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String quartet tribute to The Smiths - next month

posted by davidt on Wednesday February 19 2003, @11:00AM
Andrew Lynch writes:

I live in L.A. and I've heard there's a string quartet called The Section who will be putting out string quartet tribute to The Smiths next month.

Apparently, even Johnny Marr is excited about it.

Thought you might like to know. The arranger guy is at http://www.ericgorfain.com.
---
Other string quartet tributes at Vitamin Records.

Update: 02/19 23:29 GMT: The tribute is on the Vitamin Records site:

The String Quartet Tribute to The Smiths (CD 8439)

Arranged and performed with creative intensity and verve, The String Quartet Tribute to The Smiths perfectly captures the mood set by the crooning vocals of Morrissey and the melodic genius of guitarist Johnny Marr. The Section, one of America’s finest string quartets, perform classics such as "This Charming Man" and "How Soon Is Now," creating a dark and dramatic album of true harmonic beauty. The Smiths would be proud.

Update: 02/20 04:25 GMT: Set list and sound clips added to the Vitamin site:

1. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
2. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
3. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
4. How Soon Is Now
5. William, It Was Really Nothing
6. Book To The Old House
7. There Is A Light That Never Goes
8. This Charming Man
9. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
10. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
11. Not This Time *original comp. inspired by the music of The Smiths
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  • A little known string quartet *may* put out a Smiths cover at some point in the future...Woah! Hold the frontpage and increase the bandwidth cause this site will be the hot centre of the world's attention the next few days!

    No, I'm sorry to sound negative - it's not like it's this site's fault that there aren't any real news on Morrissey. I was just disappointed when there was finally an update after a week's wait, that it was nothing interesting.

    In the meantime, I suggest everyone check out the new Thrills single 'One horse town' which was played on the warmup tape for the last Morrissey tour. The song can be heard at www.thethrills.com
    Joemoz -- Wednesday February 19 2003, @12:05PM (#54646)
    (User #1342 Info)
  • I hear that Billy-Bob-Ray and His Backwoods Band is putting together a moonshine mugs and spoons tribute to the Smiths!! This is almost as exciting as a string quartet rocking to "London" (ooohhh....I can hear the violin now!!!!!)

    I'm sorry if you like this sort of thing, but standing in an elevator listening to the Boston Symphony play "I Want to Hold Your Hand" is about as close to the ninth circle of hell as you can get. Please, God, never let me hear them do this to The Smiths!!
    Grillo <[email protected]> -- Wednesday February 19 2003, @02:27PM (#54662)
    (User #6298 Info)
    • Re:Wow! by Mozkateer (Score:0) Wednesday February 19 2003, @05:33PM
    • Re:Wow! by Mozkateer (Score:0) Wednesday February 19 2003, @05:36PM
      • Re:Wow! by Claude Speed (Score:1) Thursday February 20 2003, @03:46AM
    • Re:Wow! by Anonymous (Score:0) Thursday February 20 2003, @08:33AM
      • Re:Wow! by Grillo (Score:1) Thursday February 20 2003, @08:56AM

  • Yes... (Score:2, Informative)

    Saw this on amazon.co.uk last night when searching for "The Smiths". You can pre-order it on there just now, if you're that way inclined.
    JacquesTheLad -- Wednesday February 19 2003, @02:48PM (#54668)
    (User #3569 Info | http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/handinglove)
    "She doesn't even like me...And I know because she said so..."
  • This sounds great. I love to hear The Smiths in a different context. Great covers can sometimes help you rediscover the magic in classic songs that have maybe lost there edge through continued listening. I think the classical approach is very interesting. Fingers crossed!
    Anonymous -- Wednesday February 19 2003, @04:21PM (#54673)
  • String quartets are fucking brilliant.Britten,Shostakovich,Elgar,Nielsen,Sibelius.The list is endless.
    I have to buy this disc!!!!!!!!!
    O'Muirgheasa -- Wednesday February 19 2003, @04:34PM (#54679)
    (User #7536 Info)
    Perhaps my best years are gone.When there was a chance of happiness.But I wouldn't want them back.
  • who did the rockin' Metallica tribute about 6 years ago?
    suzanne -- Wednesday February 19 2003, @05:03PM (#54686)
    (User #36 Info)
    I scare dead people.
  • What an ugly ass cover! And, why is it sooo amazing that Johnny Marr is excited about something? Who gives a crud.

    The Mozkateer.
    Mozkateer -- Wednesday February 19 2003, @05:27PM (#54688)
    (User #1871 Info | http://www.myspace.com/ofthetimes)
  • I didn't know the smiths had song called "book to the old house"... how terrible is that to mispell a song your covering... but i listened to the two sound bytes they have on the website, it sounds really good.
    boy shankley -- Wednesday February 19 2003, @06:12PM (#54694)
    (User #4022 Info)
    There is no life i know, to compare with pure imagination.
    • Re:interesting! by naturallyfled (Score:1) Wednesday February 19 2003, @08:56PM
  • Heard the 2 short soundclips, it sounded okay.

    It's perfect if you want to relax and in bed
    with a discman before going to sleep.

    O.t.o.h. a few songs with vocals would've been
    apreciated [preferely an opera singer m/f]
    Celibate Cry <[email protected]> -- Wednesday February 19 2003, @11:56PM (#54711)
    (User #220 Info)
    and the hills are alive with celibate cries
  • Would it be really unfan-like to skip it?

    I'm sorry...instrumentals just...they just don't do it for me, you know? I think it's great that they found The Smiths worth the while to make this cd, and I'm happy that others like the idea, but, for me, I'll just have to let it go.

