“Theatre is Evil” is a mixture of electronic, pop and punk cabaret with a dose of the 80’s built in. Every song leads to the next, creating anticipation for what’s to come.
It’s hard to choose the best song on the album, since every song has something that makes it perfect. “Grown Man Cry” is the missing track from a John Hughes movie. “Want It Back” is extremely catchy and the lyrics are a bit nonsensical. One line is: “Bets are all off you’re/ a lily-livered giver indie/ in the hidden costs you’re a/ sucker and you win.” It doesn’t make sense, but it is brilliant.
“Theatre is Evil” is somewhat different from Palmer’s first album, “Who Killed Amanda Palmer?,” which has a slower tempo and darker themes. Palmer’s sophomore album, “Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under” is mostly live tracks, which is not bad, but studio albums give the artist more power over how their music sounds than a live recording.
The Grand Theft Orchestra compliments Palmer’s singing by playing their instruments without flaw. The first song, “Smile,” is the anthem of our generation. The bass drum explodes and Palmer’s voice soars. It is impossible to skip a song, even the intermission, which compliments The Grand Theft Orchestra’s instrumentation.
The Grand Theft Orchestra’s talents shine in “Berlin.” The song begins with whisper-singing and piano by Palmer. However, the song starts to build momentum, when it explodes and suddenly, they are playing big band. The horns compliment Palmer’s voice perfectly. The change from the beginning to the end of the song is bipolar and surprising.
“Do It with a Rockstar” and “The Killing Type” are upbeat and energized, while “Trout Heart Replica” and “The Bed Song” slow it down without losing any energy.
One of the best things about this album is the stories Palmer creates in her songs. For example, “Melody Dean” is about a woman whose boyfriend/husband travels a lot, so she hooks up with a woman named Melody Dean while he is gone. Even though she loves her boyfriend/husband, she needs attention while he’s gone. “The fact is you would rather I be lonely/ in a bathtub with a book/ the fact is you would rather I sat pining/ on our pictures from New York.”
Listening to “Theatre is Evil” feels like having a concert just for you in your own mind. The emotion, instrumentation, the way Palmer uses her voice brings the entire thing together. Palmer has created the perfect CD. Everyone will find something they like.
