Inevitably, music will have leaders as well as followers, and both have their place. It's unrealistic and foolish to think that every artist who comes along should be a trendsetter; people who shake things up as intensely as {$Charlie Parker}, {$the Sex Pistols}, {$John Coltrane}, {$the Beatles}, or {$Nirvana} are the exception instead of the rule. But when someone does come up with something that is truly fresh, he/she deserves applause -- and there is plenty of freshness on this self-titled CD by {$the Dresden Dolls}, a Boston-based duo that successfully blends {\alternative pop/rock} with German {\cabaret}. Lead singer {$Amanda Palmer} brings an unlikely combination of influences to this release, and they range from {$Kurt Weill} and {$Marlene Dietrich} to {\goth rock}, {\punk}, and the {\riot grrrl} movement. {$Palmer} has been greatly affected by the emotional catharsis of {$PJ Harvey}, {$Courtney Love}, and {$Tori Amos} -- her performances can take a very stream-of-consciousness approach -- but she has also been influenced by the {\cabaret} of Germany's pre-{$Adolf Hitler} Weimar Republic (although {$Palmer} writes and sings in English exclusively on this album). {$Hitler}, a fanatically extreme social conservative, detested the flamboyant, sexualized imagery of the Weimar-era {\cabaret} culture and did everything he could to eradicate it. But when {$Marlene Dietrich} and others fled Nazi Germany, they took their {\cabaret} with them -- and that Weimar-era influence is all over this intriguing CD. Not only has it affected {$Palmer}'s darkly theatrical melodies, but also, {$Palmer} and drummer {$Brian Viglione} ({$the Dresden Dolls}' other half) sport a look that is part {\goth} and part Weimar-era burlesque. And much to their credit, {$the Dresden Dolls} make their unorthodox {\alt-rock}/{\cabaret} blend sound perfectly natural rather than forced. This CD is enthusiastically recommended to anyone who is seeking something fresh from {\alternative pop/rock}. [This is the "clean" version of this release.] ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide