Vitamin takes on the brood and sway of
Depeche Mode with this string quartet tribute, running through nine of the band's songs with the aid of violin, cello, acoustic bass, viola, and a bit of percussion. Like most string interpretations of pop music, the album can grow tedious over the long haul. However, there's plenty to like incrementally, especially for fans. Highlights include "Personal Jesus," with its hint of mouth percussion during the breakdown, and the violins aping the tradeoff vocals of "Master and Servant." There are a few glaring omissions -- "Everything Counts" and "Policy of Truth" among them. Even still,
Depeche Mode completists should get a kick out of the novelty and slight decadence of this collection. ~ Johnny Loftus