Theatre Is Evil - Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra
User Score
7.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 16
  3. Negative: 3 out of 16

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Tenfishone
    Sep 12, 2012
    0
    Amanda Palmer turns in a dreary, childish effort. The lyrics are nonsensical. The anger is a narcissistic demand for attention. The one thing Amanda Palmer seems to be consistent about is to never learn about her craft. This record is completely amateur. The production values make the - drama kid freaking out and showing her poo panties- quality, even more obvious. A complete waste of time.
  2. dartagnan
    Dec 17, 2012
    10
    When I first this I thought 'What an overproduced monstrosity' after a few listens its 'What a brilliant overproduced monstrosity' Now it is granted that you may have to have a sense of humor to fully appreciate the slanted wonder of this album but individually the songs are strong, memorable and Ms Palmer's delivery perfect.
  3. EmadKang
    Sep 17, 2012
    10
    it's worth every penny.
    honestly I didn't expect anything like this at all.I was expecting something familiar like "Dresden Dolls" , a "Liza Minnelli-Dark Cabaret" album,but the songs are well written and moreover perfectly arranged.she tried so hard to de-familiarize her earlier works,and she did it absolutely great. "A Grand Theft Intermission" will be a great surprise for you.be sure     about it.
    in the end,Ben Fold is right; "You're going to **** when you hear it."    … Expand
  4. zackerywilson
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    this. is. her. best. album. yet. there's so much right with this album that i just can't fathom how anyone can not like this album. from the second track (the first is a silly little intro) to the last, you just cant turn it off. i find myself listening to it and being like "i don't really need to go to class". The melodies are there, the lyrics are brilliant and the band is perfect.
  5. recordexec
    Jan 18, 2013
    0
    Amanda Palmer cannot sing and despite her histrionic delivery, she has no sense of musicality. I find it astounding that she continues to peddle such badly drawn songs. Rather than learn her craft, Palmer piles on musicians and sounds drawing even more attention to the inherent emptiness of the each track. The songs are bad on two levels, the insensitivity of her voice and the shallowness of her lyrics. The harder Palmer tries, the more apparent it becomes that she is deeply untalented. I have heard people at karaoke bars with better technique. Avoid at all costs.… Collapse

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 18 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. NOW Magazine
    Nov 8, 2012
    60
    Palmer seems intent on cramming as many ideas and textures into every song as she can, which is exciting at first but exhausting by the halfway point of an excessively long album.
    Read full review
  2. No Ripcord
    Oct 5, 2012
    60
    Perhaps the best way to approach Theatre Is Evil is not even as an album, but rather a collection of songs--all fairly similar but often good, sometimes very much so.
    Read full review
  3. PopMatters
    Oct 5, 2012
    90
    In Theatre Is Evil, Palmer hasn't just topped her best releases to date. She's done it with room to spare.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »