Dresden Dolls

When a band empties its B-sides vault, it’s either fleecing its following with cash-grab ephemera or enjoying a period of prolific creativity. Given the Dresden Dolls‘ history of fan friendliness, it’s safe to assume the tunes on its new oddities collection, No, Virginia, sprang from an abundant songwriting harvest. The disc, out this week, contains orphaned numbers from 2006’s Yes, Virginia sessions as well as older demos, showcasing the punkish cabaret act’s softer side (musically, at least: The lyrics sheet remains packed with ominous inscrutabilities and scary-sounding sex). Multiple tracks cast Amanda Palmer’s dramatic, ravaged voice in stark relief against jaunty, Joe Jackson-style piano pop. Several of these songs are already live fixtures. The Dolls often mix their hits with unreleased material and clever covers.

”Girl Anachronism” by the Dresden Dolls