The Virgins - The Virgins

Five New Yorkers, styled to within an inch of their life, who sound like they were taught to play by the New York Dolls? No, it’s not Casablancas and Co., it’s The Virgins. Comparisons to the godchildren of garage are unavoidable – they're The Strokes for an even younger and even hipper audience. Their debut album is a distillation of the musical spirit of Manhattan in catchy four-minute shots: disco basslines prop up Television guitars and East Village-poet lyrics. Imagine Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry dancing in CBGB. Or something. The album is polished, and the singles, Private Affair and Rich Girls, will stick around inside your skull for hours. So what’s the problem? Well, it's just not arresting enough. We've almost heard it all before. In an age where exciting guitar bands are shipped out of New York every week, this one is just a bit dull. [Rab Shatner]