Somehow, mysteriously, and most likely due to the avalanche of CDs and MP3s that land in our many inboxes, this new Vitamin String Quartet disc, Per_Versions, eluded our ears until just now. Lo: the LA-based “quartet” (it’s actually a rotating band of session musicians) best known for its take on the entirety of Radiohead’s In Rainbows, and who has worked on a few projects of dubious necessity (string quartet versions of Queen and AC/DC songs), has released another album of art rock interpretations, this one fifteen tracks deep with covers of Of Montreal (“Everyday Feels Like Sunday), the New Pornographers (“The Bleeding Heart Show”), and Cat Power (a stunning version of “The Greatest”).

But the cover that struck us immediately was the Quartet’s take on No Age‘s “Eraser.” The original, from the LA duo’s Nouns, packs a lot of melody and noise into its minute-and-a-half. How would four string players who in their history have tackled Tool, the Killers, and Underoath, handle a downtown punk track?

You can decide.

[audio-1]

We’re actually suckers for string quartet versions of pop music.

The best ever? The Balanescu Quartet’s versions of Kraftwerk songs. The album’s called Possessed, and it captures the inherent serialism within the German computer nerds’ vision.

Kronos Quartet’s version of “Foxy Lady” from 1987.

Vitamin String Quartet does My Chemical Romance’s “The Black Parade.”

You can listen to the entirety of VSQ’s Per_Versions at the Quartet’s website

Here’s the amazing thing. The Vitamin String Quartet, a rotating group of musicians, has released more discs than you can possibly imagine — at least according to Wikipedia (I know, right?). How many, exactly? See below. The burning question: is there really a Vitamin String Quartet tribute to Tony Yayo???? According to Wiki, yes. In reality, no. Which begets the question — how many more of these are fake?

0-9

* The String Quartet Tribute to 30 Seconds to Mars

* The String Quartet Tribute to 311

[edit] A

* String Quartet Tribute to A Perfect Circle

* The String Quartet Tribute to Alice in Chains [5]

* String Quartet Tribute to Atreyu

* Strung Out on Avenged Sevenfold: The String Tribute

* Strung Out on Avenged Sevenfold: Bat Wings and Broken Strings

* String Quartet Tribute to AFI

* String Quartet Tribute to Audioslave

[edit] B

* The String Quartet Tribute to Bad Religion: History Repeating

* The String Quartet Tribute to The Beatles

* The String Quartet Tribute to Björk

* The String Quartet Tribute to Bob Dylan

* The String Quartet Tribute to Breaking Benjamin

* The String Quartet Tributes to Bright Eyes-Beautiful in the Morning

[edit] C

* String Quartet Tribute to Casting Crowns

* String Quartet Tribute to Celine Dion

* An Evening with Diablo: The String Tribute to Chevelle

* String Quartet Tribute to Chris Cornell

* String Quartet Tribute to Clay Aiken

* String Quartet Tribute To The Clash

* String Quartet Tribute to Coheed and Cambria’s In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3

* String Quartet Tribute to Coldplay

* Vitamin String Quartet performs Coldplay’s Viva la Vida

* String Quartet Tribute to Creed

* String Quartet Tribute to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

* The String Quartet Tribute to Crossfade

* String Quartet Tribute to The Cure

[edit] D

* String Quartet Tribute to Dark Side of the Moon

* String Quartet Tribute to The Darkness

* Songs You Have Come To Love The Most: A String Quartet Tribute to Dashboard Confessional

* String Quartet Tribute to Dave Matthews Band

* String Quartet Tribute to David Bowie

* String Quartet Tribute to David Gray

* Ghost: The String Quartet Tribute to Death Cab for Cutie

* String Quartet Tribute to Deftones

* String Quartet Tribute to Depeche Mode

* String Quartet Tribute to Diana Krall

* String Quartet Tribute to Dido

* Are You Breathing: The String Quartet to Disturbed

* String Quartet Tribute to the Dixie Chicks

* String Quartet Tribute to The Doors

* The String Quartet Tribute to Dream Theater[6]

* String Quartet Tribute to Duran Duran

* String Quartet Tribute to Dragonforce

* Crenshaw Classics: The String Quartet Tribute to Dr. Dre

* The String Quartet Tribute to Disturbed

[edit] E

* String Quartet Tribute to The Eagles

* Oceans: The String Quartet Tribute to Enya

* Dreams: The String Quartet Tribute to Enya Vol. 2

* String Quartet Tribute to Eric Clapton

* String Quartet Tribute to Evanescence

* String Quartet Tribute to Evanescence 2

[edit] F

* String Quartet Tribute to Fall Out Boy

* Strung Out on Fiona Apple: A String Quartet Tribute

* String Quartet Tribute to Finger Eleven

* String Quartet Tribute to The Flaming Lips

* String Quartet Tribute to Fleetwood Mac

* Rumours: The String Quartet Tribute to Fleetwood Mac

* Vitamin String Quartet Performs the Tribute to Flyleaf

* Resident Adolescence: The String Quartet Tribute to the Foo Fighters

* Shape and Colour of My Heart: The String Quartet Tribute to Foo Fighters

* Ordinary Heroes: The String Quartet Tribute to Foo Fighters

* String Quartet Tribute to The Fray

[edit] G

* String Quartet Tribute to Peter Gabriel

* String Quartet Tribute to Garbage

* String Quartet Tribute to Godsmack’s Godsmack (2008)

