Vitamin's
String Quartet Tribute to Sonic Youth begins with an austere reading of the
Daydream Nation classic "Silver Rocket," performed instrumentally for violin, viola, and cello. The piece captures both the jerking tension of the original, as well as a fractured, modernist chamber music sensibility that's exclusive to the strings. Equally winding versions of "Theresa's Sound World" and "Little Trouble Girl" appear later; this theme probably has something to do with
Sonic Youth's music itself -- at times resembling a sort of modern chamber music. "Kool Thing" replicates its source's rhythm and melody more closely, and "Superstar" settles satisfactorily between
the Carpenters original and
Sonic Youth's spooky cover. Overall it's one of the more intriguing string tributes, offering plenty of twists and turns, especially for veteran
Sonic Youth listeners. ~ Johnny Loftus