rtbuck
Senior Member
New York Dolls – ‘‘Cause I Sez So’
Label: Atco
Review by Bucky
The New York Dolls are back with their 4th release since reuniting in 2004 for a concert featuring the surviving members (David Johansen, Sylvain Sylvain, & Arthur “Killer” Kane). The Dolls decided to keep the band rocking to a new generation of fans after a well received performance at the Meltdown Festival in London. Unfortunately, bassist Arthur Kane passed away the next month following the triumphant show but the NY Dolls continued on by recruiting former Hanoi Rocks bassist Sammi Yaffa & the band played several festivals in the UK that summer.
A DVD & CD of the London performance were released in the fall of 2004 followed by the 2007 album ‘One Day it will please us to Remember Even This’ which was the band’s first studio release since 1974. The band headlined a tour in support of the album on Little Steven’s Underground Garage Tour that year which really helped keep the band in the spotlight. The Dolls continued touring on their own in 2008 & released ‘Live at the Fillmore East’ in May of last year.
This brings us to 2009 & the NY Dolls have released their second studio album since reuniting in 2004. ‘’Cause I Sez So’ is another reunion as the band hired Todd Rundgren as the producer for the album & it is Rundgren who produced their debut self-titled album in 1973. There are a few different options for the new album: your regular CD shop, digital Download from ITunes (which gives you a bonus track), or Best Buy (which gives you a bonus 5 live track CD). I ended up buying both the digital download & the Best Buy version.
The beginning riff of the opening song “‘Cause I Sez So” took me back to the 70’s when I was a teenager. The first thing I would do when I got home from school was throw my books down, run upstairs to my room, & crank up my stereo. As soon as that riff began I just reached for the volume knob & cranked it up. The guitar exchange between Sylvain Sylvain & Steve Conte is great throughout the song as the 2 guitarists’ rock the joint while David Johansen’s angry vocals reel the listener in. “Muddy Bones” attacks the listener with the same vengeance as “Cool Metro” did on Johansen’s solo debut in 1978. The song has another ripping guitar exchange followed by the highlight of the song as Johansen yells out “We all so friggin’ naïve…” The next two tunes (“Better than You” & “Lonely So Long”) are acoustic driven numbers that I can imagine hearing in a dusty old tavern while washing down a shot of bourbon with a beer. “My World” starts & finishes with a bass run by Sammi Yaffa & in between, the song has a fast steady acoustic rhythm mixed with some cool sounding cosmic guitars. “This is Ridiculous” has a bluesy/cabaret feeling that I just want to cruise down a dusty highway in a ‘67 El Dorado & crank the hell out of it. “Temptation to Exist” would fit in great on a Quentin Tarantino movie soundtrack with its old time cowboy style. “Making Rain” is another acoustic song in which David Jo bares his heart & soul both lyrically & vocally. The strongest track on the album is “Drowning” as it has a haunting psychedelic/surf feel to it & it is this track that the band’s performance & Johansen’s vocals are at their peak. “Nobody Got No Bizness” is a funkified rocker that features Johansen in that “Showdown”/”Funky but Chic” mode that only he could do. This tune combines Archie Bell & the Drells & James Brown mixed together with a bit of old J. Geils Band. The Glam/Trash anthem from the Dolls debut album in 1973,”Trash”, catches a new reggae groove which is a great lead in before the dark assault of the albums final track “Exorcism of Despair”. “Exorcism of Despair” is the heaviest sounding tune on the album & it comes complete with distorted guitars, heavy rhythms, & 60’s girl group style backing vocals.
The Best Buy version comes with an additional disc of 5 classic Dolls tunes called ‘Live From Planet Earth’. “Frankenstein”, “Subway Train”, “Mystery Girls”, “It’s Too Late”, & “Bad Girl” are all performed live with the current line-up of the NY Dolls. The bonus track from the digital download from ITunes is a rocking remake of a Delbert McClinton song from 1976 called “Lipstick, Powder, & Paint” which is a title that is perfect for a NY Dolls tune. The song would’ve fit in on Sylvain Sylvain’s 1979 self-titled solo album as it’s in the same vein as “Teenage News” or Sylvain’s cover of “Ain’t Got no Home”.
Overall, ‘’Cause I Sez So’ is another step forward for the NY Dolls as they continue on their journey. The album is full of different styles but whether it’s the hard edge riffs, the acoustic driven rhythms, the 60’s funkified soul feel, or even the reggae groove there is one thing for sure & that is…it’s all rock & roll.
Bucky