No, Virginia... Explained

No, Virginia...
Type:compilation
Artist:The Dresden Dolls
Cover:The Dresden Dolls - No, Virginia....jpg
Released:May 17, 2008
Recorded:2003 – January 2008
Studio:Mad Oak, Allston, Massachusetts
Genre:
Length:48:46
Label:Roadrunner
Producer:
Prev Title:Yes, Virginia...
Prev Year:2006

No, Virginia... is the first compilation album by American dark cabaret band The Dresden Dolls. It was released in Europe on May 19, 2008 and North America on May 20, 2008.[1] A special edition was released in the US via the iTunes Store and Amazon.com's MP3 service on June 10, 2008. The compilation is a companion piece to the band's second studio album, 2006's Yes, Virginia..., and contains tracks left over from recording sessions dating back to 2003,[2] along with B-sides and tracks released on compilations. Singer Amanda Palmer has emphasized that the unreleased tracks from Yes, Virginia... were left off the album due to issues with the flow of the album, and not with the tracks themselves.[3] Five tracks from No, Virginia... were recorded with Sean Slade in January 2008 at Mad Oak Studios. The songs themselves were written years ago but had not been recorded until the session with Slade. One song from the album, "The Kill", has been made available for streaming on the band's MySpace profile.

On April 4, 2008, the band began taking pre-orders for the album. Those who pre-ordered the album directly from the band were able to download a live recording of "Glass Slipper" during the week the album was released. The track may be one of the two live tracks the band considered adding to the standard track listing of the album.[4]

Critical reception

Favorable reviews came from Billboard,[5] The Boston Globe,[6] The New York Times,[7] and Paste.[8]

Track listing

  1. "Dear Jenny" – 3:07
  2. "Night Reconnaissance" – 3:56
  3. "The Mouse and the Model" (demo) – 6:02
  4. "Ultima Esperanza" – 4:33
  5. "The Gardener" (Yes, Virginia... B-side) – 5:08
  6. "Lonesome Organist Rapes Page-Turner" (Yes, Virginia... B-side) – 3:42
  7. "Sorry Bunch" – 3:09
  8. "Pretty in Pink" (The Psychedelic Furs cover) – 3:57
  9. "The Kill" (Yes, Virginia... B-side) – 3:49
  10. "The Sheep Song" – 3:59
  11. "Boston" (Yes, Virginia... B-side) – 7:20

The special edition was digital only, whereas the standard edition was published both in CD and vinyl formats.

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for No, Virginia...! Chart (2008)! Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[9] 78
US Billboard 200[10] 94

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Dresden Dolls release "No, Virginia" b-sides/demos/new tracks, May 20 . Indiependent Music . 2008-03-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080327054521/http://indiependentmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/dresden-dolls-no-virginia-b.html . 2008-03-27 . dead .
  2. Web site: Yes, Virginia... 101 . . 2008-03-24.
  3. Web site: Re: No, Virginia: May 20th . . 2008-03-24.
  4. Web site: Re: What do you think/hope will be on the new EP?? . . 2008-04-05.
  5. No, Virginia . . . . Todd Martens . 17 May 2008 . . 31 August 2011.
  6. 20 May 2008 . The Dresden Dolls collect themselves . The Boston Globe . 31 August 2011.
  7. Nate Chinen . 19 May 2008 . Bun B, "Il Trill"; Donna Summer, "Crayons"; "Julianne Hough"; Dresden Dolls, "No, Virginia..." . . 31 August 2011.
  8. Christina Hansen . Review :: No, Virginia :: [Roadrunner] |journal=Paste |url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/7481/review/music/no_virginia |access-date=31 August 2011.
  9. 87.
  10. Billboard 200: Week of June 7, 2008. Billboard. July 12, 2022.