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Balanescu Quartet: Possessed

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s

Artist: Balanescu Quartet
Title: Possessed
Released: 1992.09.21
Label: Mute Records Limited
Time: 69:03
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Appears with:
Category: Jazz
Rating: *******... (7/10)
Media type: CD
Purchase date:  2002.12.11
Price in €: 1,00
Web address: www.mute.com

 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Robots (Bartos/Bartoff/Hutter/Schneider) - 8:42
[2] Model (Bartos/Bartoff/Hutter/Schult/Shultz) - 3:44
[3] Autobahn (Bartoff/Hutter/Schneider/Schult/Shultz) - 6:22
[4] Computer Love (Bartoff/Hutter/Schult/Schult) - 6:20
[5] Pocket Calculator (Bartos/Bartoff/Hutter/Schult/Shultz) - 3:49
[6] Possessed (Balanescu) - 16:53
[7] Want Me (Balanescu) - 7:42
[8] No Time Before Time (Balanescu) - 11:01
[9] Hanging Upside Down (Byrne/Fernandez) - 4:55

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


ALEXANDER BALANESCU - Violin, Vocals, Producer
CLARE CONNORS - Violin, Arranger, Producer
CAROLINE DALE - Cello, Producer
BILL HAWKES - Viola, Producer

MIRANDA SEX GARDEN - Vocals

STEVE ARGUELLES - Percussion, Drums

MICHAEL J. DUTTON - Engineer, Executive Producer, Mixing
TIM SIMMONS - Photography
ANDY STRANGE - Assistant Engineer
CHRISTOPHER MARC Potter - Assistant Engineer
PETER MEW - Mastering
DON MOUSSEAU - Project Development

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1992 LP Mute STUMM111
1992 CD Mute STUMM111
1992 CS Mute STUMM111
1992 CD Mute 61421
1992 CD Elektra/Asylum 61421
1992 CS Elektra/Asylum 61421



Although there are three original compositions, including the title track, featured here, the majority of Possessed is made up of string quartet remakes of Kraftwerk songs. Given that the precision of the German electronic band's songs bear no small resemblance to Baroque classicism, the Balanescu Quartet needs to do little to make their covers work than to play them straight.

Jason Ankeny - All-Music Guide, © 1992 - 2002 AEC One Stop Group, Inc.



The idea of a string quartet (two violins, a cello and a viola) doing interpretations of Kraftwerk songs (as well as three Balanescu originals and one David Byrne song) is no less fantastic than the result. Romanian Balanescu and his three British compatriots meld the disparate styles into an idea that seems painfully obvious only when you hear it. Kraftwerk's genius is in crafting perfect little melodies using a few spare notes, and the way the Quartet plays with the simple construction is true to classical form, resulting in something that sounds original and heartfelt. "Model"'s haunting refrain is made almost Bach-ian, with heavy, resounding chords and "Pocket Calculator"'s oddity turns sprightly with the mock-serious vocal and computer bleeps turned into lightly-plucked notes. The Balanescu compositions are similar in style but not as spare, with usher arrangements and fewer stand-alone melody lines. The sole vocal, contributed by Miranda Sex Garden, fits in as if it were another instrument. What makes this release more than just the sum of its parts-hip German computer geeks' songs played by classical musicians-is that the production is so clear, each note reverberates, as if being played in a not-so-distant garden. An enchanting release, Possessed is the classical record you'll turn to when you need something perfectly soothing and distinct.

Megan McLaughlin: CMJ New Music Report Issue: 309 - Nov 20, 1992
© 1978-2002 College Media, Inc., Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Violinist Alexander Balanescu has, over the years, established a reputation both as a classical musician and as one of Britain's foremost session musicians (well, he's not actually British, he's Romanian, but he's based in the UK). If you find a rock/pop album recorded in the UK over the last six or seven years that features violin, there's a reasonable chance it's going to be Balanescu that's playing it.

This album is the first release by his string quartet on Mute and it's a prime example of Balanescu's crossover between the classical world with which string quartets are usually associated and his work in the more commercial rock/pop world. Only three of the nine tracks on this album are original compositions though - there's a cover of David Byrne's "Hanging Upside-Down" and no less than five covers of Kraftwerk tracks.

