Despite being hated and berated by the record company that released this album, and it receiving no promotion whatsoever, Amanda Palmer went forth with this, an album that she is rightly very proud of.

A plonky piano-based song about getting date-raped (“Oasis”) apparently sent the USA and UK radio stations into shambles, but it’s really good, as are most of the other songs. The thing I don’t like about this album is the way it spirals badly out of control at times, e.g. when I feel that the music/song/lyrics are too loosely reined, which seldom is the case for me. A matter of taste, of course, but I feel the Dresden Dolls are a lot better.

Still, lyrics like these, songs like these and a voice quite as unique as Palmer’s has to be looked after. Ben Folds’ production is tender, and long live Palmer, and down with her record label!