With Johnny Thunders, Jerry Nolan and Arthur Kane gone, the reconstituted New York Dolls’ albums sound like David Johansen’s solo albums. Not a bad thing, but man do I miss the street vibe the dead Dolls brought to the mix.

The debut single, “Fool For You Baby,” from David and Syl Sylvain’s new album Dancing Backward in High Heels, could be a mid-70s Rolling Stones’ tune with guitars on mute. The Dolls may be dancing backwards but they’re definitely not wearing high heels anymore.

The absence of Johnny Thunders is a huge missing ingredient in The Dolls’ new material. Proof you can’t put your arms around a memory. And maybe David and Syl aren’t even trying to resurrect the past. But calling themselves The New York Dolls certainly begs comparisons.