* Anthem: The String Quartet Tribute to Good Charlotte

* Vitamin String Quartet performs Green Day’s American Idiot

* String Quartet Tribute to Guns N’ Roses

* String Quartet Tribute to Guns N’ Roses (Reissue with 4 bonus tracks)

[edit] H

* String Quartet Tribute to PJ Harvey

* Arteries Untold: The String Quartet Tribute to Hawthorne Heights

* String Quartet Tribute to Jimi Hendrix

* String Quartet Tribute to Faith Hill

* Uninhibited: String Quartet Tribute to Hinder

* Leave Nothing Behind: Strung Out on Hoobastank – The String Quartet Tribute

* The String Quartet Tribute to HIM

[edit] I

* String Quartet Tribute to Incubus

* New Skin: The String Quartet Tribute to Incubus Vol. 2

* Anatomy of Evil: The String Quartet Tribute to Iron Maiden

* Interstellar: The String Quartet Tribute to Interpol

[edit] J

* String Quartet Tribute to James Blunt

* String Quartet Tribute to Janet Jackson

* String Quartet Tribute to Jane’s Addiction

* String Quartet Tribute to Jet

* String Quartet Tribute to Jewel

* String Quartet Tribute to Elton John

* String Quartet Tribute to John Lennon

[edit] K

* String Quartet Tribute to Kasabian : Processed Strings

* String Quartet Tribute to The Killers

* The String Quartet Tribute to Kirk Franklin (2008)

* String Quartet Tribute to KISS

* Hurt Inside: A String Quartet Tribute to KoЯn

[edit] L

* String Quartet Tribute to Lacuna Coil: Spiral Sounds

* Baroque Tribute to Led Zeppelin

* String Quartet Tribute to Led Zeppelin

* String Quartet Tribute to Led Zeppelin Vol. 2

* String Quartet Tribute Bleeding Love (Single) (2008)

* Break Stuff: The String Quartet Tribute to Limp Bizkit

* In The Chamber with Linkin Park: The String Quartet Tribute

* String Quartet Tribute Linkin Park’s Meteora

* String Quartet Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd – This Sweet Home

[edit] M

* String Quartet Tribute to Madonna

* A Taste of Chaos Ensemble Performs Mastodon’s Leviathan

* String Quartet Tribute to Paul McCartney

* String Quartet Tribute to Tim McGraw

* String Quartet Tribute to Sarah McLachlan

* String Quartet Tribute to Marilyn Manson

* Under Your Skin: The String Quartet Tribute to Maroon 5

* String Quartet Tribute to The Mars Volta

* String Quartet Tribute to Massive Attack

* String Quartet Tribute to Matchbox Twenty

* String Quartet Tribute to The Matrix

* Restrung: The String Quartet Tribute to The Matrix

* Heavier Strings: A String Quartet Tribute to John Mayer’s Heavier Things

* String Quartet Tribute to John Cougar Mellencamp

* Say Your Prayers, Little One: The String Quartet Tribute to Metallica

* String Quartet Tribute to Van Morrison

* String Quartet Tribute to Alanis Morissette

* Strung Out On Jagged Little Pill: The String Quartet Tribute to Alanis Morissette

* In The Chamber with Mudvayne: The String Quartet Tribute

* String Quartet Tribute to Muse

* Funeral: The String Quartet Tribute to My Chemical Romance

[edit] N

* String Quartet Tribute to Natasha Bedingfield

* String Quartet Tribute to Neil Young

* String Quartet Tribute to New Order & Joy Division

* Someday: The String Quartet Tribute to Nickelback

* String Quartet Tribute to Nine Inch Nails

* String Quartet Tribute to Nine Inch Nails’ Pretty Hate Machine

* String Quartet Tribute to Nirvana

* String Quartet Tribute to Nirvana’s Nevermind

* String Quartet Tribute to No Doubt

* String Quartet Tribute to Norah Jones

[edit] O

* String Quartet Tribute to The Offspring

* Decadence & Vanity: The String Quartet Tribute to Oasis

* String Quartet Tribute to Opeth

[edit] P

* Revolution: The String Quartet Tribute to P.O.D.

* Strung Out on Panic! at the Disco: A String Quartet Tribute

* String Quartet Tribute to Panic at the Disco’s Pretty. Odd.

