Vitamin String Quartet: Per_Versions

Vitamin String Quartet
Per Versions
Vitamin

Though the concept of the tribute album is a bit corny, contrived and redundant, some recent releases have provided an interesting new take on classic records. The Vitamin String Quartet [who have released 11, count ‘em, 11 albums in the past year] has done a great thing by selecting a baker’s dozen of the more current and hip artists around and translating their songs to strings for Per Versions. With performers such as Broken Social Scene (“Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl), Spoon (“The Way We Get By”), The Decemberists (“Yankee Bayonet”), Explosions in the Sky (“Your Hand in Mine”) Tom Waits (“Hold On”), Sigur Rios and Portishead covered, this collection appears to be a modern music fan’s wet dream. But upon further speculation, though, only a few of the interpretations translate well. The most accurate and legible track lies with a brilliant and slightly less moody rendition of Portishead’s “Sour Times.” You kind of find yourself optimistically humming “Nobody loves me it’s true/not like you do.” Other quality tracks include an uplifting version of “Hoppipolla,” originally executed by Sigur Ros, and “Banshee Beat” by Animal Collective; however, once you’ve gotten past the initial excitement, the novelty of Per Versions soon wears off.
Zachary Ahern

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