 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New York Dolls
‘Cause I Sez So
(Atco Records)
Throughout the oft-tumultuous histories of the Hard Rock and Heavy metal genres, the Glam and Punk sub-genres have frequently served as an unwitting source of inspiration for the legions of would-be contemporaries that would unceremoniously follow in their larger-than-life footsteps. The examples, far too numerous to list within such a limited forum, invariably surround us all. Despite this (or perhaps in part because of it), an inexplicably vast and diverse cross-section of these pioneering artists and groups routinely fail to amass the more than considerable critical respect and recognition they so rightfully deserve. Needless to say, when I was approached regarding writing a review of ‘Cause I Sez So, the latest chapter in the woefully long-overdue comeback of improbably long-running icons New York Dolls, I was once again only more than happy to oblige.
On the stellar ‘Cause I Sez So (2009), an expertly assembled twelve song collection of Glam, Punk and Pop-tinged Hard Rock, each track, beginning with the globally introspective (and apparently Rolling Stones-inspired) “Muddy Bones”, and the swaggering, adrenaline-laced “Better Than You”, instantly command the rapt and undivided attention of even the most jaded and unimaginative of listeners, myself most definitely included. Wasting little--if any--time locking down on an oddly airtight groove fondly reminiscent of the group’s prototypical origins (most notably the quasi-iconoclastic menagerie that was 1973’s self-titled, Todd Rundgren-produced debut), the ‘…group fires on all cylinders…’ early and often without openly embracing the shameless, payola-driven tactics that will continue to systematically eviscerate the very essences of the charts and airwaves.
Continuing with the seemingly self-explanatory lament “Lonely So Long”, and the cliché-riddled (albeit playfully swaggering) “This Is Ridiculous”, the steadfast--to say the very least--combination of vocalist David Johansen (i.e. the artist formerly known as chart-topping Lounge/Jazz/Calypso oddity Buster Poindexter) guitarists Sylvain Sylvain and Steve Conte, ex-Hanoi Rocks bassist Sami Yaffa, keyboardist Brian Koonin and drummer Brian ‘Fancy Delancey’ Delaney steamroll ahead like the well-oiled machine they so obviously have become. Undoubtedly attempting to appease both die-hard completists and the uninitiated alike, the group deftly punctuates each carefully crafted composition with a veritable wealth of ‘…stripped-down…’ Blues and R&B, further highlighting the sextet’s curiously overlooked, genre-defying depth and compositional wizardry.
Wisely expanding upon 2006’s Road Runner Records-issued (!) One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This, the majority--if not all--of the impressively Glam and Punk-tinged wares contained herein offer a refreshingly lucid glimpse of the group’s already much-celebrated past. As a result, other standouts, including the delightfully acoustic-laden “Making Rain”, and the maddeningly infectious closer “Exorcism Of Despair”, drive home each key focal point with what can only be described as a sickening ease. Easily eclipsing the ‘…fractured magic…’ of 1974’s Too Much Too Soon (and for that matter, the slew of hastily assembled compilations and demos that followed in its wake), the group succeeds in furthering their legacy without, believe it or not, subtracting from the mascara-encrusted hedonisms that personified their commercial heydaze.
But is it really that freakin’ good? Absolutely! Despite a full-fledged reunion of the group’s ‘…classic…’ line-up being physically impossible (guitarist Johnny Thunders, bassist Arthur ‘Killer’ Kane and drummer Jerry Nolan are all deceased), Johansen and Sylvain continue to accurately recreate the group’s once-groundbreaking blend of tonality, attitude and image. The end result(s), as you may have already guessed, of the group’s efforts ultimately make the mighty ‘Cause I Sez So one of 2009’s most truly pleasant--if not entirely unexpected--surprises. Thus, if you’ve once again found yourself in search of an arguably less-than-obvious alternative to the painfully homogenized, Hip Hop-fueled drivel that is so often the mainstream, then this, my friends, might just be the proverbial high-octane cure for what ails you. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.
Select Discography
‘Cause I Sez So (2009)
Live At The Filmore East (2008)
One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This (2006)
Morrissey Presents: The Return Of New York Dolls Live From Royal Festival Hall (2004)
Manhattan Mayhem (2003)
From Paris With Love (L.U.V.) (2002)
Live In Concert: Paris 1974 (1998)
Paris Le Trash (1993)
Seven Day Weekend (Demo) (1992)
Red Patent Leather (1984)
Lipstick Killers - The Mercer Street Sessions (Demo) (1981)
Too Much Too Soon (1974)
New York Dolls (1973)