Album of the Day

During their initial run – which ended on this day in 1974 – the New York Dolls' glammy gender-bending and street-tough rock earned the respect of legions of future punks. Fast forward some 35 years and surviving Dolls David Johansen and Syl Sylvain still have all the sass and swagger of their prime on CAUSE I SEZ SO. Todd Rundgren had helmed the band's debut and returns in the same capacity for this 2009 Atco album, helping the quintet push its sonic envelope a bit beyond the Stonesy racket of yore. A reggae-tinged reworking of their '70s classic “Trash” may be the most striking example of this, but the beautiful pop melody of “Lonely So Long” and the propulsive R&B of “Nobody Got No Bizness” show the Dolls can wear any style and make it look great. The New York Dolls still reign supreme – if only CAUSE I SEZ SO.