The Dresden Dolls: The Dresden Dolls

By SCOTT KARA

(Herald rating: * * * * )

For two people - yes, add pianist Amanda Palmer and drummer Brian Viglione to the two-person band club headed by Jack and Meg White - the Dresden Dolls make a lot of unnerving, discordant and loud noise.

Coming across like a mix of scary nursery rhymes, sweaty rock drums, and a piano that goes from a soft sonata, to polka, to sleazy jam, to absolute ball-breaking mess, this debut album from the Boston duo is challenging - too much and too annoying for most, but still intriguing.

It's not that The Dolls are devoid of tunes - The Jeep Song is almost sweet, Half Jack is possibly better than the Yeah Yeah Yeah's ballad Maps, and the single Girl Anachronism is wayward but catchy.

If they have any of the universal chemistry of Jack and Meg on stage - Palmer and Viglione are kissing on the back cover, which is a good sign - then imagine them live: Palmer tinkling away on her piano and then bashing it to oblivion while she's ranting, squawking and singing will be a sight to be seen when they play here in December. Take up the challenge, but you might lose some friends.

Label: 8FT Records