    And, the cover...oh.
    hand in glove -- Thursday February 20 2003, @08:06AM (#54732)
    (User #827 Info)
    "Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together" - Marilyn Monroe
  • It might be good, stealth Sonic Orchestra did some pretty good remixes of all the singles from 'Everything must go ' by Manic Street Preachers.
    Anonymous -- Thursday February 20 2003, @08:15AM (#54734)
  • When I read this I was pretty interested but after hearing the samples I thought I was standing in the lobby of a hotel or in an elevator. Great idea, poorly executed. Sorry. I agree that a cover adds a new dimension to a song but this attempt just falls short. I recommend: "Godfathers of Change" Not all good, I must admit but some are just sublime (or "The Smiths is Dead").

    Elvis Eye.
    Anonymous -- Thursday February 20 2003, @10:47AM (#54740)
  • If instrumentals or string quartets are not your thing, then don't bother. It's simply a matter of taste. I personally love both.

    This is a brilliant idea. Johnny's melodies lend themselves to this kind of project, and the minimal use of instruments via strings, makes them sound gorgeous.

    Also, I actually like the cover. Unlike the bad attempt at imitation on "The Very Best of The Smiths," this one's actually in synch with Moz's current butch photography fetish.

    However, the lettering is rather dull.

    I truly could see him choosing that particular cover.
    Anonymous -- Thursday February 20 2003, @06:05PM (#54778)
  • There are "string tribute" albums for Matchbox 20, Nine Inch Nails, Tori Amos, Tool, Pink Floyd, Janes Addiction, Rush, Madonna, Jewel, John Lennon, Seal, Moby, Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay, etc. They are ridiculous and I'm not sure why this is the lead news story for this week.
    Anonymous -- Thursday February 20 2003, @07:27PM (#54783)
    • Re:string tribute. by Anonymous (Score:0) Thursday February 20 2003, @09:01PM

    • Re:string tribute. (Score:3, Insightful)

      Who said this was intended to be lead news? It's a Smiths tribute album, and there might be some fans who have an interest in knowing that it is being released.

      This is not a controversial approach, or decision. It's a fundamental one.

      You guys seem poised to complain about anything. This overt critiquing is absolutely ponderous, and it seems like a poor Morrissey imitation. If you don't have any interest in this blurb then fine, but creating some kind of issue out of it in regards to it not being news worthy is simply ridiculous.

      I don't care how many other bands may have string quartet tributes. This is The Smiths and their music is different.

      I swear, Morrissey fans on the internet have to be some of the most trivial people I have ever come across.

      I used to think it was merely a byproduct of the internet, and not a symptom of Morrissey fandom, but I have concluded that it's actually both.

      Some of you need a prompt intervention.
      Anonymous -- Thursday February 20 2003, @09:48PM (#54791)
  • A lounge band - BLUE VELVET - in San Diego has on its mp3.com site an orchestral version of "William..."....I have heard the piano player play it at the Turf Supper Club on Sundays there....he can actually play the whole Smiths catalog on piano there...
    fairmount witness -- Friday February 21 2003, @03:16AM (#54796)
    (User #7819 Info)
  • Hmm... never heard of this one. Oh well, at least they got the number of 'please's correct (take not Warner Bros!)
    Anonymous -- Friday February 21 2003, @02:02PM (#54817)
  • Ok, so "Book to the old house" is a blunder. Since I read this article I've been checking out where to buy the new disc. The online shop "CD101" doesn't stock it, but it does sell a CD single entitled "Sweet and Tender Hologram" http://www.101cd.com/music/info.asp?id=1459312, a must for all mozza fans surely?
    jacko -- Monday February 24 2003, @06:36AM (#54871)
    (User #3767 Info)
  • Most of their interpretations are truly beautiful, especially "There is a light". Finally a clever tribute album.
    handsomedevilboy -- Saturday March 01 2003, @01:58PM (#55148)
    (User #1191 Info | http://www.handsomedevilpress.com/)
  • I have to admit that I was VERY sceptical about the whole thing. There are these horrible string tribute albums you can buy at least here in Finland for about 4 euros (4 dollars) by this thing called Studio 99 to all kinds of bands imaginable and they are truly horrible.

    I don't even have a clue why I decided to buy this cd in the first place. I guess it was just your average sign of fan boredom for the fact that there's no new music out by my idols (apart from 'Boomslang', which I'd prefer not really calling a Smiths-related album). As I popped the cd into my player and started listening to the first songs I was totally blown away! The arrangements ARE in fact great and the performance is way above average. The sounds are a bit plastic-y and cheap, but as a whole the record is really worth the money. I wouldn't go as far as saying "the smiths would be proud", but at least it's definitely an interesting new viewpoint into the genius of Moz/Marr.

    It also made me realise how much Morrissey's melody lines and phrasing are related to those of the violin. His part seemed to be suited perfectly to be played on violin!

    I like it.

    Tommi.
    MinorThreat -- Thursday March 06 2003, @12:15AM (#55395)
    (User #5550 Info | http://www.ifsociety.com/)
    • I feel this addition is necessary.

      Apart from the sound-production there's only one thing I really disagree with: The tempo on the arrangements feels way too fast on most cuts. Especially 'Please Please...' could be one of the most beautiful string pieces I've heard in a long time, but it feels like the quartet is running through the song like they have to meet a deadline or something. It's too bad, since the hesitating feeling is pretty much what makes this a good album instead of brilliant in my book.

      I do realise, that the hasty tempos are probably just in the upbeat Smiths-tradition, but when making different arrangements one should always keep in mind which elements work well with a certain environment and string quartets don't work well with restless tempos.

      Tommi.
      MinorThreat -- Thursday March 06 2003, @01:04AM (#55396)
      (User #5550 Info | http://www.ifsociety.com/)

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