'Cause I Sez So

Performer: New York Dolls
Producer: Todd Rundgren; Todd Rundgren
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel: David Johansen (vocals); Steve Conte, Sylvain Sylvain (guitar, background vocals); Brian Delaney (drums). Audio Mixer: Todd Rundgren. Recording information: Utopia Sound Studio, Kauai, HI. Author: David Johansen. Photographers: Max Lakner; Leah Victoria Hennessey. The second full-length Dolls effort since their unexpected Morrissey-brokered reunion in 2004, 'CAUSE I SEZ SO, finds the Dolls switching labels but not styles as they jump from the Roadrunner imprint to the vaunted Atlantic subsidiary Atco. Though only front man David Johansen and guitarist Sylvain Sylvain remain from the Dolls' original lineup, the group still sounds convincingly unhinged. Todd Rundgren, who produced the Dolls' debut in 1973, makes an unexpected return to the mixing board, and lends a satisfyingly rugged sound to numbers like the R&B rave-up "Muddy Bones" and the Stonesy "Better Than You."

Alternative Press (p.130) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he surprise is the variety of styles the band attempt, from the flamenco of 'Trash' to the bolero of 'Temptation To Exist.'" Billboard (p.29) - "The unlikely resurrection of the New York Dolls is solidified by this second album, an output that now matches in quantity and mirrors in quality their epic early-'70s sprint." Record Collector (magazine) (p.89) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The blistering title track and cataclysmic 'Exorcism Of Despair' are quintessential swaggering 'Dolls,' while 'This Is Ridiculous' slithers into Wolfish blues-crawling."

With inspiration from British glam and US proto-punks like the Stooges, the New York Dolls were the originators of the NYC trash aesthetic that inspired subsequent generations of punk bands. Churning out garage riffs that tipped their hat to 1960s R&B, they were the Stones of the first punk generation. Their outrageous image and brash sound gained them attention, but failed to make them stars, and David Johansen, Johnny Thunders, and Syl Sylvain all went on to solo careers after just two Dolls albums. In 2004, the Dolls reunited, with surviving members Sylvain, Johansen, and Arthur Kane making a triumphant festival appearance. Sadly, Kane died shortly after, but Johansen and Sylvain played another show dedicated to the memory of all the deceased dolls (Kane, Thunders, Jerry Nolan, Billy Murcia). In 2006, the remaining band members recorded their third official studio album to almost universal acclaim.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.5