New York Dolls

For the second installment since their reincarnation, the Dolls sought out Todd Rundgren, the producer of their 1973 debut album, and set up shop in Hawaii. The result is an album of thirteen diverse yet laid-back tunes. They open with the proto-punk title track and then move into '60s girl group territory with the cheeky "Better Than You." Next, they make a stop in early blues with David Johansen's distinctive swagger in "This Is Ridiculous" before vacationing with flamenco guitars on "Temptation to Exist" and a calypso retake on "Trash."

The reconstituted New York Dolls stack up awfully well against the original Seventies band,
whose glam rock inspired thousands of acts. This Todd Rundgren-produced follow-up to
the Dolls' fine 2006 comeback features new moves like reggae and Latin-tinged balladry.
But the selling points are its Stones-y propulsion and the nuanced vigor of David Johansen.
The singer delivers singalong choruses in his New Yawk bark, sweetly praises a l... More >