Album Review: Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra - Theatre Is Evil

7 September 2012 | 11:54 am | Cate Summers

The genius thing about this album, and indeed Palmer herself, is that there doesn’t seem to be any genre that is out of bounds, the end result being a new, nameless genre unto itself. It’s an intense ride, and a lot of fun.

Theatre Is Evil is the new album from Amanda Palmer, and it's a kick-arse, genre-bending, dramatic musical melting pot. Having amassed over a million dollars in fan donations via Kickstarter to fund this album – a mindboggling feat in its own right – Palmer has been able to create and produce Theatre Is Evil purely on her own terms.

In the long run, Theatre Is Evil is worth every cent donated. For fans of Palmer it is a well-known fact that lyrically she is a genius, rolling out witty verses and empathetic choruses effortlessly. This album is no different, from the contemplations of a rock star life in the pounding rock'n'roller Do It With A Rockstar, to the despondent thoughts of animal murder in piano ballad Trout Heart Republica – “And the butcher stops and winds his watch/and lays their lives down on the block”.

The other standout aspect about Theatre Is Evil however is the addition of The Grand Theft Orchestra, who perfectly execute the clashes, pounds, rattles and shakes that round off Palmer's dramatic vocals. The Killing Type is another heavy, rock'n'roll track that is charmingly layered with old school synth textures, while Bottomfeeders departs from this sound entirely, opting for infused percussion and slow, lazy electric guitar riffs. Fans will also be pleased with The Bed Song, a piano ballad that proves Palmer could easily record an album sans a million dollars, in front of just a piano, and still blow us away.

The genius thing about this album, and indeed Palmer herself, is that there doesn't seem to be any genre that is out of bounds, the end result being a new, nameless genre unto itself. It's an intense ride, and a lot of fun.

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