The Virgins – The Virgins
7/10

These snotty-nosed punks from New York City have been really scrubbed up to sound super slick and professional in their debut (out on major label Atlantic), released in the US last June but only just reaching New Zealand shores this month. Fortunately scruffiness has never been the major drawcard for the poppy foursome, whose catchy hooks and clean production have been the real reasons behind their success. This sound has been dolled up to the nines with no song spared. It’s okay, it just makes them sound like Prince or The Police circa the ‘80s squeaky clean sound boom. Although the bombastic production and weird effects towards the end of Rich Girls has totally changed this standout song’s vibe, it’s still an impeccable pop song, brimming with love and lust and candid catchiness. This is what The Virgins do best, and explains their major label bent. Teen Lovers is epic in its shining bliss, and the slowed down version of Love Is Closer Than Death has its great moments. But singer Donald Cumming’s eerie similarity to Antony Keidis from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers in the song Fernando Pando is irksome when not charming. There are also moments of weirdly boy band-esque romps, such as the oddly electronic Murder with the unbelievably cheesy vocals. Elsewhere the perfect and syncopated rhythm section shows off in Hey Hey Girl and of course Rich Girls. They revisit that garage rock revival sound in Radio Christine, and with this more synthy number they would sit comfortably next to The Strokes, but you can tell they strive for more. Private Affair gets its acclaim for the right reasons, and this version stays relatively true to form. While inconsistent and clearly overproduced, The Virgins’ debut album sees them yet to lose that racy wit and compelling catchiness that has kept them interesting all this time. Here’s hoping they revisit that lo-fi, honest quality they once imparted so well in future releases.
Sarah

 

Posted by Sarah Gooding under Album, Reviews
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