Customer Reviews

Quartet Tribute to Audioslave

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

In looking at other reviews, I can only wonder how big of fans of Audioslave these people are. I mean, I first heard "What You Are" and I fell in love with the band. That being said, if you buy this expecting to hear the same sound, then you need to re-read the title of the CD: "The STRING QUARTET Tribute to Audioslave". This is not for your average rock fan. This is for the people who love Audioslave and Soundgarden (no RATM songs here, though it would have been very interesting if they tried to pull one off) and can appreciate this kind of music. People need to keep in mind that this is not Audioslave nor Soundgarden playing these songs. It's violins and cellos and such. End rant.

Now that that's out of the way, I can say, as a HUGE fan of Audioslave that I love this CD. Sometimes it's good to listen to music that's a little more mellow, music that doesn't involve banging drums and wailing guitars. So if you love Audioslave and Soundgarden and want some music to unwind to, this might be for you. But to avoid reviews like those before this one, I would HIGHLY SUGGEST previewing the music first. (Whodathunkit?!) I did and I liked what I heard.

I listen to music when I do homework; it's become almost necessary for me. I can't concentrate 100% if it's something I can bang my head to, so I usually pick out some slower, softer songs to help me get through the work. I see this as the best of both worlds. I can listen to softer music and be reminded of how much I love this band.

This tribute, however, is not perfect (despite that I've given it five stars). I just think there are some songs that could have been done better. While some of the bands' more popular songs ("Like a Stone", "Black Hole Sun") are pulled off excellently, some others just sound... a little off. Nevertheless, it's still well-played.

Again, for the true fans only.

The String Quartet Tribute To Audioslave is a really different way to listen to some of the best songs from the Audioslave and Soundgarden catalogue. All the rock is gone and replaced by eerie classical sounding strings recreating the grooves and melodies fans have come to love over the years. Highlights include the beautiful melody of "Like A Stone", the intense feel of "Rusty Cage", the slinky sound of "Black Hole Sun", the odd timing groove of "Spoonman", and the great melancholy melody of "I Am The Highway". Despite the weirdness of the whole concept, The String Quartet Tribute To Audioslave is an interesting musical experience that I can definitely recommend to fans of Chris Cornell's amazing vocal melodies. I picked this up out of sheer curiosity and although it's very weird I also think it's strangely intriguing.

I picked up a copy of this at my Best Buy yesterday and I thought, is this a joke? So, I bought it thinking whats the worst, if I don't like it I'll sell it on ebay. When I got home, I popped it into my stereo and couldn't believe it. The songs were sick! I especially loved Spoonman and I Am the Highway. Its like wedding music if you want to add a little edge to when someone walks down the aisle. At my brothers wedding this past Sunday (this isn't a lie) I walked down to Boulevard of Broken Dreams (I'm 16 what can I say? I thought it'd be cool) The orchestra played the song on trumpets and violins and it sounded awesome!! If I couldve been given another chance to pick a song, it'd be a heavy debate between Blvd. and I am the Highway. Anyway, if you like rock, and you would like to hear how Audioslave or Soundgarden wouldve turned out had Tom Morello or Kim Thayil played violin instead of guitars, this album is definitly for you. If your just a fan of the two bands and think itd be cool to hear the two bands played through different (and really cool sounding) instruments, definitly pick this up.

A while back, I picked up the String Quartet tribute to Evanescense. I didn't think it was the greatest CD ever, but I thought it was pretty good. I'm into stuff like that, so when I saw the "string quartet" tribute to Audioslave, I decided to pick it up.

Wow, was that a mistake! I mean, there's plenty of bad CDs out there that I've bought in the past... but I've never written to the people behind it before...this time I did! Other bad CDs were at least as advertised. But HOW can you call it a "String Quartet" tribut when there ISN'T A STRING QUARTET involved???

