Goodbyes are difficult, and often times certain relationships just don't want to end in spite of the fact that its obvious to everyone that at least one side stopped trying a long time ago. Of course I'm speaking about Amanda Palmer relationship with Roadrunner Records. Originally Palmer's band The Dresden Dolls and Roadrunner had a good relationship which Palmer details in a letter written to the label just after her release in April, but Palmer goes on to explain that things when sour around 2006 with the released of their second album, Yes, Virginia..., which was given very little support by a label that once helped pay for significant promotion, international touring, and helped transition The Dresden Dolls from a local Boston act to something far bigger. Go ahead, ask a friend if they know who The Dresden Dolls are and they'll tell you they've at least heard of them. Well when your label stops promoting you and tells you to please hide your belly because its unpleasant to look at (which Roadrunner allegedly did in response to Amanda Palmer's music video for Leeds United, prompting an online uprising by the AFP-fanbase) that might be a cause for wanting to end that relationship, something that took two years to accomplish. In celebration of her release in April, Palmer digitally released the song Do You Swear To Tell The Truth The Whole Truth And Nothing But The Truth So Help Your Black Ass to her fans via her website for free (though asking for any donations in appreciation). This song is a little bit more of a stripped down version of Palmer's other work given the fast nature in which it was conceived, being written months earlier but only played for significant other Neil Gaiman and friend Tom Dickins before being recorded in about five hours with the help of Evelyn Evelyn band-mate Jason Webley on guitar, trombonist Sam Kulik (who just happened to be visiting his family in New York and called Palmer that morning with the intentions of a simple get-together), and of course Amanda Palmer pulling triple duty with vocals, piano, and the ukulele (a precursor to the Evelyn Evelyn material and Palmer's new EP Amanda Palmer Performs The Popular Hits of Radiohead On Her Magical Ukulele, soon to be reviewed here). I love the stripped down nature of this song as it reminds me of the VH1 Storytellers series, especially given the very narrative quality to Palmer's work and heavy in this near six minute song. Webley and Kulik's contributions help bring another level of legitimacy to this release. I love the lyrical content of the song including the title (said by Palmer during a live show to be inspired by and NWA lyric which then inspired Palmer to perform NWA's Fuck Tha Police). My favorite line in the song would probably be "I like being alone around people", though I'm also keen to Palmer's verse in which she describes being a blow-job queen and how everybody enjoys a blow-job. The whole song just gets at the point that Palmer is going to do what she wants and sucks for anybody that thinks otherwise. Favorite Tracks: Seriously? It's the only fucking one! By the way, you can still download it and read all about the reason for the release here
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Album a Day (Digital/Solo Edition): Amanda Palmer - Do You Swear To Tell The Truth The Whole Truth And Nothing But The Truth So Help Your Black Ass
Goodbyes are difficult, and often times certain relationships just don't want to end in spite of the fact that its obvious to everyone that at least one side stopped trying a long time ago. Of course I'm speaking about Amanda Palmer relationship with Roadrunner Records. Originally Palmer's band The Dresden Dolls and Roadrunner had a good relationship which Palmer details in a letter written to the label just after her release in April, but Palmer goes on to explain that things when sour around 2006 with the released of their second album, Yes, Virginia..., which was given very little support by a label that once helped pay for significant promotion, international touring, and helped transition The Dresden Dolls from a local Boston act to something far bigger. Go ahead, ask a friend if they know who The Dresden Dolls are and they'll tell you they've at least heard of them. Well when your label stops promoting you and tells you to please hide your belly because its unpleasant to look at (which Roadrunner allegedly did in response to Amanda Palmer's music video for Leeds United, prompting an online uprising by the AFP-fanbase) that might be a cause for wanting to end that relationship, something that took two years to accomplish. In celebration of her release in April, Palmer digitally released the song Do You Swear To Tell The Truth The Whole Truth And Nothing But The Truth So Help Your Black Ass to her fans via her website for free (though asking for any donations in appreciation). This song is a little bit more of a stripped down version of Palmer's other work given the fast nature in which it was conceived, being written months earlier but only played for significant other Neil Gaiman and friend Tom Dickins before being recorded in about five hours with the help of Evelyn Evelyn band-mate Jason Webley on guitar, trombonist Sam Kulik (who just happened to be visiting his family in New York and called Palmer that morning with the intentions of a simple get-together), and of course Amanda Palmer pulling triple duty with vocals, piano, and the ukulele (a precursor to the Evelyn Evelyn material and Palmer's new EP Amanda Palmer Performs The Popular Hits of Radiohead On Her Magical Ukulele, soon to be reviewed here). I love the stripped down nature of this song as it reminds me of the VH1 Storytellers series, especially given the very narrative quality to Palmer's work and heavy in this near six minute song. Webley and Kulik's contributions help bring another level of legitimacy to this release. I love the lyrical content of the song including the title (said by Palmer during a live show to be inspired by and NWA lyric which then inspired Palmer to perform NWA's Fuck Tha Police). My favorite line in the song would probably be "I like being alone around people", though I'm also keen to Palmer's verse in which she describes being a blow-job queen and how everybody enjoys a blow-job. The whole song just gets at the point that Palmer is going to do what she wants and sucks for anybody that thinks otherwise. Favorite Tracks: Seriously? It's the only fucking one! By the way, you can still download it and read all about the reason for the release here
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