Album Review: Romain Virgo – The System

In rock music criticism (with its eagerness to plug into the European art tradition) a common complaint about followup albums is that they do not represent a “big progression” from the first. Even if the previous release was an artistic and entertainment success it is considered “poor form” to come with more of the same. If The System, the second album (the word “sophomore” is to be avoided unless reviewing a college course) by Rising Stars show winner and Penthouse protégé Romain Virgo were a rock album, it could be marked down for ploughing a similar furrow to his self titled debut. For less doctrinaire listeners, it’s the continuation of a winning approach.