Customer Reviews

One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I loved the Dolls from the very beginning, in the Oscar Wilde room at the Mercer Arts Center, when nobody came to see them & Billy was still the drummer. I was there at the Little Hippodrome for the Red Patent Leather finis. I saw their triumphant return at Little Steven's Underground Garage, with tears in my eyes when David sang Lonely Planet Boy & You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory. Tears for lost Dolls & lost youth. The '70's Dolls were something to see. If you saw them in their hey day you know they were touched by greatness. Like the early Rolling Stones. Gonna be bigger than the Beatles! The rest, as they say, is history.

I avoided buying this disc, and owned it for a week before I played it. How can just David and Syl recreate the mayhem and music in the new millenium? Somehow, they do. The first 4 songs on the CD - from We're all in Love, Runnin' Around, Plenty of Music, Dance Like a Monkey -the reconstituted NY Dolls take control. It's a blast of attitude, witty lyrics, and solid fun. Several reviewers have slagged the ballads & slower tunes, but I think songs like Maimed Happiness, Punishing World, and especially I Ain't Got Nothin' are spot on. There are flashes of regret, bitterness, introspection that were unthinkable 30+ years ago. It's appropriate for men in their '50's to look back & ponder. I Ain't Got Nothin', in the hands of anybody else but David Johansen would be an excuse for a pity party. But long after it finished playing, I could hear the heartfelt and plaintive delivery. For me the lone clinker is Gotta Get Away From Tommy. Won't be listening to that too many times.

Highlights for me are "Fishnets & Cigarettes" - managing to create the atmosphere and the energy of '70's New York club scenes where band and after band, led by the Dolls, created a new rock benchmark. "Dancing on the Lip of a Volcano" is evocative & magic. "Gimme Love & Turn on the Light" replaces teenage lust with grown up sex with an old fashioned blues churned up & spat out. A bow to Iggy, it smacks of a marriage between the Stooges & the Dolls.

Syl's signature harmonies and tunesmithery is consistent throughout. Despite other reviewers comparisons to David Johansens solo turns, I beg to differ - this is a Dolls album. David, older, wiser, gruffer, is channeling the spirit from within to earmark his lyrics with the droll, snotty, whimsical self he first displayed in 1972. He's still good/bad, but he's not evil.

There's a lot about One Day... that intentionally harkens back to the beginning - the monkey noises on Dance Like a Monkey, lyrics, song structure, arrangements. It raises the spectre of who's not there. Sam Conte attempts some signature Thunders riffing, but it just reminds me that no matter how people have tried, & many have again & again throughout the years,no one has mastered Johnny's lurching, buzzsaw solos & phrasing. The drummer is very good, but he just reminds me how Jerry Nolan hammered home the back beat. Jerry was under rated as a drummer. He was the key to the Dolls sound. Sami Yaffa's definitely a better bass player than Arthur, but all it does is remind me of that big lovable lug standing on stage in his torn fishnets & beatup yellow platform boots attempting to figure out how to breath and play at the same time. It's bittersweat. But I smile at the memory. You CAN put your arms around a memory.

Thirty years since "Too Much Too Soon?" Was I really still in High School and driving a '68 GTO while blasting "Stranded in the Jungle" from a cassette deck? Dear lord, this is scary stuff. And from "Stranded in the Jungle," the long layover to get back in the states ends at "Dance Like a Monkey." Which, by the way, jams like Cheap Trick tearing into Motown and crossing it with David Jo's "Funky But Chic." The Lipstick Killers are back, oh worshippers of yore, and are ready to chase your granddaughters.

Well, at least 2/5's of them. Surviving members David Johansen and Syl Sylvian dredge up a lot of the old greasy sparks of those first two classic records here, and their age has granted them some tempered wisdom. The ballad "Dancing On the Lip of a Volcano" (featuring teenaged Doll fan Mikey Stipe) is slick and smart, something their drug addled early days wouldn't have allowed them. With Jack Douglas giving the band a sturdy production job, and the extra cast members filling in ably for the departed, "One day...." exceeds in expectations.

