Customer Reviews

'Cause I Sez So (with Bonus Disc "Live From Planet Earth")

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If The Rolling Stones made an album as good as the reunited NY Dolls` "Cause I Sez So" in 2009, critics would be hailing "a triumphant return to form." It's an old-fashioned rock album in the sense that every song has its own distinct personality, and nearly very song burns itself onto your memory within seconds. Ahhhhh .... remember those days?

Some may still wonder how these five guys, led by the only two surviving original members, have a right to call themselves The New York Dolls without guitarist Johnny Thunders (1952-1991), whose signature buzzsaw sound helped define the band. Furthermore, many of the new songs, sung from the perspective of older, wiser men, lack the trash-and-glamor appeal of the first two classic albums from `73 and `74, so why bother?

But here's another question: Who knows how the Dolls would have sounded in 1976, 1977 or 1980 and beyond if they had chosen to stay together? Would they have begun to challenge themselves musically, as The Clash did on their third album "London Calling"? We'll never know, but the best clues - which point to "yes" -- can probably be found on Johansen's early solo albums of the late `70s.

Truth is, singer David Johansen and guitarist Syl Sylvain have every right to claim the legacy of the Dolls. When Thunders, bassist Arthur Kane and drummer Jerry Nolan left in 1975, they were replaced by three new guys, and the band soldiered on for a couple of years, during which time some songs emerged that ended up on Johansen's first solo album, which featured Sylvain. Those songs were very, how do you say, Dollsy.

The band has been reunited with three more new members since 2004 -- guitarist Steve Conte, bassist Sami Yaffa and drummer Brian Delaney. They made their first great comeback album "One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This" in 2006, which elicited critical responses split between raves and indifference. With Thunders gone forever, people tend to underestimate Johansen's contribution to the band's greatness. He's perhaps the member most responsible for the blues-loving, girl-group-loving musical philosophy, the look, and the personality of the band, then and now.

He is also one fantastic lyricist and singer, and he gives his all to every cut on "Cause I Sez So." On the rocking title track, he manages to bellow and pout at the same time, just like the old days, as he rails against the surveillance society: "Takin' pretty pictures every place I go/ Orwell in the bathroom watching me go."

This track also highlights the exciting guitar interplay between Sylvain and Conte, who have solved the problem of replacing a distinctive former lead guitarist the way the Stones did when they hired Ron Wood; the two guitarists now weave around each other, challenge each other, and speak almost as one playful voice.

The album's best rocker may be the next song, the hard-charging "Muddy Bones," co-written by Johansen and bassist Sami Yaffa. Amid the clamor and bang, Johansen laments the mess left behind in the post-Bush era: "Around the world it's a bloody mess/ It's a permanent apocalypse ... Everybody's startin' to figure out what's goin' on."

Most of the co-writing credits go to Sylvain, but the "new guys" are no slackers. Conte co-wrote the lovely, jangling ballad "Better Than You," in which the tough/tender lead singer warns that he'll "kick your a**" if you talk bad about his baby, and sings the album's wittiest line: "My baby, she says my music's better/ It's much better than it sounds."

Conte's other writing credit, "This is Ridiculous," is a Howlin' Wolf-style blues number, and a sequel to the last album's "I Ain't Got Nothing" that bemoans a life of poverty, experienced after a period of relative success. There's a Randy Newman-esque feel to how Johansen inhabits the down-and-out character telling his sad story here.

The band covers many bases in their litany of influences on "Cause I Sez So." Johansen's melodramatic Eric Burdon side comes out on "Drowning," co-written with Sylvain.

Another of their collaborations, "Lonely So Long," is pure, AM-radio old soul. "Nobody Got No Bizness" is J. Geils-style funk with the requisite harmonica-as-percussion device. Johansen gets all metaphysical on "Temptation to Exist" over a Latin lilt, with some slyly humorous Spaghetti-Western touches, in the camp Dolls tradition that also includes sound effects ("Making Rain") and girl-group-inspired backing vocals throughout.

On some other numbers, Johansen and Sylvain go somewhere new. "Making Rain," a meditation on despair, is built on strummed acoustic guitar, and sounds more like crashing waves then rain. Acoustic strumming anchors "My World" as well, with a Springsteen-meets-Righteous-Brothers grandeur, as Johansen gives thanks for redemptive love: "Got to be my world/ You're so beautiful."

A lilting reggae reworking of their 1973 classic "Trash" evokes sides 5 and 6 of The Clash's "Sandinista," and it's surprisingly effective (and somehow, poignant). The closer, "Exorcism of Despair," is a giddy, loud rocker with backup vocals that recall "My Boyfriend's Back."

Johansen has never sung better. His tobacco-stained, bassy baritone hits every nuance of humor, toughness and tenderness that he intends. He is a very smart man, with impeccable taste in old rock and roll and a keen understanding of the world today.

