While its pop art graphics and smarmy liner notes ("one listen to these outstanding performances and you'll remember that it's 'hip to be square' again!") threaten to capsize The String Quartet Tribute to Weezer before it even shoves off, the whole concept of string-quartet renditions of postmodern, quirky pop songs is, well, postmodern and quirky. It's fun to hear cello and viola emulate "Buddy Holly"'s wall of chugging guitars, and the violins' glass-shattering replication of the anguished guitars in "Say It Ain't So"'s chorus is worth the price of admission alone. This tribute might also inadvertently offer some insight into
Rivers Cuomo's songwriting muse -- somehow, the melody of "El Scorcho" sounds like "Swanee River" when rendered by string instruments. ~ Johnny Loftus