The Virgins.

The Virgens.
The classic story of good music gone mainstream and overly produced. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the group at all. I love them, it's just I have a few thoughts regarding their self titled album, The Virgens. About a year ago an EP came out and there was a particular song that resignated with most fans that goes by the name of Rich Girls. Its fresh, raw, and simple. I think they're a little bit like The Strokes only not as noisy instrumentally, and a little more mellow vocal wise. They're the kind of band that makes it look easy to sound as smooth and controlled as they do in most of their songs. Their lyrics seem to roll right off of lead singer Donald Cumming's tongue. But once you fast forward to 08', a year later their studio album comes out and its like listening to two totally different bands. It sounds as if some big time music mogal got ahold of their music and made it more "commercial" and my least favorite term of all time, "radio friendly" OK, so, it's not the worst music I've ever heard in my life, it's just dissapointing. Sometimes big wigs in the music industry think they have to try too hard to get people behind their acts, when really, we just want music that doesn't sound so forced. The one good thing about the album is that it includes the Demo/EP versions along with the newly recorded songs. But even still, I am behind the band itself, it's just the "synthesizers and distorted guitar riffs" found on their studio album makes me appreciate the EP even more. They re-did an album version of Rich girls and I guess in theory it doesn't sound that much different, but when you've heard the older version first.. it seems like theres something missing. No? Well I guess you can decide for yourself I suppose.

Rich Girls - EP Version


Rich Girls - Album Version