That's right people, this installment of the "string quartet" tributes does not even HAVE a STRING QUARTET!!!!!!!! Wheter you like audioslave, soundgarden, classical music, or any of the above, this album is a TRAVESTY.

This album consists of one guy with some crappy looped MIDI music (albeit wavetable), and another guy with a violin playing over it!!!!! Not only is the music crappy, but it's false advertising! DON'T BUY THIS ALBUM!!! DON'T PAY FOR MIDI MUSIC!!! Vitamin records is trying to make a quick buck off this one.

I don't know how anyone could think this is good. If you think this is anything close to classical music, you're sadly mistaken. Thanks to this album, I will make sure to NEVER pick up another string quartet album again. You would be much better off to pick up some Apocalyptica.

This is one of my favorite CDs in the series of Rock & Roll String CDs. It's a little wierd that they did Sound Garden songs, but it is really good. I read on the Audioslave forum that the CD was originally going to be called the String Tribute To Chris Cornell.

If you get a chance to get this CD, you won't be dissapointed. I think its totally cool. I bought it after i heard it at a listening station at the mall.

Not sure if the string quartet was the best way to pay a tribute to Audioslave. It sounds great, but 4 instruments can hardly display the power of Audioslave. Again, however it still sounds great.

Where did this sudden explosion of "String Tribute To..." albums come from? I wonder if they're all by the same group of people trying to cash in on big names...

Anyway, none of these string tribute albums are worth the price. They all sound pretty much the same: Boring transcriptions of rock songs to stringed instruments. The end result is an amateurish-sounding mess that's very bad by classical music standards, and very disappointing by the standards of any fan of the original versions of the songs.

The idea itself isn't a bad one, Apocalyptica proved that. It's the execution and choice of bands that's the problem. Take this Audioslave tribute for example. Audioslave's music simply doesn't lend itself well to a string quartet. Tom Morello's guitar work is great because he gets sounds out of a guitar that are impossible on any other instrument. To transcribe it for another instrument loses a lot. Music is about a lot more than the right notes in the right order, but that's pretty much all that these "String Tribute" albums manage to capture. The absence of vocals is also a major problem. They're either emulated poorly by an violin or cello (Chris Cornell's voice is one of the best things Audioslave has going for it, a violin just playing the same melody doesn't cut it!) or left out altogether.

These string quartet people, whoever they are, could take a few pointers from Apocalyptica: First of all, pick bands that actual lend themselves well to this kind of music. Metallica is an excellent example. I actually prefer Apocalyptica's versions of their songs to the originals. Secondly, don't just try to copy it note-for-note. Mix it up a little. A cover is only worthwhile if you change the song to make it your own, in your own style. Because who wants to listen to something that's just a cheap copy?

Audioslave is made up of four instruments; guitar, bass, vocals, and drums. It is very odd that you would say that four instruments can harldy display the power of Audioslave, even though Audioslave is a group made up of four instruments......

I read some of the other reviews here and I do not understand where these losers are getting their information.... It ain't from listening to this CD ... That's for damn sure!!! I bought this CD, even though I thought it was going to SUCK based on the reviews here... Well ... It definately doesn't suck... It isn't bad ... & guess what .... I F*&KIn' LOVE IT!!! I think it totally rocks!!! Matt Cameron would LOVE this CD!!!

Don't listen to the reviewers who say this sucks because it DEFINATELY does not suck!!!

I swear to God that I was going to throw this thing in the trash based on what I read here and after I listened to it I ain't throwing nothing away... I love it and you will too.

I don't think that Geoffrey Holtby, Alan Karna "Trashman Al", or Brian P. Harris "Da_VooDooChild" even listened to the CD. I think they are gay or they are deaf idiots with no brains whatsoever.

I gave it a chance but I couldn't even finish the CD, it was so godawful. The only saving grace to this CD was that this so-called "classical" take on good rock and roll was almost humorous. Like the retarded renditions of pop songs, that some sketch comedies use, in order to poke a little fun at pop culture.