The favorite moment for me, though, is "Fishnets and Cigarettes." Barking out the lyric with cheeky nostalgia, it is David and Syl's grand glam tribute to Kane, Nolan and Thunders, as well as the heady days of the 70s NY outbreak of punk. It cheerfully recalls the days when the Dolls were actually dangerous...not just to themselves, but to the perceived rock and roll hierarchy. Funny how you can listen to this (and the older albums now) and hear so many current bands, from My Chemical Romance to The Black Crowes, echoed in the Doll's musical legacy. Despite the overly wordy title, "Some Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This" is a blast from the past reminder of a band that all but invented the scene that spawned everyone from The Ramones to Twisted Sister.

After thirty-two years, the Dolls have returned. And they have found just the right sweet spot for their new record. No longer pre-punk punks, David and Syl (and the "new" Dolls) find a perfect balance between adolescent cocksure arrogance and sage-like maturity. The Dolls were always about reckless, yet positive, f-u-n. I dare you to put on their first two records (or for that matter their latest) and to remain seated in your chair. You have to dance. You have to (at least try and) kiss the girl. The Dolls have always been a Shangri-las soundtrack for a post-Stones (circa "Sticky Fingers") rock'n'roll. And the new record has all of these qualities in spades. Every track will have you singing along by the second chorus. And the songs are relevant. The words are David's and they address everything from current events ("Dance Like A Monkey" had better be this summer's "Thong Song") to growing ungracefully old happily. They key element in this mix that makes this album different from David's solo albums is Syl. He adds that romantic rawk'n'roul spark from his backing vocals to his signature grooves. Its easy for all of us to twist the songs to preconceptions about how we feel about the band or its members, but the bonus DVD kinda puts all the whiney reviews to shame. It professionally captures the ramshackle joy that the bandmembers were bringing to the studio. How many soulless rockumentaries have we seen with bored bands being boring in the studio? This doc shows how much fun these guys were having writing songs together (each member has at least one credit) and playing together (which comes through loud and clear on the finished lp). Bravo, Dolls! Hope you swing through HOTlanta soon!

I was never a Dolls fan in their 70's heydey...then I caught the new lineup on late night tv performing
"Dance Like A Monkey".It was a great performance...so great I HAD to go out and buy the CD. I was so anxious to hear it I began strip it of its shrinkwrap while walking fast to my car . I couldn't wait to hear it..I had not been this excited about a disc since I bought my Deep Purple "Rapture In The Deep" cd over 6 months ago!

Once in my car I played it and was blown away. This is a remarkable accomplishment...it's got to be one of the best rock discs in years..it's that good! Every song is good, melodic, played with pro precision, and the vibe never releases its grip on you. It's not over the top, sloppy, angry, or nasty. You'll hear the influence of bands like the Stones, Aerosmith, and the Black Crowes on this one. Some great background vocals on several tunes.

I must also comment on the great job Jack Douglas did in producing the songs. The recordings are so clean that you can crank this sucker way up without any distortion...it's punchy, driven, glistening rock and roll power.

This cd is definitely my drivin' down the road soundtrack for 2006.. This disc deserves to go platinum.

Favorite songs: Dance like a monkey, Runnin around, Fishnets and Cigarettes, I ain't got nothin (great heartbreaker), and Plenty of music.... get it now!

The New York Dolls return with their first new studio LP in years and it's a good thing. Founding members David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain are joined by capable rockers, guitarist Steve Conte, ex-Hanoi Rocks bassist Sami Yaffa, drummer Brian Delaney and keyboardist Brian Koonin. After a year of touring, all are in top form and ready to blister your ears with some real rock n' roll. The strength of this release is illustrated by the fact that many of the tracks here have already become solid live selections, mixing well with tried-and-true Dolls favorites.

