"CAUSE I SEZ SO"

ATCO RECORDS

Reviewed by ROTTEN

I am a huge Dolls fan, i found them VERY influential on my own music, and prayed for the day that they would reform. Sure enough, I attended both 2004 shows at the Royal Festival Hall in London which turned out to be Arthur Kane's swansong before his sad death.

Then they announced a comeback album, ONE DAY IT WILL PLEASE US TO REMEMBER EVEN THIS, which was an awesome way to come back! A great return to Dolls form, with new members Brian Delaney (DRUMS), Steve Conte (GUITARS), Brian Koonin (KEYBOARDS) and Hanoi Rocks legend Sammi Yaffa (BASS).

Well, now Koonin is gone, and on the new Dolls album, "CAUSE I SEZ SO", unfortunatly, so is the New York Dolls.

I was sooo waiting for this release, but after a few listens, i am sad to say this is NOT the Dolls i love or remember........turning the classic song "TRASH" into a reggae dirge just does not do it for me, even if first album producer TODD RUNDGREN is back behind the desk.

The lead single (and the album's title) just seems to be half assed blues riffs, and its the most Dolls like on the album, but still isnt right. "Muddy Bones" could be a re-take of the previous song, and then things get slower.

"Better Than You" has great lyrics about someone cussing your girl, but the music is very generic blues ballad. "Lonely So long" is the same, "Temptation To Exist" is more like a latin themed ballad, "Nobody Got No Business" has a groove, but is not Dolls like at all.

The album's production is very thin, not ballsy enough for the Dolls, the guitars seem to be recorded live, full of echo, which is not doing Steve Conte's Johnny Thunders licks any favors at all.

Lyrically and musically this AINT no New York Dolls album, This is Syl and David doing what they like with the name. Its a big shame, as they are all great musicians and lyricists, which the previous album showed. I hope they can make it back to the sound and hooks of the last album.