The String Quartet Tribute to David Bowie

Album Review

This is part of a bizarre series also featuring string quartet interpretations of the music of Led Zeppelin and Neil Young. It's too bad there are no liner notes accompanying this wild idea to put the music of rockers to the chamber music test, because it would be interesting to see what inspired Czech producer Milos Dolezal to put something so fascinating together. Nonetheless, listeners are assured that these five musicians are the most sought after of that country's string quartet players. They play percussively quite a bit, but the fun of Bowie's music is in its rhythmic and melodic oddities, and a lead violin sometimes smooths things out too much for the songs' own good on pieces like "Changes" and "Space Oddity." Taken one track at a time, these are unique curiosities, well-played attempts to mix rock with classical flavors. Bowie's melodic genius shines through. As a whole though, the session gets repetitive and the lack of rhythmic variation becomes taxing.