That description works just as well for the David Johansen of the 1970s, and that helps makes the case for the New York Dolls of 2009. And don't underestimate the new guys, either, While you're listening, just zero in on Yaffa's nimble, propulsive bass lines, particularly on the title track. Or concentrate on Delaney's drumming , then realize you've been tapping your foot, or nodding your head in time all along,

As long this great band honors the legacy of the Dolls, and rock and roll, as they do on "Cause I Sez So," I'll remain a believer. They are the world's greatest rock and roll band, for my money.

This release by the New York Dolls is a little mellower than than their previous outing but it works in a good way. While this record doesn't always follow the typical Dolls formula you hardly notice because the songs are so good and the raw production by Todd Rundgren is stellar. They don't make 'em like the Dolls anymore so enjoy them while they are still around.

Well they've done it again.The New York Dolls have delivered a(nother) new album of excellent material.They are doing what The Stones and Aerosmith should be doing at their age and better.Top rock'n'roll songs with a hint of the old punk rock edge of old but without pretension or over production. Check out the title track for example. Thats not to say that its all a one trick show,oh no. A surprising amount of this album is acoustic based and no spark is lost even though the volume is lowered. OK so maybe the previous release in '06 outshines this one for the moment its still almost certainly the best new release of 2009.

The Dolls just keep getting better and better. I loved the first reunion cd and this one is even better. Fantastic lyrics with every musical style you can imagine. It keeps getting better with every listen. Be sure to see them live if you can and you will be blown away. Long live the Dolls!

This is a phenomenal album. Rarely are ALL the tracks this consistently entertaining on anyone's album. It seems to me that with the previous
"Somday it will please us..." they were paying too much lip service to the
legend. Here, they've decided, consciously or otherwise, to be who they are
NOW. And with a top notch producer, it shows. The only track that doesn't
wow me is the reggae version of "Trash"; more like filler, but not unlistenable. So the album is rootsy and bluesy and modern sounding, all at once. You won't waste a cent on this one. (I sprang for the version you can get at Best Buy with the freebie extra disc of live cuts of older songs--sorry Amazon!)

In the past I could never get into the New York Dolls. They were just too amatureish sounding for my taste. This new album is a perfect mix of sloppy mixed with technique. Crunchy guitars and bloozy vocals, but the drummer actually can play on this disc. That makes quite a difference to me.
The songs run the gamut from rock to blues to ballads, even a calypso version of one of their earlier songs! All done with sass and attitude, especially from lead singer David Johannson.
All in all, a very enjoyable slice of rock and roll!

I have always loved the Dolls since day 1; what they did to piss off rednecks in AZ and inspire many of the local bands will never be forgotten. Yeah half the band is deceased, but the spirit lives on. The other reviews go into the songs more; I want to give insight to the feeling. I had a party (hot dogs, lotto booze) the other day and about 10 folks showed up. We played everything from Foghat, Kiss, and Brian James on...then I put on the new Dolls. Soon I noticed everyone's foot starting to tap, then some were singing along. Finally, one gent blurted out "Who Is This". I told the group and only 1/2 knew who they were; the other half is now enlightened and I am burning massive copies for each. A great, great album w/no filler. Get it!

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.

WEll never opened it up might buy a phono player.
Hung it up in my studio as Art.
Probably will get the CD just couldnt open a Vinyl

As much as I love the Dolls (a quick read through my other NY Dolls reviews ought to explain,) I stalled buying this one. I was queasy when I saw Rundgren was at the helm. In my, and Jerry Nolan's, opinion he stunk up the joint with the production of the first NY Dolls album. (Listen to the demo tapes of A Hard Night's Day and compare.)

But history and true love won out, I bought this latest NY Dolls CD. It's a keeper. Bluesy, biting, mature. It's what the 1970's Dolls ought to sound like in 2009. Much is written about David Jo's way with words, wit, and his growling, gravelly vocal chops. At times he sounds like Howlin' Wolf if the Wolf had been born on Staten Island, and listened to some girl groups. Nothing to take away from David - be it the Dolls, his early solo albums, the Harry Smiths - David is always on the mark.

But it's Sylvain Sylvain who's the under rated glue holding together the signature sound. His sense of songsmithery, rhythm guitar, harmonies, and infectious energy keeps the NY Dolls sound alive. His rhythm guitar was overlooked, with such a presence as Johnny Thunders' reeling, lurching anarchistic solos. Syl was co-writer with David on much of the early solo albums, and throughout the Dolls career. Syl's the man.

But props to Steve Conte, Sami Yaffa, and Brian Delaney, they do not attempt to impersonate people who are no longer with us. They are gifted musicians in their own right. And it's their new energy and musicianship that make the Dolls once again vital. It's a band. It's the attitude that makes them the NY Dolls. Not David, Syl, and a couple of other guys in rent-a-band.

And Rundgren? Well, it's better than the last time. Now that the Beatles have been remastered with 2010 technology, isn't it time to show the original Dolls some digital love?

PS - Trash as a reggae tune works. Don't ask me why. But it does. Pour yourself a Dark & Stormy and get ready for a good listen.