aaamusic | On 12, Mar 2011

It has to be said that in the grand scheme of things, the New York Dolls might well be rock n roll’s greatest also-rans. Having released one phenomenal, influential, yet badly produced debut, and having been plagued by misfortune ever since, one has to admire their sheer perseverance. And here we have yet another radical lineup shift, although core duo Johansen and Sylvain are still here to give us something that, well, is not what anyone expected.

‘Dancing Backwards In High Heels’ has few ‘Personality Crisis’ blasts, and little ‘Vietnamese Baby’ bile. Instead, opener ‘Streetcake’ is a smoky, laid-back jangle of dirty soul rock. Lustful, smoky vocals coil around an unpolished guitar sound, yet the piano and melodies are undeniably blissful, and backing vocals and bassline speak of halcyon summers. Lyrically an aging reverie on a rock n roll life lived to its hedonistic winter, one can’t help but feel intrigued. Follow-up ‘Talk To Me Baby’ is a stompy little number in its own way, a buzzing, aged guitar and clattering drumkit leading the rock while earthy saxophone worms its way into the ears alongside cheeky backing drawls, and lead vocals are by no means everyone’s cup of tea, but they have a world-worn charm. ‘Fool For You Baby’ is similarly a reflection on a life of lust and lovesickness, ragged voice and devil-may-care wry humour accompanied by hazy Farfista organ and jaunty basslines. More soul than strop, yet nonetheless the Dolls’ fingerprints are faintly on the fretboard.

Standout of the album goes to the joyous outpour of ‘I’m So Fabulous’. Lambasting hipster vanity with tongue-in-cheek scorn and an electric vitality in the hot saxophone that dominates the track, as a surprisingly driving rock n roll bass/drums combo boot the track right down our throats with bratty attitude. And funnily enough, the initially unremarkable ‘Kids Like You’ turns out to be a grower. More oldies than anything, a swing blues track, Farfista and weeping country-styled guitar blend with gruff emotional heft in the vocals and moments of simple beauty and even intelligence in the lyrics.

Perhaps the greatest surprise is… New York Dolls go reggae. Yes, ‘Baby Tell Me What You’re On’ is a sneering slab of bassy syncopation, a sunshine groove adding whole new dimensions to the album, even if its presence is bewildering. The guitar is still a raw jangle that harks back to day 1 of the Dolls, but the percussion skitters and snares like a Carribbean rattlesnake and Johansen’s weary, smoke-stained and whiskey-warmed vocals are incredibly well-suited to the sound, creating a four-minute mood that is incredibly evocative and eye-opening.

There are of course moments that we could do without: ‘Fabulous Rant’ is amusing first time round, but after that it gets wearing. ‘You Don’t Have To Cry’, for all its emotive lyricism, simply feels too crowded, the guitar too obtrusive in the mix and sounding a little too Johnny Thunders solo acoustic to really spread its wings.

Unfortunately, the last two tracks fizzle out a bit. ‘Funky But Chic’ is fun but feels a bit lazy for all its sparky soul rock swagger, and ‘End Of The Summer’ trips up where ‘Baby Tell Me What You’re On’ succeeded. Bringing back the sunshine reggae and the soulful organ, it is at first a blissful reverie that could have been a wonderful closure to this new reflective side of the band, but then the persistent backing vocals kick in and I just couldn’t enjoy the track punctuated by helium doo-wop.

‘Dancing Backwards In High Heels’ will undoubtedly scare away a lot of listeners. Not only is it a far cry from what the New York Dolls are known for, but it is patchy in quality. However, in its defense, when it does well, the band are still as enthralling as they have ever been, albeit in a more subtle manner. With a newfound introspection and musical diversity, this isn’t as good as it could have been, but equally isn’t the disappointment some were dreading.

Author: Katie H-Halinski