First glance at this CD cover and I thought I was in for a reality show winner type put together girl band. How wrong could I get! Had I looked a little closer I would have noticed that these 4 beautiful women were holding string instruments.
This is no run of the mill band of beauties playing forgettable pop. This is four extremely talented women playing classical string instruments in a decidedly pop manner. It is also their 10th year anniversary as a band, celebrating being the original electric string quartet.
Play is an album that combines classical instruments, classical music with pop energy and sensibilities.
The bulk of this album was written and arranged by BOND but there are some instantly recognisable tracks included as well. Jai Ho was a huge hit from the movie Slumdog Millionaire, Pump It is a version of the Black Eyed Peas song that also samples the Dick Dale and the Del-Tones hit Misirlou which was featured in the opening credits of Pulp Fiction. Then there is Last Time (aka Bittersweet) which is an interpretation of The Last Time by The Rolling Stones, which was heavily sampled in Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve – which had me remembering Cruel Intentions from the very first bars.
I can’t refrain from mentioning the Bonus Track – Bond goes Gaga. This is an entertaining medley of Lady Gaga tracks that includes Alejandro, Poker Face, Bad Romance, Born This Way and Judas.
Classical Crossover is how this has been categorised and I can’t think of any other way you could describe it. The talented quartet have definitely retained elements of classical but this is so much more than that, there is a distinct and undeniable pop overtone.
I have to say I really quite enjoyed this CD, and I’m not afraid to admit that I have even surprised myself. Check it out – you might be surprised.
Track Listing:
01. Diablo
02. Jai Ho
03. Elysium
04. Pump It
05. Beatroot
06. Last Time (aka Bittersweet)
07. Summer
08. Winter
09. Apasionada
10. West With The Night
11. Road to Samarkand
12. Victory 10
13. Diablo
14. Bond Goes Gaga
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!