String Quartet comp includes Sonic Youth
 

The latest in the long-running series of string quartet tributes assembles material from a variety of artists to make Strung Out on Indie Rock Vol. 1: The String Quartet Tribute. Opening with The Pixies, "Debaser" and including material from Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, Sonic Youth, Arcade Fire and others, the disc was released yesterday via Vitamin Records.

1. Debaser (The String Quartet Tribute to Pixies)
2. Kool Thing (The String Quartet Tribute to Sonic Youth)
3. You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do What You're Told) (The String Quartet Tribute to The White Stripes)
4. The Heinrich Maneuver (The String Quartet Tribute to Interpol)
5. Transatlanticism (The String Quartet Tribute to Death Cab for Cutie)
6. Needle in the Hay (The String Quartet Tribute to Elliott Smith)
7. Time is Running Out (The String Quartet Tribute to Muse)
8. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) (The String Quartet Tribute to The Arcade Fire)
9. The Calendar Hung Itself (The String Quartet Tribute to Bright Eyes)
10. Last Goodbye (The String Quartet Tribute to Jeff Buckley)

Kool Thing was probably the uninteresting song to cover... I mean it's a great song, but imagine how a String "Ghost Bitch" for instance would sound! Now that would be an interesting cover. But well it would probably feel uncoherent with the rest of this comp

actually I think kool thing is a good choice for a string quartet. there are reiterate guitar riffs and other stuff that should sound rally good with strings. Obviously there are loads of songs that would be interesting to hear arranged for strings....

i have heard this. it sounds crazy.

it is hard for string versions of rock songs to not sound like "watered down" muzak you know?

The Kronos quartet did hendrix and it sounds like muzak.

I have the String Quartet Tribute to Sonic Youth album. It's got a certain novelty charm to it. I have thrown it on as "relaxing background" music from time to time. "Shadow of a Doubt" and the intro to "Silver Rocket" are actually pretty sweet arrangements for strings.

http://www.amazon.com/String-Quartet.../dp/B0007ZSH4Y

for those unaware.

Who else has this, besides NR? I remember really liking Hoarfrost and Silver Rocket.

I got the tool one a few years ago and dug it.

How is the Queens of the Stone Age one?

They should do a Beefheart one!

I have the Tool one also, and the Flaming Lips one. Anyway, I like the SY one quite a bit. I recommend it MORE than that CONFUSE YR IDOLS tribute.

I've heard it, too, and I really don't recall liking it at all. In general, I find that string section or orchestra versions of rock songs don't work for me. I have nothing against the concept, but the execution, or maybe the song selections, always seem to come up short.

why do they bother making these things? who pays them to do it? do enough people buy it to cover the expense of recording it?

I can only assume the answer is "yes." I can't imagine they'd knock so many out if they were LOSING money.

I think they exist solely for use as a novelty pub quiz music round.

unmade bed is probably the best string quartet cover ever.
it's amazingly beautiful