Best use of violins in non-classical music

grizzly · 14-10-2009 8:37am #1

I love the the use of violins in modern music. I was listening to Cat Power yesterday – I'm not a really a fan, but the use of strings in her stuff is great, really haunting. I was wondering if people had similar, violin based favourites.

Easy Rider · 14-10-2009 8:52am

Pretty much everything by The Dirty Three

rednik · 14-10-2009 1:09pm

Most of the early music by the Waterboys.

laoisforliam · 14-10-2009 1:14pm

The masterplan - Oasis
Levon - Elton John
Eleanor Rigby - Beatles
Glycerine - Bush
FEAR - Ian Bown
Moonlight Mile - The Stones

Kid V · 14-10-2009 1:39pm

Radiohead, Sigur Rós and Arcade Fire come straight to mind as acts who know how to use strings very well both in a subtle way to give songs more of an edge or in a grand almost orchestral way.

Portishead have haunting strings down to a tee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XvlqTbXKyU

loyatemu · 14-10-2009 1:42pm

you talking about the violin specifically, or strings in general.

If its just the violin then here's 2 absolute classics that feature a lot of violin:

Neil Young: Ambulance Blues

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXAaNQjgMA8

Bob Dylan: Isis
(can't find the studio version of this on YT)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igW2s4C_eV4

delbertgrady · 15-10-2009 8:13am

+1 for Elton John's Levon

Kate Bush: Cloudbusting
John Cale: (I Keep a) Close Watch
Ben Folds: Landed (Strings Version)

TskTsk · 15-10-2009 8:20am

Kid V wrote: »

Radiohead, Sigur Rós and Arcade Fire

Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Pallett

Kid V · 15-10-2009 12:03pm

TskTsk wrote: »

Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett)

Ye he arranges them. Very few bands can do it on their own without outside help

Heisenberg. · 15-10-2009 1:26pm

This post has been deleted.

Kold · 15-10-2009 5:54pm

Godspeed You Black Emperor (See: Motherf*cker=Redeemer)

cml387 · 15-10-2009 6:03pm

What about One Tree Hill or The Unforgettable Fire (arranged by our own Noel Kelehan)

lordgoat · 15-10-2009 9:39pm

Wilco - Jesus etc

Final fantasy and Yann as already mentioned

padraig_f · 15-10-2009 10:13pm

Some nice strings on the new Noah and the Whale album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJALyVYqbUc

silent sage · 16-10-2009 2:55am

My violin based favourite.

niallon · 16-10-2009 3:43am

Bruce Springsteen - Jungleland

Coldplay - Viva La Vida (Hate the band but I gotta hand it to them, great strings on this song!)

phelixoflaherty · 16-10-2009 5:36am

John Cale. Can be grinding, but the man is fearless

Kold · 16-10-2009 8:13am

Was listening to this song on the bus this morning, thought I'd share it. Skip to a minute in.. or don't.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV83U4CDAx4

duploelabs · 16-10-2009 8:18am

Violins (and a whole orchestra) playing techno
http://www.grandcrew.com/videos/carl-craig-live-concert-cite-musique

siltirocker · 16-10-2009 12:16pm

Love the ones in 'Revelate' by the Frames.

But the answer is clearly 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' iconic string section!

Quillo · 16-10-2009 1:19pm

Rise Against on Roadside, the mellow track on The Surfer and the Witness. Most notable in the solo around the 2:10 mark. Probably cello though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdKaKpLtt3Y

Tellox · 16-10-2009 1:21pm

Muse's exogenesis symphony is a fantastic example of modern string usage. On top of that, it's just awesome.

bullpost · 17-10-2009 12:09am

Out of the blue by Roxy Music has some great violin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVkOVWBaRwA

bullpost · 17-10-2009 12:17am

Another great band to feature violin - The Triffids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2NQl3stdF0

anti-venom · 17-10-2009 10:30am

Check out the late, great Don "Sugarcane" Harris's music - a hughly talented violinist. His work with Frank Zappa on the Hot Rtas Album deserves special attention.

Mars Bar · 17-10-2009 11:11am

+1 on The Waterboys stuff. Steve Wickham is the Jimi Hendrix of the violin!

Agree with Levon by Elton John.

Bruce Springsteens "Lonesome Day", "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" and most recently, "Outlaw Pete", I love the western-ish sound it gives to Outlaw Pete.

You can go to bands such as Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphies for Trad Rock kinda stuff.

anti-venom · 17-10-2009 11:56am

One for those into drone/doom sound is the band/duo Pussygutt, featuring the talented violinist, Brittany McConnel. It's a low end guitar sound thing with an eerie, droneing violin played over it. Quite good.

siltirocker · 18-10-2009 6:08pm

Disarm & Tonight, tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins are another two that spring to mind.

duploelabs · 19-10-2009 11:37am

Also the string arrangements on Beck's Sea change and also on Joanna Newsom's Y's is pretty special.

Dravokivich · 19-10-2009 11:58am

er... "Come on Eileen" anyone?

- Drav!

Kid V · 19-10-2009 12:50pm

duploelabs wrote: »

Also the string arrangements on Beck's Sea change

Amazing album. I think his Dad arranged them. He did a great job. They really enhance the songs and compliment Beck's melancholic vocals and lyrics.

kryptyk500 · 19-10-2009 6:21pm

I like Echo and the Bunnymen's 'Ocean Rain' album for its strings, especially The Killing Moon. The cello on the Nirvana unplugged album sounds great - the version of Dumb is excellent.

Davao8000 · 19-10-2009 6:39pm

dEUS - suds & soda

Violin just fits right in so well...

rednik · 24-10-2009 2:11pm

ELO : Out of the blue the entire album.

jill_valentine · 24-10-2009 11:02pm

Kid V wrote: »

Ye he arranges them. Very few bands can do it on their own without outside help

Pallett's a busy lad, he's arranged for an awful lot of bands. He was the best thing about many of their albums, too - Last Shadow Puppets, I'm looking at you.

I have a sneaking suspicion his own next album is going to be one of the best of next year, too. He's also let it be known that he's just finished work on Arcade Fire's third one, but alas, he doesn't play onstage with them anymore except on very special occasions.