The String Quartet Tribute to Linkin Park

jason

jason

New member
I don't even like Linkin Park. Well, let me re-phrase that... I don't even know Linkin Park. I've always just assumed I wouldn't like them because they're so popular, and I'm not always fond of popular music, or the fact the it's popular.

Anyway, a co-worker has this CD in his iTunes library, so I've been listening to it, and I'm enjoying it a lot. I'm bound and determined to enjoy it without really knowing what the orginals even sounded like though.

Can someone else point me in the direction of similar, but original work?
 

mhoarse

New member
Weird... I just listened to one track, that's some funny stuff. I guess the interesting thing is that drums and turntables are so prominent in Linkin Park and now they're gone!

As for more stuff in a similar vein, nearly every major rock band these days has one of those 'string quartet' albums, from Radiohead to Slayer.

But for some original work, you may want to check out a band called Apocalyptica, a quartet of cellists who started out covering Metallica and a few other metal bands, then moved on to original material.

I should also mention a band here in Sydney called FourPlay, a string quartet doing a mix of originals and covers (of Beastie Boys, Depeche Mode, Soundgarden, Charles Mingus, etc). They're mainly seen as a novelty but they've got some great moments.

If you want to get a bit more adventurous, check out some Kronos Quartet, who actually do a lot of modern classical repertoire but also many world styles, Hendrix covers, etc. They've got a few decades worth of great albums, eg. Black Angels, Pieces Of Africa, Caravan, etc...
 
jason

jason

New member
I know of Apocolyptica, and I've been trying to get my hands on that String Quartet Tribute to Slayer for a while with no luck (I love Slayer). I'll check out some of your other recommendations when I get home tonight.
 
jason

jason

New member
I just finished a little light listening (Amazon supplied) of FourPlay. It sounds like dinner party music to me, I couldn't find any cover songs. Pleasing though.

Kronos Quartet: Black Angels is pretty cool (dark) album. Definatelt not dinner party music. I couldn't find the other two albums. Everything else was beyond my range of limited taste.
 

mhoarse

New member
Oh sorry, I should have mentioned that there are two FourPlays - there's an American jazz band, and an Australian string quartet. Here's the string quartet's website:
http://www.fourplay.com.au/

Speaking of Amazon, I just checked out their list of 'string quartet tributes' to rock bands, and it's just so odd - I mean Radiohead kind of makes sense, but 311? Guns N Roses? Nine Inch Nails? I guess I should be saying good on them for trying some less obvious candidates!

It seems from listening to some clips of these albums that the players aren't really always that great. That's not really an amazingly relevant point though since people are usually focused more on the novelty of hearing their favourite songs played by a string quartet. But yeah, the melodies often seem quite scratchy and feeling-less. If it wasn't for that I may be more interested in checking some of this stuff out properly.

Oh and finally on the Kronos thing, the two other albums I mentioned (Caravan and Pieces Of Africa) are quite listenable, quite folky melodies, stuff like that, pretty uncharacteristic for Kronos actually!
 
jason

jason

New member
The FourPlay you linked to is exponentially more interesting than the one I found. Thanks for the link. I’m going to have to try to dig up some more of their stuff before buying a CD.

It looks like it’s the same guy(s) doing these String Quartet Tribute albums, including the Linkin Park one I just heard. Interesting career… http://tmrpro.com/

There are a few I’d like to hear though, but like you said, for the sake of hearing a variation to some of my favorite songs.
 
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