Amanda Palmer

"Machete"

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Mar 9, 2016

After unveiling some Bowie covers earlier this year, Amanda Palmer has now revealed her first full-band piece of original music since 2012. A tribute to a friend who passed away from cancer, the epic track is titled "Machete."

The song is dedicated to a friend of Palmer's named Anthony, whom she described as a "best friend, cancer victim, weapons enthusiast, life-saver." A statement about the song has the songwriter noting that the two had met when she was nine years old, and developed a deep bond over the years. Anthony passed away after a battle with leukemia.

You can read the full statement here.

The song jumps from rollicking, artsy piano-pop sections, to more pensive stretches of strings-assisted sound, each with Palmer reflecting on her old friend. She sings at one point: "I had a terrible case of the past." Among the players on the track are Ben Folds and Jherek Bischoff.

"Machete" is streaming below and can be bought over on Bandcamp.

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