String Quartet Tribute to the Darkness works really well, since the melodies of the band's successful 2003 debut
Permission to Land are so vibrant. Though this is an instrumental set, the violins are perfect stand-ins for
Justin Hawkins' highfalutin falsetto whinnies, and double bass, cello, viola and occasional percussion (the latter helping to emphasize "Love Is Only a Feeling"'s triumphant, marching pace) handle the bottom end with as much aplomb as a Marshall stack backline. "Givin' Up" is another highlight; with its keening, hope-filled strings, it could be the theme music to a heartwarming dramedy about ambitious young law students. "Black Shuck," "Get Your Hands Off of My Woman," and "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" are equally strong, helping to make this one of the better entries in Vitamin's long-running string tribute series. ~ Johnny Loftus