns III Five Seven Music
It seems as though alt-rock band Shiny Toy Guns can’t put out an album with changing a singer: This album finds singer and bass player Sisely Treasure, who sang and toured on the last album, “Season of Poison,” out and Carah Faye Charnow, the singer she replaced, back in the group.
It would seem that Charnow’s return has had a mellowing effect, as “III” doesn’t rock as hard as the first two albums and is nowhere near as dark as “Season of Poison.” Sure, there are some standout rock tracks like the crunchy and sassy “Speaking Japanese” and the propulsive “The Sun.” But for the most part, the band explores its ethereal side with amazing results. “Carrie” and “Fading Listening” are excellently crafted new-wave tracks. “Wait For Me” and “If I Lost You” are both hauntingly romantic epics. “Take Me Back To Where I Was” is an uncharacteristically stripped-down piano balled devoid of electronic wizardry.
Even with the all the changes, Shiny Toys Guns is still able to turn out some brilliant songs.