Sometimes, the music that becomes “the next big thing” is created by people who seemingly could care less whether they become stars or not. Boston’s The Dresden Dolls are such a band—they’re just doing what they do, but what’s more, they don’t sound like anyone else while doing it. Really. That ain’t no record company spin. And it’s an especially an amazing feat when you think of popular music’s long tradition of knock-offs. Singer/pianist Amanda Palmer’s heart-on-her-bloody-sleeve lyrics that provide this era’s voice for angst in an original way, and folks are eating it up around the world. Exeter’s Ioka Theater has scored a coup by bringing the hot act to their room Thursday, March 2, fresh off a promotional tour in Europe for their new record “Yes, Virginia.”

Palmer and drummer Brian Viglione bring Palmer’s sexy, dark and quirky songs to life with flair, theatrics and good pop sense. Palmer and Viglione navigate their musical territory with skill and ease. From the brooding slow burn of “Good Day” about a partner who doesn’t want to “hear about it” to the rocking and chaotic “Girl Anachronism,” with Palmer’s multi-tracked and distorted vocals adding to the musical muddle.

“You can tell /from the scars on my arms / and cracks in my hips /and the dents in my car / and the blisters on my lips /that I’m not the carefullest of girls,” she sings on the song. Palmer’s piano playing is as chaotic or gentle as the song requires, and Viglione’s drumming is rich and musical. Palmer’s music would be lost without his contributions.

Chances are, if you’ve heard the band’s breakthrough single, the playful “Coin Operated Boy,” a song about a girl who longs for romance without hassles and with a “boy” who’ll never let her down emotionally (or in the sack), then you’ve got a nice little dose of Palmer’s style. A lot of the material is sexually charged. The Dolls aren’t afraid to use humor to break up what otherwise might be an onslaught of angsty diary-entry style pieces about unrequited love, sex and anger.

There’s some cabaret in there with the rock and roll, too—some of their music sounds like Tom Waits’ “Alice/Blood Money” material, like “Missed Me” with its almost Eastern European feel, but with a feminine twist.

Fate surely intervened on their behalf. The two players met each other randomly at a Halloween party and started playing together in mid-2000. It was “rock love” at first sight. Decked out in their trademark white face paint, like a couple of ironic mimes, Palmer in striped thigh high hosiery, garter belt and black slip and Viglione in an unbuttoned dress shirt and wide tie, the pair are a blur of movement on stage. Two people with such a complementary taste for the dramatic and common musical vision finding each other must have been a musical needle-in-the haystack moment. This is the kind of act that everyone will claim to have been a fan of “back in the day,” and they’re being served up on your doorstep—to Exeter for goodness sake!