* Perfect Murder: Strung Out on Papa Roach

* Strung Out on Paramore: String Quartet Tribute to Paramore

* String Quartet Tribute to Pearl Jam

* Vitamin String Quartet: Per_Versions

* Forever Phishin’ : Bluegrass Tribute to Phish

* The String Quartet Tribute to Phish

* String Quartet Tribute to Pink Floyd

* More Bricks: The String Quartet Tribute to Pink Floyd’s The Wall

* String Quartet Tribute to Pink Floyd’s the Dark Side of the Moon

* String Quartet Tribute to Pixies

* Symphonic Tribute to Prince’s Purple Rain

* String Quartet Tribute to Puddle of Mudd

[edit] Q

* String Quartet Tribute to Queen

* Strings For The Deaf: The String Quartet Tribute to Queens of the Stone Age

* String Quartet Tribute to Queens of the Stone Age Vol.2

[edit] R

* Enigmatic: The String Quartet Tribute to Radiohead

* Strung Out on Kid A: The String Quartet Tribute to Radiohead

* Strung Out on In Rainbows: Vitamin String Quartet Performs Radiohead’s In Rainbows

* Strung Out on OK Computer: The String Tribute to Radiohead

* String Quartet Tribute to Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

* String Quartet Tribute to R.E.M.

* String Quartet Tribute to R.E.M. Vol. 2

* String Quartet Tribute to The Red Hot Chili Peppers

* String Quartet Tribute to Relient K

* String Quartet Tribute to Rod Stewart

* String Quartet Tribute to The Rolling Stones

* String Quartet Tribute to The Roots

* Baroque Tribute to Rush

* Exit Stage Right: The String Tribute to Rush

* String Quartet Tribute to Rush’s 2112

* String Quartet Tribute to Rock Squadron.

[edit] S

* String Quartet Tribute to Sade

* String Quartet Tribute to Saliva

* String Quartet Tribute to Santana

* String Quartet Tribute to Senses Fail

* String Quartet Tribute to Shinedown

* String Quartet Tribute to Simple Plan

* String Quartet Tribute to Jessica Simpson

* Evil You Dread: The String Quartet Tribute to Slayer

* String Quartet Tribute to Elliott Smith

* String Quartet Tribute to The Smiths

* String Quartet Tribute to Snow Patrol

* String Quartet Tribute to Sonic Youth

* Hometown: The String Quartet Tribute to Bruce Springsteen

* In The Chamber with Staind: The String Quartet Tribute

* String Quartet Tribute to Gwen Stefani

* Tall In The Saddle: The String Quartet Tribute to George Strait

* Embracing the heaviness: The String Quartet Tribute to Stone Sour

* String Quartet Tribute to Sum 41

* String Quartet Tribute to Switchfoot

* String Quartet Tribute to System of a Down

* The String Quartet Tribute to System of a Down’s Mezmerize

* The String Quartet Tribute to System of a Down’s Hypnotize

* String Quartet Tribute to The Smashing Pumpkins

[edit] T

* Strung Out On Three Days Grace: A String Quartet Tribute

* Strung Out On Taking Back Sunday: A String Quartet Tribute

* String Quartet Tribute to James Taylor

* The Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to Third Eye Blind

* Strung Out On Thrice: A String Quartet Tribute

* String Quartet Tribute to Rob Thomas/Matchbox Twenty

* Anotomica: The String Quartet Tribute to Tool

* Chamber Made: The Baroque Tribute to Tool

* Finding Beauty In The Dissonance: A Piano Tribute To Tool

* Metamorphic: The String Quartet Tribute to Tool Vol. 2

* String Quartet Tribute to Tool

* The String Quartet Tribute to Tool’s Ænima

* Third Eye Open: The String Quartet Tribute to Tool

* String Quartet Tribute to Train

* String Quartet Tribute to Shania Twain

* String Quartet Tribute to Dragonforce: Through the Fire and the Flames

* Vitamin String Quartet Performs Music From Twilight

[edit] U

* String Quartet Tribute to U2’s The Joshua Tree

* Strung Out On U2: The String Quartet Tribute

* Still Strung Out On U2: The String Quartet Vol. 2

* Painted Red: Strung Out on Underøath

* The String Quartet Tribute to The Used

[edit] V

* String Quartet Tribute to Velvet Revolver

* String Quartet Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico

[edit] W

* Dad Get Me Out Of This!: The String Quartet Tribute to Warren Zevon

* Come On And Kick Me!: The String Quartet Tribute to Weezer

* Pull This String: String Quartet Tribute to Weezer (Re-Release)

* The String Quartet Tribute to Kanye West

* String Quartet Tribute to The White Stripes

[edit] Y

* Olympus: The String Quartet Tribute to Yanni

* The String Quartet Tribute to Tony Yayo

* String Quartet Tribute to Yellowcard

* Rusted Moon: The String Quartet Tribute to Neil Young

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