The remaster of the debut is better than that of ITMTS - you can hear some flaws in Shadow Morton's production which was more than a bit 60ish Shangrilas-garage-noisy with sharp frequencies in places. Todd Rundgren's production of the debut - while lifeless and boring - was the more balanced job right from the start (he was a good producer, by his own admission he just didn't know what to do with the Dolls and their music meant nothing to him). It has gained more, receiving that sorely needed kick in the butt. Listening to ITMTS in the car today, Morton has tweaked the hi-hat, cymbals and some of Thunder's distorted guitar presence in the original production too much. And you hear that more distinctly now. On the positive side, however, Killer Kane's bass work is almost dominant in the remaster, you hear him like you have never heard him before. A busier player than I had remembered too!
Listening to those two albums more intensively now in the last two days than I have done in a long time, it struck me how Johansen's love for the blues (he's a serious blues aficionado) permeates even the Dolls' music.
And now I have even bought the Buster Poindexter albums - I saw him in this lounge lizard guise in the late eighties in NYC, polonaise of background singers, big band and him through the hall during Hot Hot Hot and all. It was a fun evening though not a single NYD track was played.