CD Review: New York Dolls: 'Cause I Sez So

'Cause I Sez SoPublished In The Message, May 13. 2009
After storming onto the rock-and-roll scene 36 years ago with their very influential, self-titled debut album in 1973 and follow up Too Much Too Soon in 74', the infamous New York Dolls dissolved almost as fast as they arrived.
However in 2004 and some 27 years after their break up, the original surviving Dolls, singer David Johansen, guitarist Sylvain Sylvain and (now the late) bassist Arthur Kane finally reunited for some live shows before releasing their third album in 2006.
And after touring on and off over the last couple of years, the Dolls are back again with a new record deal (Atco Records) and a new CD titled 'Cause I Sez So. And what makes it all even more special is that they have also reunited with the legendary Todd Rundgren, who also produced that influential debut release 36 years ago.
Featuring eleven original tracks plus a remake of "Trash" from their first album, the new release, eight of the eleven originals were co-written by Johansen and Sylvain, however the new Dolls appearing on the record - Steve Conte, Sami Yaffa and Brian Delany - also contributed ideas to the songs. And if long-time Dolls fans are expecting some replica of days gone by, you won't find it here. Oh - but don't misunderstand, there are certainly plenty of tracks that harken back to that raunchy vibe and those pouty, bad-ass Johansen vocals that first made them famous including the opening title track "'Cause I Sez So", Muddy Bones" and the closing "Exorcism Of Despair".
However what might surprise some of the long-time fans is that the Dolls had no intention or desire to just being another revival or "greatest hits" band, in fact, there are several tracks that might surprise you. Such as the straight?up blues of "This Is Ridiculous", the roughed-up pop of "Better Than You" and "Lonely So Long", the acoustic jamming of "My World" and "Making Rain" and even a raggae-soaked version
of "Trash". Yes folks, this is the New York Dolls doing all of this!
Ya know, the Dolls could have just taken the easy way out and done what everyone probably expected them to do, but the path of least resistance is not the road they chose, instead they reached down for something new, something different. Why? "'Cause they sez so!"