AMG Review of Rock 'n Roll

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Rock 'N Roll contains all of the original material from the New York Dolls' two classic albums and adds a couple of outtakes and rarities. So why isn't it as much fun as New York Dolls or Too Much Too Soon? For starters, the Dolls' versions of "Pills," "Stranded in the Jungle," "Don't Start Me Talkin," and "(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown" weren't filler, they were essential to the overall feeling of the albums. And that brings up the main problem of Rock 'N Roll -- it isn't sequenced in an inviting manner. Instead of showcasing the New York Dolls in all of their trashy glory, the disc manages to make them sound rather tedious, which is something their proper albums certainly aren't. Nevertheless, there's plenty of fine music here, and hardcore fans will want the rarities. But the original albums remain the best way to hear the Dolls.