Search - Paul Tobias, Tom Tally, Tom Vos :: Strung Out String Quartet Tribute

Not Much To Warrant Repeated Listenings

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 01/29/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Over the past five years, Vitamin Records has released more than fifty of these String Quartet Tribute albums. They have run the gamut from Metallica to Clay Aiken to Alison Krauss to their most recent tribute to 2Pac. This sampler focuses primarily on alternative/heavy metal/grunge artists. So what you get is a collection of songs made famous by Staind ("It's Been Awhile"), Linkin Park ("In the End") and Korn ("Freak on a Leash").



This album (and all of the others) veers awfully close to novelty status. On first listen, it's a real charge to hear teen angst anthems like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" transformed into sedate chamber music. But it doesn't really warrant repeated listenings. The main problem is that after a few songs, they all tend to sound alike. Twenty years ago, the Grammy-winning Kronos Quartet would include a Jimi Hendrix composition in live performances and the occasional recording, but they had the sense to know that this wouldn't work over the course of an entire album.



And the idea of juxtaposing classical instruments with popular music goes back even farther. In the sixties, the Hollyridge Strings released a series of albums performing the works of the Beatles, Elvis and the Beach Boys. Bottom line? This album will force you to hear these songs in a new way and might get a laugh or two if you slip it into the CD player at your next party, but there's little here to make you come back after you've heard it once. But at $6.98, it's an inexpensive gag gift for the alternative music fan in your life. [Running Time - 50:37]"

Different Perspective

Ike Ray | 07/13/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Vitamin records has been releasing these cd's like wild fires, just spreading orchestral music to the lesser audience of it. This cd will give you the rock music that originally started this who phenomenon (apocalyptica).



This cd is great for anyone interested in hearing the depth of a music genre. Typically when you hear a rock song, you dont hear really how the singer is supposed to influence the musical sense of the songs, but when the singer's role is put into a more balanced/equal role with the rest of the musicians, it contributes so much more to the musicality of the song. It is great for beginner musicians to understand that the singer has to be in tune with the band because he is added depth to the music, not just vocals. College music majors might also get a kick out of this album as it widens your music perspective.



These cds from vitamin really show how rock is the next evolution to classical music, it shows that although lyrics were originally added, the artists used the basic form of classical music to write songs. They all contain a theme that is repeated in the music, and most offer a "waltz" part to the song, as well as a lyrical bridge.



Good cd for every so often to change you from the norm. really neat to switch out the lyrics every so often with some classical music. Enjoy it!"