The Donnas – Gold Medal

Artist: The Donnas

Title: Gold Medal

Label: Atlantic

Rating: 4.5/10

CORPORATE LINE: One of the most eagerly awaited releases of 2004, The Donnas’ “GOLD MEDAL” takes the top prize for vital, edgy, modern rock ‘n’ roll at its finest. Having broken into the mainstream with their 2002 Atlantic debut, “SPEND THE NIGHT,” the Bay Area-based combo now raises the bar, as musicians and songwriters, to deliver the best work of their career. Produced by Butch Walker (Avril Lavigne, Injected), tracks like the provocative first single, “Fall Behind Me,” shimmer with rock energy, blasting off the blocks with newfound invention and intensity. With the October release of “GOLD MEDAL,” the Donnas take an Olympian leap forward, setting a sparkling new standard for pure rock ‘n’ roll brilliance.
“We threw away all of our old rules,” says bassist Maya Ford. “We were like, ‘Let’s start new. Let’s do everything we can think of and not restrict ourselves.’ We just decided that it was time to try stuff we’ve never tried before.”

THE GREAT:
Don’t we wish.

THE AVERAGE:
“I Don’t Want To Know” – Completely generic and lacking soul.
“Fall Behind Me” – This is their first single and it is absolutely a bore. The Donnas had the market cornered on punk rock and really rocked more than most of the guys however this sounds like a poorly crafted pop-rock song straight out of the record label corporate machine.

THE BAD:
“The Gold Medal” – Atrocious. This song is everything that real rock fans despise in corporate pop-rock today.

FRANKLY: Honestly Gold Medal is lyrically amateurish. It seems that the Donnas haven’t quite grown up and blossomed into good musicians. There is no emotion whatsoever. The Donnas are flat and it’s all too obvious. If you want to blame someone you can point the finger at Atlantic Records and the production of Butch Walker. I used to be a huge fan of Butch Walker. When Walker produces a record he seems to suck the emotion out of artists. The Donnas once had soul but now sound like they want to be pop singers.

The Donnas have gone from the average girls to becoming the girls who grew up over the summer, get some makeup, a nose job, and when the cool guys discover them they kicked all their old friends to the curb. The Donnas have to find their soul or it’s all over for them.

+ Rae Gun