Amanda Palmer Preparing Solo Album for Fall Release

Former Dresden Doll Amanda Palmer released her last solo record, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, in 2008. Presently in Melbourne, Australia, the performer has been recording a follow-up. Telling Billboard she’s “excited” about her upcoming album, Palmer has been putting in 12-hour days in order to release it by September 2012.

Working with Ben Folds on Who Killed, Palmer brought John Congleton, who previously produced Modest Mouse, and a full band has been joining them. Regarding their recording sessions, Palmer told Billboard: "We're making so many discoveries and creating so much stuff in the studio that it feels like a much more secret project that we then get to pull the curtain away from and unveil to the world."

So, how did Palmer end up working with Congleton? She explained to the magazine, saying: "Three or four years ago, John wrote me a fan letter one day, and said, 'I love Dresden Dolls and I would love to work with you. What have you got planned?' Working with a new producer is always kind of a leap of faith. You can meet with them and you can even do some test sessions, which I did with John -- kind of like, 'let me date you before I actually get married to you for a record.' But ultimately, you sort of do the math on a producer, and you say, well, they have these influences, they've made these records, they don't seem like a crazy human being, and then you just jump in."

Palmer is doing a few other things differently with this album. Describing the songs as “super emotional,” the singer said this release will have greater variety and come out in an unconventional manner. While the physical product is expected by the fall, Palmer plans to put out songs in order separately over the internet until then, which seems to be similar to the approach the Smashing Pumpkins took with Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. Do you think Palmer will be more successful than Billy Corgan with this method?