Singles

The Divine Comedy - To Die A Virgin

Alex Worsnip 08/08/2006

Rating: 4/5

A really nice surprise, this: a band that can be painfully dull at times, and occasionally bumptious in attempts to be amusing, produce a single that is both witty and interesting. 'To Die A Virgin' is a bit like a cross between an old-fashioned showtune and literate 90s British indie, with horns and strings adorning an eyebrow-raising melody and even more eyebrow-raising lyrics, with Neil Hannon's rich, crooning baritone topping it all off. It's a great pop single, clever without trying to deliver punchlines: 'with all the bombs and the bird flu/we're probably going to be dead soon/and here we are in your bedroom/oh did I tell you I love you?' Catchy to boot, it's their best track since 'Bad Ambassador'.