A voice shatters the silence followed by an impetuous harmony, the atmosphere becomes leaden, and Amanda's voice introduces us to her disturbing world.
Having rightfully entered the pantheon of female singer-songwriters, Palmer (singer-keyboardist and co-writer of the The Dresden Dolls) manages to diversify her solo and band projects while maintaining an approach to the "Brechtian" theatrical style that has always distinguished her.
Thanks to an album that makes irony its main card, right from the title "Who killed Amanda Palmer" (a sumptuous play on words of the motto-emblem that was popular in the early '90s), the singer manages to blend the most diverse influences without weighing down the final result.
She demonstrates this with "Runs in the family", a theatrical and schizophrenic fresco as majestic as it is caustic, or with the beautiful "Leeds United" a chaotic fusion between modern rock grime and the classical innocence of big bands.
When the tones soften, Amanda gifts us the finest gems, like "Ampersand" a sweet monologue reminiscent of Celtic melodies from the distant medieval times or "Blake Says" a seductive lullaby inspired by the melody of the most classic carousel, almost as if to instill an (apparent) sense of security that compensates in the majestic central bridge.
The extraordinary versatility of her voice allows her to fully express herself, engaging the listener in a whirlwind of unfiltered emotions; it's wonderful to capture how her fingers on the piano can paint the most varied situations without ever falling into the glossy.
Ben Folds' production is impeccable and superb thanks to a skillful use of electronics (always congenial and never cloying) and the presence of violas and horns which, aside from performing the classic "pro-pathos" arrangement, also serve as a counterpoint to soften (and temper) Palmer's excessive exuberance.
The question has thus found its answer: "Who killed Amanda Palmer?".
No one! She is alive and she has amply confirmed it!