No-one has the right to tell [a]New York Dolls[/a] – even just the two left – when they should call it quits. Yes, six and a bit years on, interest in the reunion isn’t quite so rabidly keen; yes, lyrics like “I’m more fabulous than all the hipsters on Broadway!” (from ‘I’m So Fabulous’) suggest a man not entirely au fait with NYC nightlife circa 2011; yes, the production could be a bit dirtier.
But the fact is, there’s a vitality, a shamelessness, an energy retained throughout here that shows why they mattered so damn much, and why they shouldn’t – and couldn’t – ever consider doing anything else.
Hamish MacBain
7/10
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New York Dolls announce new album and UK tour ticket details