A Flawed Concept
I've downloaded and enjoyed much of the Vitamin String Quartet's work, but it just doesn't work here. The promise of orchestrated version of pop songs is that it can give us a catchy melody or emotional twist that is different yet within the scope of the original. Maybe it's the Arcade Fire's infectious tone or sneakily complex melodies, but when the VSQ decides to go for a melancholy version (which is often--they're playing violins) nothing interesting is added and much is lost from the originals. It's an odd phenomenon, because the same formula has worked very well with the VSQ's other work. The cover of Rebellion (Lies) is worth downloading though, mainly because it has the same emotional spirit of the original version. You may find 1-2 other songs worth downloading. The samples in this case are very reliable indicators.
