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Too Much Too Soon
by Hip-O Select
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$18.98 |
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$14.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. |
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$3.99 (21%) |
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Audio CD
Publisher: Hip-O Select
Format: Original recording remastered
The New York Dolls didnt look punk. And when they were busy inventing the American version of what would eventually get called punk, it really didnt have a name. Despite being championed by critics from coast to coast, the Dolls had more of a critical than commercial impact.
Too Much Too Soon is the bands second album, produced by Shadow Morton, who had the distinction of having worked with both the Shangri-Las and Vanilla Fudge. In some ways, it could be said that this album splits the difference between those two bands, plenty heavy, but with a melodic undercurrent.
The Dolls were not only talented writers, they were skilled musical interpreters, covering not only the Cadets 1956 hit Stranded In The Jungle, but Gamble & Huffs more contemporary (Theres Gonna Be A) Showdown, which had been a hit for Archie Bell& The Drells in 1968.
At thirty years remove, the album sounds a lot less radical than it did in 1974, but with the thigh-high boots and platform heels, the lipstick, the poodle-on-steroids hair, the snarling vocals, and the slashing guitars, they didnt just push the envelope; the Dolls threw the envelope in a wood chipper and peed on the shreds.
This album has just plain been out of print too long. Happy to fax that up for you.
Incidentally, a reformed version of the band (only 40% of the lineup on Too Much Too Soon is alive today, and neither of them are original Dolls) is out on tour and is planning a new album, so you may get to hear David Johansen (a/k/a Buster Pointdexter) perform some of these songs live in the not-too-distant future.
The louder, clearer sound afforded by producer Shadow Morton makes the Dolls come on even brasher on their second and last album. In Too Much Too Soon finds their mix of aggression and humor intact--not just "in spite of" an increased reliance on covers, either, because David Johansen's taste in remakes expresses a lot about this music nut's crazed, loving worldview. Who else in '70s rock could make a wacked-out doo wop novelty like "Stranded in the Jungle" into an important personal statement? The Stones' late-'74 slopbucket take on "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" suggests that they'd heard the Dolls rewire the Philly-soul "Showdown." And while few of the punks who followed were to make as deep as claim on reality as the buzzsawing "Human Being" does, though many were to chip off pieces of the manic "Who Are the Mystery Girls?" --Rickey Wright
| Customer Reviews: |
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| not as good as the 1st, but still essential |
| Customer Rating: 3 out of 5 |
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If you like the Dolls, you gotta own this one. It's got some lame songs but enough classics (Chatterbox, It's Too Late) to make it worth your while.
Check out Mighty High...In Drug City.
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| Too Bad they Split |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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It's a shame that The Dolls were dropped from their record company and then, subsequently fell-apart after the release of this LP. Perhaps if they followed David Bowie's lead and toned down their image, songs like "Stranded In The Jungle" would have found their rightful place in the top ten. Remember, this was the same period that saw remakes of "Please Mr. Postman" and "Locomotion" hit the top of the charts. Play "Puss-n-Boots" followed by the Sex Pistols "Liar" and you will see where Rotten and Co. got a lot of their sound and attitude. Still, despite the fact that there are some less than stellar tunes, this is a great LP and should be a part of your CD collection if you own CDs from other classic punk bands.
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| Too Much Too Soon |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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New York Dolls-Too Much Too Soon *****
As far as straight up rock n' roll goes it doesn't get much better then the boys in the New York Dolls, and the album Too Much Too Soon. Along with the bands debut self-titled album, New York Dolls, Too Much Too Soon is a great solid rock album. Yes you can trace the elements of early punk but to be fare you can also trace 1960's girl groups as well as doo-whop and blues, and when you really get right down to the nitty- gritty the Dolls were just a basic rock band, and one of the best at that.
Released in 1974 not to soon after the bands first album was released and became a hit and eventually a classic, Too Much Too Soon was well, a flop. The album did not sell very well. Now admittedly the production on this album is not as pleasurable as the first album, but the songs are just as great. The first album may have had more classic songs, but this one is pact with tons of great songs like the albums opener `Babylon' which happens to be one of the bands all time best tracks and has gone on to be a live favorite even today after all of these years. Also the Sylvain/JoHanson classic `Puss N' Boots' which is a personal favorite filled with one of Sylvains all time best guitar riffs and his patent "weee-oh's" in the back ground. It truly is one of the best examples of the band at their peak. `Bad Detective' is another fun classic. I know I am throwing the word classic around a lot but with a band like the Dolls it feels right. The album closes with `Human Being' which on the album could have been stronger but is still on of the bands very best songs, on par with `Personality Crisis' and `Trash' from the first album. The only thing with that song is that it is much, much better when it is hear live, and there is nothing wrong with that, especially since the Dolls were known for being a dominating live band.
Other greats on the album include the cover of infamous Bobby Boy Williamson blues number `Don't Start Me Talkin' which in my book the Dolls actually do better. They give the song something it was lacking. `It's Too Late' has some great harmonica from David JoHanson and the song has a powerful rhythm section with Jerry Nolen on drums and Killer Kane (that is how he is credited on the album) on bass.
Now usually when people talk about the Dolls the first thing out of their mouth is Johnny Thunders this and Thunders that. Well don't get me wrong the man is a legend and one of my personal favorite guitar players. He really only shines on a few songs on Too Much Too Soon though. The fun `Stranded In The Jungle' `Who Are The Mystery Girls?' `There's Gonna Be A) Showdown' and `Chatterbox' are all classic Thunders tunes filled with great guitar licks and strong lyrics. They just don't stand out as much among the other tracks, even though Thunders helped write most of the songs these were clearly more of his writing then Johansens.
While Too Much Too Soon may not be talked about as much or hailed as quite the classic that the first album is, this may in fact be the better album. One thing is for sure that all three of the bands albums are among the best rock n' roll albums I have ever heard.
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| great! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Bad Detective is the best thing on this fantastic pastiche of rock camp!
That's all. I'll be buying my third cd copy soon, now that it has been remastered.
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| HOW TO DO COMPARE THIS GREATNESS TO ANYTHING? |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Wow, reviewing the Dolls is much like reviewing the Stooges or MC5. Maybe even the Clash. My experience w/the Dolls started as a stoned out trip while in college to the local KMART (Kame a Part). I always cruised to the bargin bin (LPs to be sure)to check on what treasures some unwitting idiot of a clerk would mark down. And I found it there too. Blue Cheer, Black Sabbath (Live, Bootleg, no less), and even a rare copy of T2's classic, It Will All Work Out in Boomland. Anywho, one such journey yielded the 2nd Dolls classic, Too Much Too Soon. Talk about an chilling name for the future of this band. Mind you, this was less than a year after it's release! Back to dorm land to spin and drink. Now I can look back and see the blueprint for what was to come only 3-4 years later...Punk Rawk! Guitarist Johnny Thunders has been copied hundreds of times for his raw Chuck Berry influenced playing. Has there really been a drummer w/the force of Nolan for pure RnR? Right up there w/Exile on Main Street as far as classics. Showdown has to be one of the most exciting dancable tunes ever penned. Image, chops, and balls...yep the Dolls had it all. It you need any intro to this band, skip the crap w/reissues and bad live stuff. Get this CD and the 1st. You'll love it, baby...
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Babylon
Stranded in the Jungle
Who Are the Mystery Girls?
(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown
It's Too Late
Puss 'N' Boots
Chatterbox
Bad Detective
Don't Start Me Talkin'
Human Being
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