1 CENT CD: New York Dolls 'Cause I Sez So' glam

Condition of CD:  MINT CONDITION!  New 2009 album!

One review reads 'I love the NY Dolls! As far as I am concerned, for those few years in the early 70's they set down the greatest rock and roll the world has ever heard. The best. Period. So I get this disc and, with Todd producing again, kind of expect wall to wall crash and bash rock and roll. Not to be - and if this is what you expect you will be disappointed, as I was on 1st listen. Then I listened again, and again, and...

Most of the songs here are more akin to Lonely Planet Boy or some of David's solo material than Vietnamese Baby and Human Being. Acoustic guitars are as prominent as electric. Focus is more on songs/tunes than balls to the wall rock and roll. And it is great!
David Jo still can sing, and while the lyrics (for me) do not always work, when they do he is as smart as they come. A walking talking art show...

If you listened to Albert Hall or Fillmore East you know Steve Conte has the chops. No one can replace Johnny, but he is as good and close as one could hope for. But here he is much more restrained. His solo's/fills are more likely to be melodic, tasteful, they add to the song rather than just show off. The rhythm section of Brian and Sam - rock solid. And Sylvain of course is still around - what a great guitar player!

The 1st two songs rock nicely - I really like the lyrics to Because I Sez So - this is "classic" dolls. Muddy Bones is also straight rock'n'roll - solid. Then things shift - big time.

Better Than You is a good mid-tempo ballad - has a classic mid-60's feel to it. Lonely So long is pure R&B, and with a slightly different arrangement I can hear the 4 Tops back when doing it and scoring big - right in Levy Stubbs wheelhouse. My World is propelled by lots and lots of drums/rhythm, has an acoustic "core" and is hard to describe (I like it). This is Ridiculous is all blues (Muddy Waters) and has some great lyrics and snakey guitar. Temptation to Exist could fit into a spaghetti western (a good thing for me), whistling and all. A really strong and complex song. Making Rain is a gorgeous acoustic ballad with very tasteful slide fills by Conte; and the sound effects actually sound/feel like thunder and rain. Drowning has a good bit of middle-eastern influence in the verses, and then shifts to a rock solid chorus. Love Conte's solo here - constrained, spot on.

Nobody Got No Business!!! "Hi everybody, I'm David Jo and the Dolls, we're from NYC"... is the spoken start. David then says it is Philly by way of Chicago. I hear more Detroit - right up J Geils alley - with a solid funky soul feel and squonking harmonica, shout along background vox. This is good stuff!

Then the remake - a slow reggae version of Trash. At first I hated it and just wondered why?? But after a few listens, I now really like this version. It is 1000% different from the oringinal. Instead of a crash and bash throttle down rocker, the boys slow it up with a reggae beat, some dub to spice it up. David's vocal is pleading, remorseful. A whole different take. If the original "glamorized" Trash, this one is a mournful love song, and Syl still does those great background "whoo-ooo-oo's"! The disc wraps with a great rock n roller - Exorcism - the song is 3 perfect minutes of the "classic" dolls sound - thrashing guitarz, background "yeah yeah" vox, insane drums.

I am now really enjoying this disc - I came to accept it on it's own terms. These guys are pro's, and with Todd at the helm, have really looked more at releasing a bunch of great, well produced songs -"mellower", more structured, more varied than what I expected. It is a good mix of rock'n'roll, R&B, soul, a ballad or two, and the reggae/dub of Trash. The lyrics are mostly smart - what you would expect from DavidJo.

Is it a keeper? Honestly, probably not in the sense that when in a year from now I want to hear some Dolls, I am going to spin 7 Day Weekend, RockNRoll or A Hard Days Night - the session versions of the 1st two albums. But this is a really really great disc! Give it a chance and do not come in expecting anything like their 1st album with Todd (or Too Much Too Soon). It's smart, varied and a hell of a lot of fun. With all the dreck being released today, it will more than do. '.