Retro Reviews: New York Dolls: New York Dolls

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. This is a lesser-known album.

New York Dolls – New York Dolls (1973)

***1/3

Producer: Todd Rundgren

Musicians: David Johansen, Johnny Thunders, Slyvain Slyvain, Authur “Killer” Kane, Jerry Nolan, Todd Rundgren, Buddy Bowser

Songs: Personality Crisis, Looking For A Kiss, Vietnamese Baby, Lonely Planet Boy, Frankenstein (Org), Trash, Bad Girl, Subway Train, Pills, Private World, Jet Boy

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    This new band, The New York Dolls, could easily be seen as another glam rock take off on the British scene, but that would be a little deceptive. While they seem like a pastiche on The Rolling Stones, I could hear the spirit of the Stodges, or last year’s debut with Roxy Music. Or the more subversive style of Bowie.  David Johansen can scream or croon with the best of them, Johansen writes much of the material along with Johnny Thunders contributing to several songs, or at least one co-writing credit from guitarist keyboard player Slyvain Slyvain. Rundgren adds additional keyboards and horns from Buddy Bowser. Some of the more brasher material has an unhinged quality, yet there’s a certain intelligence to some of the other songs. They also manage to reconnect to Rock N Roll’s past, while sounding modern, will this be for everyone? Probably not, but one should access on their own. There’s a feeling that the glam rock scene is already ebbing. 

    Producer Rundgren has given the band a sonic statement of intent. The Stone’s influence is evident with the opener “Personality Crisis” with some Nicky Hopkns piano work, and David’s best Mick sneer, Kane’s bass work manages a good walk. “Looking For A Kiss” opens with an RNB spoken rave up, then serves up some swagger. “Vietnamese Baby” adds some dissonance to the swagger. There’s some quirky synths wilt will remind some of Eno. Things settle down for the relaxed acoustic ballad “Lonely Planet Boy”, with some good lead interplay on the acoustics, a saxophone is pull back in the mix, this manages a loose feel that reminds one of the Stone once again. “Frankenstein” manages a dark structure, a song with the scathing critique of a controlling person. The synth nearly has a Velvet’s feeling in the mix, and interesting tone setter to close out the first half. 

    Side two’s “Trash” has a fast, playful feel, with some unhinged do wop vocals in the mix, and spirited lead work. Some highly clever guitar work opens “Bad Girl”, and an otherwise standard rocker. There’s another unhinged quality to the blues country rocker “Subway Train”, it manages a big Thunder’s guitar solo in the second half. “Pills” is the closest to a standard blues rave up with harmonica in tow. “Private World” is the most unique, a hybrid RNB Bolero march that shifts into classic rhythms The closer “Jet Boy” manages a fast tempo and offers a few dynamic shifts. While I am not completely sold on some of the material, the strong points keep this compelling, the band hints at a way that Glam may survive by being more savage now, I can’t tell how much milage this will get, but I am curious about their future.