Strung Out: The String Quartet Tribute Series Sampler collects instrumental, symphonic versions of 12 modern rock hits from the '90s and early 2000s. Opening with a powerful, almost eerily perfect reading of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (the keening violins somehow heighten the song's dark view of adolescence; they're furies playing a high-school pep rally in hell), the set moves through strong versions of
Staind's "It's Been Awhile" and
Incubus' "Drive."
Foo Fighters' "I'll Stick Around" is another highlight; the musicians really nail its raucous chorus. Instrumentally
Strung Out is pretty similar throughout, working with various groupings of violin, viola, cello, double bass, and occasionally contrabass. Listeners who take a liking to this set should explore the Vitamin Records catalog of string tributes, which runs wide and deep through nearly every form of pop music imaginable. ~ Johnny Loftus