27th July - New York Dolls' New York Dolls

Artist – Album: New York Dolls – New York Dolls

Released:  27^th July 1973

Sounds Like: The Rolling Stones meets the Rocky Horror Picture Show

On the cover to the New York Dolls’ self titled debut album, David Johansen, Johnny Thunders and co gaze back at you, half fascinated and half menacing, and sporting aggressively applied make up and drag. Looking like extras from the Rocky Horror Picture show, they make a startling, campy vision that contains just a hint of danger. The look also just so happens to be a perfectly accurate embodiment of their sound.

Album opener ‘Personality Crisis’ jumps out at you with the full shebang, full of brash guitar riffs, wolf whistles and over exaggerated Mick Jagger-esque vocals. Its decadent glam rock is seen as the best in their oeuvre, and was selected by Rolling Stone Magazine as the 271^st Greatest Song of All Time. Although the tempo does sometimes lessen from the full on assault of ‘Crisis’, the rest of the album continues to rock out on a regular basis. ‘Looking for a Kiss’ is dark R&B, ‘Lonely Planet Boy’ is odd, otherworldly folk, ‘Frankenstein’ is visceral rock and roll and ‘Trash’ is the perfect punk pop song.

It’s thrilling stuff. However, it’s also a lovely and sunny Saturday and so I’m gonna go out now and enjoy my day. See you tomorrow!

Albumaday... rating: 9/10

1.       Personality Crisis – 3:43

2.       Looking for a Kiss – 3:20

3.       Vietnamese Baby – 3:39

4.       Lonely Planet Boy – 4:10

5.       Frankenstein (Orig.) – 6:00

6.       Trash – 3:09

7.       Bad Girl – 3:05

8.       Subway Train – 4:22

9.       Pills – 2:49

10.   Private World – 3:40

11.   Jet Boy – 4:40

Listen to ‘Trash’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1ChUvX8_cE

Also released on the 27^th July:

1993: Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream

Also released on the 27^th July:

1984: Metallica – Ride the Lightning