Latest News: weezer

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Spotify Playlist Contest

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We're celebrating the release of our very first live album VSQ Live at Troubadour with a killer giveaway! And it's all about you creating your dream setlist . . .

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  Create a public Spotify playlist with the title VSQ Dream Setlist with 12 VSQ tracks . Share the playlist via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with #VSQDreamSet. Three (3) winners will win a digital download of our upcoming release VSQ Live at Troubadour, digital downloads of 5 VSQ releases of their choice, vinyl copies of VSQ Performs Sigur Ros, Weezer's Pinkerton and Radiohead's In Rainbows, plus 1 VSQ T-shirt of their choice.

Enter Now! 

See full contest rules here. 

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Available Now: Geek Wedding Collection

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Vitamin String Quartet is excited to present our Geek Wedding Collection, an eclectic compilation of string renditions celebrating video games, movies, TV and music. Treat your wedding guests to something a little different – walk down the aisle to “The Imperial March” from Star Wars, have your first dance to “Storybook Love” from The Princess Bride and cut the cake to “Still Alive” from the wildly popular video game Portal. Fit for any couple who thinks outside the box, the Geek Wedding Collection will surely set your wedding apart from the rest. 1. Concerning Hobbits (The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) 2. Dearly Beloved (Kingdom Hearts) 3. Birdhouse in Your Soul (They Might Be Giants) 4. Main Title (Game of Thrones) 5. Still Alive (Portal) 6. The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) (Star Wars) 7. Ice Dance (Edward Scissorhands) 8. Harry In Winter (Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire) 9. The Next Generation Theme (Star Trek) 10. Island in the Sun (Weezer) 11. Love Theme from Superman (Superman: The Movie) 12. Storybook Love (The Princess Bride)

Buy Now! 

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Coming Soon: VSQ's Geek Wedding Collection

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 Listen to snippets now! 

Vitamin String Quartet is excited to present our Geek Wedding Collection, an eclectic compilation of string renditions celebrating video games, movies, TV and music. Treat your wedding guests to something a little different – walk down the aisle to “The Imperial March” from Star Wars, have your first dance to “Storybook Love” from The Princess Bride and cut the cake to “Still Alive” from the wildly popular video game Portal. Fit for any couple who thinks outside the box, the Geek Wedding Collection will surely set your wedding apart from the rest. 1. Concerning Hobbits (The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) 2. Dearly Beloved (Kingdom Hearts) 3. Birdhouse in Your Soul (They Might Be Giants) 4. Main Title (Game of Thrones) 5. Still Alive (Portal) 6. The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) (Star Wars) 7. Ice Dance (Edward Scissorhands) 8. Harry In Winter (Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire) 9. The Next Generation Theme (Star Trek) 10. Island in the Sun (Weezer) 11. Love Theme from Superman (Superman: The Movie) 12. Storybook Love (The Princess Bride)

Pre-order now on iTunes and get a free download of "Main Title" from Game of Thrones instantly! 

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VSQ Performs Weezer's Pinkerton on Billboards Classic Album Chart!

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Our exclusive Record Store Day vinyl release Vitamin String Quartet Performs Weezer's Pinkerton is ranked at #10 on Billboard's Classical Album chart! 

A huge thank you to everyone who's picked it up!

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Record Store Day Exclusive: VSQ Performs Weezer's "Pinkerton"

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We’re excited to announce Vitamin String Quartet Performs Weezer’s “Pinkerton”, a Record Store Day exclusive! Available on April 19th, this newly remastered vinyl includes a color vinyl, full color sleeve and download card good for the whole album Side A 1. Tired of Sex 2. Getchoo 3. No Other One 4. Why Bother? 5. Across the Sea Side B 1. The Good Life 2. El Scorcho 3. Pink Triangle 4. Falling for You 5. Butterfly

Find a participating store near you! 

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Reviews They Probably Regret

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Music criticism is difficult. It can be hard to have a solid, journalistic opinion on every piece of new music and feel out a rating based on that opinion. Then, they have to convince people that their feeling is more than just a relative, subjective opinion, but that it contains factual authority about the album's failures and accomplishments. The worst case scenario for many critics is that their panning or praising of an album is looked at as not just an outlier, but illogically wrong-headed. It's a risk with every review. Now that we understand that good music criticism is a difficult job, let's take a look at its most delicious failures. These are reviews on albums that went against the grain in the worst way, likely causing some palms to meet foreheads in hindsight. Unfortunateley, there's no sweeping under rugs, because the internet is forever. Weezer's album Pinkerton is rightly considered a '90s alternative classic. While it wasn't a financial success right out of the gate, it had the right critical reception from most outlets at the time. Except Rolling Stone, who gave it a middling 3 out of 5 stars, which is as useful as Rolling Stone saying “This sure is music.” The text of the review cites aimless songwriting and a juvenile point of view as faults in the overall mixed evaluation. What makes this a gaffe is the attempt to correct things in hindsight. In 2004, the album was re-reviewed with a perfect 5 stars, and the 2009 deluxe reissue was awarded 4 ½ stars. Then there's Daft Punk's Discovery and Pitchfork's 6.4 review. Kanye's use of Daft Punk on “Stronger” just kicked into high gear what was already happening: a lateral shift of pop music towards club-centric house beats, which Daft Punk demonstrated to be their strong suit. So if something had such an impact, how do you give it 64 points out of a possible 100? First, by complaining about the lyrics. In hindsight, reviewer and Pitchfork owner Ryan Schreiber admitted to being wrong and falling in love with the album later on in the summer. These days, it's frequently listed as one of the best albums of its decade. While those two focus on classics being downplayed, there's also something to say about loving a universally reviled album. This was the case with Chris Cornell's Scream, a Timbaland-produced pop album from the Soundgarden frontman. It was so thoroughly disliked that even his friend Trent Reznor had to say something. Over at Entertainment Weekly, they loved it enough to give it an astounding B+ grade. That wouldn't be so bad, as having enthusiasm for something that no one else likes is admirable for its positivity. But the language of the praise – saying Cornell almost succeeds at creating his own Thriller – is a little bit out there. It's hard to imagine the connections one has to make in order to listen to Scream and think, “This is almost as good as Michael Jackson's best work.”