What makes this record so good? It rocks and it's fun. Johansen and company approach rock n' roll with buckets of good humor, twisted grins, and a healthy sense of their own good fortune. The original glam-rock/punk kids, the Dolls (old and new) have always grabbed happily from the rock n' roll tree; from `50s shuffles to soaring `60s girl group harmonies, from slithering Philadelphia soul to down-and-dirty R&B stomps, the New York Dolls giddily steal all the best parts and make them their own. Does this LP capture the old Dolls' joyful chaos of "Personality Crisis", "Trash", "Babylon", "Puss n' Boots", "Human Being" and "Chatterbox"? Some yes and some no, but that's okay because the boys are older now and One Day It Will Please Us... reflects that fact. The production is better, the players more confident, and the minds a little sharper. But don't fret: the joyful swagger remains and the twisted hits keep coming. One Day It Will Please Us... opens with "We're All in Love", a tune with an infectious chorus you'll be humming all day. Both "Runnin' Around" and "Take a Good Look at my Good Looks" have Rolling Stones-like rollick, and "Dance Like a Monkey" will have you doing exactly that, complete with Johansen-patented whistles and cries that recall "There's Gonna Be a Showdown" and "Stranded in the Jungle". Moments of reflective R&B come via "Plenty of Music", "Maimed Happiness", and "I Ain't Got Nothin'". Driving rock is well represented with "Punishing World" and "Gimme Love & Turn on the Light". Two of my favorite tunes from this CD are "Fishnets and Cigarettes" and "Gotta Get Away from Tommy", both top-notch Dolls rockers. REM's Michael Stipe makes an appearance on "Dancing on the Lip of a Volcano", and Iggy Pop joins in on "Gimme Love". Critics seem to dig "Volcano" and the bouncy "Rainbow Store", but I don't know why when the disc offers plenty of stronger material than those two tracks. Oh, and there are 14 songs on this release, not 13, with hidden track "Seventeen" at the end.

Jive piano, jangly guitars, rapid-fire drumming, irony-laden lyrics, a little harmonica, doo-wop choruses and plenty of attitude - it all makes for good fun, rock n' roll that will live long past this current summer. A bonus "Making of the Album" DVD generously illustrates how they work together and why we love them. Put One Day It Will Please Us... next to your other New York Dolls CDs. It belongs.

as a rock and roll buff, of course i love the two new york dolls albums from the early 70's. both of them are musts for all rock and roll collections. however; when i first saw that this new album was out, i was not interested, was not going to get it. johnny thunders is of course dead, the new york dolls can never be the new york dolls again. i loved david johansen's two albums with the harry smiths, still this attempt to go backward seemed ill advised to common sense. then i saw this cd turn up on mojo magazines top 50 albums of the year (somewhere around 27th, i believe). so i thought, okay; i'll give it a try - can always kill myself if it sucks. well, it doesn't suck. if i look at it as the work of a new rock and roll band that i've never heard before, then it is a very enjoyable slice of retro-rock with lots of predictable and endearing guitar licks on good songs that are passionately sung by a man who has a voice made for rock and roll. take it for what it is: not classic (like the 'real' new york dolls albums), but an excellent rock record all the same.

The New York Dolls 1st album since 1974's Too Much Too Soon is well worth the 32 year wait! This is Rock and Roll the way it should be. Plenty of Rockers and some great ballads. Not a bad song on this cd at all!! My favs so far are Dance Like a Monkey and Fishnets and cigarettes. The bonus track seventeen rocks!! every song on this cd is just Awesome! If you are a Dolls Fan old or new or just love good Rock and Roll this cd is for you. Buy this cd today!!!

The DVD is also great to be able to see the band create this masterpiece. I thought Jack Douglas did a awesome job producing and it was good to see Iggy Pop as a guest artist.The Dolls are in top form . Keep up the good work New York Dolls. I look forward to seeing you in concert again and to hear the next cd.

The Ny Dolls Are Back!!!

The Album Captures the Raw Sound Of A Band that has influenced
Countless of others:Kiss,Poison,Cinderella,The ramones etc etc.
I really would Advise you to buy this Album its chock full of
great songs,Fun,Sleazy,Sexy Raw Rock And Roll.

Its About Time That a Rock band should sound like this without
being overproduced!!!

Love It

Quite simply put, the best album of the year. Witty, trashy, knowing, rocking good times. Shake it like a monkey baby!

I never thought i would see a new Dolls Record and not one as great as this!! The new guys in the band play great and add a lot to the sound and David and Syl are as great as ever,The DVD is a nice touch and fun to watch,Looks like they are all having a great time making this record and it shows, a Great mix of Rockers,Ballads and Great Smart/Funny Lyrics.

Buy this and while your at it pick up The new Pat Todd and the Rankoutsiders "Outskirts of your Heart" cd and you will have the Two Best Rock N roll records to have come out in Years!!