This record has always been treated like an afterthought. Not the debut, not the myth, just the second one that came out too fast and didn’t change the world. Which feels about right for a band like the New York Dolls.
It’s a weird, lopsided album. Half originals, half covers, all of it a bit unsteady. “Stranded in the Jungle” is completely ridiculous and somehow pulls it off. “Don’t Mess With Cupid” is pure trashy R&B swagger. “Chatterbox” sounds like it might derail at any second but never quite does. These aren’t respectful covers. They’re mangled and repurposed, played like the Dolls had just discovered them five minutes earlier and decided to have a go.
And then there’s “Human Being”. Best song they ever wrote. No debate. That riff, that chorus, that whole sneering confidence. When the reunited band played Bluesfest in Ottawa in 2005 (I think) and launched into it, everyone screamed along. It was one of those great concert moments, a near religious experience.
You can hear the cracks all over this record. The momentum is still there, but it’s starting to wobble. The Dolls were never built for the long haul, and this album doesn’t try to hide that. It just documents where they were at the time.
I didn’t love Too Much Too Soon right away. It took a while. These days, I probably reach for it as often as the debut. Not because it’s better, but because it feels closer to the truth of who they actually were.
And be sure to check their post-reunion albums, none of which sound like this, but they are all killer with very little filler.