The New York Dolls made a brave move reforming 28 or so years after they originally split. Times change, music evolves, new influences arrive on the scene. Now with two albums in the can since the reformation - how would a band that influenced bands as varied as Kiss and The Clash fare in 2011? Despite the fact that only Johansen and Sylvain remain from the original lineup, their original influences of 60's girl bands, 50's rock n' roll and early Stones are still evident on this album. It is a more polished affair than their garage punk roots as they have Killers producer Jason Hill at the helm, but it is also very eclectic moving from funk, to Motown, to rock n' roll and all points in between. Don't get me wrong that's not a bad thing. I have to admit here and now that I've never been a die-hard Dolls fan - but I do like this album, it's eclectic nature is part of it's appeal. It's also a grower - it does get better each time you play it - which is a blessing as clocking in at only 37 minutes does means that if (as I did) you put it on in the car for a 2.5 hour journey you get to hear the album 4 times!
Maybe they felt a bit guilty about the length of the album as it's packaged with a bonus DVD that was filmed during the recording of the album, incorporating unseen footage and live audio tracks from the bands performances at The Cluny in Newcastle in September 2010.
NR