Vitamin String Quartet Performs Weezer's Pinkerton Available at iTunes and Amazon

AND

Beaucoup de VSQ Available now at iTunes and Amazon

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The Best In Feel-Bad Breakups

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According to data gathered from Facebook, there are two peak times for break ups: Just after Valentine's day, and right about now. The anti-cupid has already struck Zooey Deschanel & Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard and, even worse, the iconic relationship of Thurstoon Moore & Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth. Just in case you're at risk, here's a Vitamin String Quartet-friendly playlist that will help you through your tough times. Separation is obviously a well-tread topic in pop music and the source of infinite songs, so no list will ever feel definitive. But it doesn't hurt to have one on hand, does it? Incubus – "Oil & Water" The summary of all your problems is right there in the title! This is an easy way to rock out to you and your partner's irreconcilable differences. The lyrics are full of common metaphors – heavy with anchors, shelter from the weather – but that just aids in its universal appeal. Let Brandon Boyd's big voice lead you up the dramatic arc. Def Leppard – "Bringin' On The Heartbreak" For those of you that require a little bit of edge in your breakup. This is strictly a song on the receiving end of emotional pain, and it has the added bonus of being ideal for singing along to in the sealed privacy of your car. Turn it up on the freeway and be a fearless, heart heavy rock star. Weezer – "No Other One" Maybe it's not strictly a song about splitting, but the song's portrayal of a codependent, desperate relationship may be all you need to snap out of your funk. Get uncomfortable with lines like, “My girl's a liar but I'll stand beside her” and realize that perhaps your attachment was unhealthy. Bright Eyes – "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" Of course, it would be remiss to pretend break ups were all about rejection. Sometimes it's about guilt, or the scary apathy you have about being the ruiner of hearts. “She'll probably feel cheap/ But I'll just feel free/ And a little bit empty.” Were it not for those delightful drum machines and Wurlitzers, this would be a much darker affair. Fiona Apple – "Slow Like Honey" You might be thinking “Fast As You Can” from the Fiona Apple camp, but that's always sounded more like a preventative song rather than an end. This one, though? This is one sultry stab to the heart, reminding us that splitting up is just the beginning. Even if you're bitterly rejected, “Slow Like Honey” offers comfort in knowing that your memory will be a vengeful ghost. Related: VSQ Tribute to Incubus Vol. 3(2011), VSQ Performs Power Ballads (2011), VSQ Performs Weezer's Pinkerton (2010), The String Quartet Tribute to Bright Eyes: Beautiful in the Morning (2005), Strung Out On Fiona Apple: The String Quartet Tribue (2006)

Be sure to check out:

VSQ Tribute to Incubus Vol. 3 Available now at iTunes and Amazon

VSQ Performs Power Ballads Available now at iTunes and Amazon

VSQ Performs Weezer's Pinkerton Available now at iTunes and Amazon

The String Quartet Tribute to Bright Eyes: Beatiful in the Morning Available now at iTunes and Amazon

String Out On Fiona Apple: The String Quartet Tribute Available now at Amazon

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Weezer Covers Barry Manilow

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Weezer was recently asked by State Farm Insurance to record a version of the company’s jingle. However, the band decided to cover the entire song which the jingle was derived from. As Rivers Cuomo and his band mates posted on their site:

"When we were setting up The Memories Tour, the good people at State Farm asked the band, 'Would you sing our jingle for us. Weezer then asked if the jingle was from a whole song, and if anyone recorded it lately. So State Farm went back to their headquarters to find out the answers."

What they found out is that Barry Manilow wrote the original song, “Like a Good Neighboor”, early on in his career. The band said:

"Rivers looked over the sheet music and said, 'this is a great song; we should record the whole thing.' So the band went into the studio and had a lot of fun rocking out with Mr. Manilow's tune, hoping he would be proud of the results."
Watch a video of the band recording the song below: And be sure to check out Vitamin Records': Come one and Kick Me! - The String Quartet Tribute to Weezer and The String Quartet Performs Weezer's Pinkerton

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