Too Much Too Soon [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

New York Dolls

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 1, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 1974
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Hip-O Select
• ASIN: B000BQW88K
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,619 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The louder, clearer sound afforded by producer Shadow Morton makes the Dolls come on even brasher on their second and last album. In Too Much Too Soon finds their mix of aggression and humor intact--not just "in spite of" an increased reliance on covers, either, because David Johansen's taste in remakes expresses a lot about this music nut's crazed, loving worldview. Who else in '70s rock could make a wacked-out doo wop novelty like "Stranded in the Jungle" into an important personal statement? The Stones' late-'74 slopbucket take on "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" suggests that they'd heard the Dolls rewire the Philly-soul "Showdown." And while few of the punks who followed were to make as deep as claim on reality as the buzzsawing "Human Being" does, though many were to chip off pieces of the manic "Who Are the Mystery Girls?" --Rickey Wright

Product Description
Limited edition Japanese pressing has been remastered and comes packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. Mercury. 2006. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As classic as the debut, why is this out of print?, July 24, 2005

By	TimothyFarrell22 (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Too Much Too Soon (Audio CD)

A lot of covers, but thats not a bad thing. "Too Much Too Soon" is as great as the first Dolls LP, and certainly needs to be reissued. There is certainly a better production, with cleaner guitars, and female backing vocals. This may not be a good representation of what the Dolls sounded like live, but its still sleazy as hell. Its dangerous but fun and soulful, like all good rock 'n' roll should be. Theres a perfect balance of originals and covers, which prove the Dolls know their roots. David Johansen obviously has an incredible knowledge of popular music of the last fifty years. This is what Malcolm McLaren wanted the Sex Pistols to sound like. Like the Velvet Underground, the Dolls where way too different to be appreciated by the music-buying public of the time. Only as time passed on and the bands cult grew where they proven to be one of the most influential bands of the decade.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Party time!, November 7, 2005

By	A. Traveler - See all my reviews

This review is from: Too Much Too Soon (Audio CD)

I love this album, not because of its stellar musicianship or sterling
production values, but because of its *attitude*: there's a party goin'
on, and guess who's there? David Johansen and his pals!

Let's get completely wasted! Let's dress in drag! Let's pull out my old
record collection and play a whacked-out version of "Stranded in the Jungle"!
Hey, everyone join in on the chorus! It just keeps getting weirder and more
wonderful as the night goes on. Then after everyone leaves, you can almost
imagine having to pick up the empty booze bottles and cigarettes ground into
the carpet, wondering "who were those people, anyway?"

A wonderfully demented confection, served with a healthy dose of humor.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great album and BACK IN PRINT! (but not for long), August 23, 2005

By	M. McM "AOTT-TMF" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Too Much Too Soon (Audio CD)

I agree, it's a CRIME this album is out-of-print. The New York Dolls were around for a very short time. They couldn't attain mainstream success, and both of their studio albums flopped, but their music has aged well. Not only did they prove to be godfathers of punk (which really took shape soon after they broke-up), but both of their studio albums are now considered classics. The debut gets written about far more often, but TOO MUCH TOO SOON is probably the better album. Everything is a touch better: songs, performances, and most of all the production.

This used to available as cheap but excellent sounding CD (mastered by Dennis Drake, a good, reliable engineer who does good work). That CD was tough to find in stores and now they stopped making it. Fortunately if you go to Hip-O Select's website (I posted a link earlier, but Amazon.com censored it), you'll find that it was re-issued in late July in a special edition! Some specialty stores also carry it, but it's easy to spot because it comes with a Lp style jacket instead of a jewel case. Unfortunately it's a limited edition (another crime), and only 5000 copies will be pressed period. I doubt Universal will do the right thing and bring back the old budget CD, so go to Hip-O Select or ask your local indie music store (chain stores won't order it) and order it before it's gone!