There are people around these parts who write that Amanda Palmer’s debut – extricated from her life as half of The Dresden Dolls – withers slightly in its latter stages. This is, fortunately, incorrect. The slower closing section of Who Killed Amanda Palmer serves as a delicious dessert to its bristly openers, which includes this song.

Runs in the Family is a frantic song, heaping arpeggios on staccato piano and overlapping vocal lines to cram so much into its short life. But like many songs on the album, it’s the little things that make it more memorable, especially the organ riff that accompanies the ‘me up / me up..’ refrains. And yes, it hooked itself into my head two nights ago.

I’m too unfamiliar with The Dresden Dolls to determine how, why or if this album relates in some part. Nor do I care that some of its songs have been around for over a year – some longer. I do care that this album is the only one likely to displace another as a shoe-in for album of the year and I’m rationing myself to one play a day. It’s so good though, you should buy it twice.

Amanda Palmer: Runs in the Family

Amanda Palmer: Who Killed Amanda Palmer – iTunes Special Edition
Amazon UK
Amanda Palmer – MySpace
Album Website