Well, what can I say? Previous Kraftwerk covers by the likes of Big Black were thought of as adventurous at the time but hearing Kraftwerk songs (about as electronic and synthesised as it's possible to get) performed on only two violins, a viola and a cello is something more than a little bit different. What's really astonishing is that these covers aren't just some sort of vague interpretation in strings, retaining the melody and throwing away all the synth twiddles and assorted bleeps and boings, they're remarkably faithful to the original and any Kraftwerk fan would recognise them instantly. Most of the aforementioned twiddles, bleeps and boings are still there, albeit in a rather...stringier form.

Given the quality of the Kraftwerk originals combined with the excellence of the execution, the innovation (if you had a string quartet, would you decide "Hey, let's do some Kraftwerk covers"?) and novelty makes it difficult to pick a favourite here. All five covers are cleverly done, but if I had to pick one, "Autobahn" would probably be it if only for the wonderful way the cello has been used to create the car engine noises of the original (yes, they've even reproduced the quiet sequence with all the different types of traffic noises). They've understandably had to cut some of the original (it was 19 minutes long) but listening to the track you become convinced that they only did this because it would have been a bit dull and not because they weren't able to mimic all the electronic sounds with their instruments. "Pocket Calculator" is worthy of special mention too, for its fidelity (all the calculator bleeps in place, it's even got a beat!) and the vocals, where Balanescu's strong accent fits rather well.

The cover art also fits the Kraftwerkism - it shares a strong El Lissitzky influence with the cover of Kraftwerk's The Man-Machine.

Balanescu's own compositions are also highly listenable although I have to admit that they didn't have the immediate appeal to me of the Kraftwerk covers. "Want Me" features vocals by Mute's other pseudo-classical signing, Miranda Sex Garden, but the standout of these three is probably "No Time Before Time". It may be more conventional than any of the other tracks here and it lacks their cleverness and quirks but it's...well, this'll probably strip away any shreds of reviewer-cred I had left (if I ever had any), but it's just got a pretty tune.

The album's rounded off by a David Byrne cover. Now I'm not that familiar with Byrne's material but fortunately this is one song of his that I have heard. The fact that I didn't know by the title that I'd heard it but knew I'd heard it before by Balanescu's version testifies to the fidelity of its reproduction here. It's perhaps not as clever as the Kraftwerk covers and is more conventional in execution, but it seems good enough to me. I'll leave further comment on this to someone more versed in Byrne's work.

In summary, this really is a very good album. There's probably an element of novelty in my initial reaction to it though, so I'm moderating my enthusiasm and giving it a rating of +2 rather than the +3 that I feel inclined to give it at the moment. Add that extra point back on if you're a Kraftwerk fan or just like the sound of it.

© Al Crawford 1992. All rights reserved.



Die Stücke dieser CD kennen sehr viele - ohne es zu wissen!

Die CD war eine echte Offenbarung - ein Großteil basiert auf einer wahnwitzig erscheinenden Idee: Kraftwerk in Streichquartett-Arrangements! Aber es funktioniert - und zwar sehr gut. Wegen der Qualität der Songs, wegen der Qualität des Arrangements und wegen des spielerischen Könnens und Einsatzes des Quartetts. So wurden Teile daraus ueber Jahre zu Trailer-Musiken bei Arte. Und auch sonst im Fernsehen gerne eingesetzt. Auch Die Eigenkompositionen von Alexander Banalescu haben ihren Reiz - sie sind anders als die Karftwerk-Interpetationen aber beileibe nicht schlechter! Für mich ist "Possesed" eine CD, die ich nur jedem empfehlen kann - ob Liebhaber moderner Klassik oder Fan von Kraftwerk... Die Lust macht, das Quartett live zu sehen... Und die auch nach Jahren nicht verliert, sondern im Gegenteil gewinnt.

Holger Schulten aus Deutschland, 13. September 2001



A beautifully haunting rendition

The spine tingling reworking of several well-known Kraftwerk tracks at the beginning of the album are enough to justify the purchase price alone, but the final four tracks add even more value. The Quartet add so much to the music with this interpretation of electronic music, and track 2 (Model / Robot 2) stands on its own as a haunting piece of classical music, quite beyond the interest value the album would have to Kraftwerk fans.

This album would make the perfect introduction to classical music for any electronic music fan who wants to broaden their horizons. Similarly it would provide solid proof to any Classical music snobs that electronic music makes a valuable contribution to the musical world.

One final point that can't be overemphasised - this album makes a great CD to test new hi-fi equiptment with! It stretches any CD player / Amps / Speakers with its combinations of very low double-bass notes overlayed with rich detailed cello and violin work. A must for the hi-fi shop demo room!

All in all, a masterpice of technical skill on the instruments, from an arrangement which borders on genius.

A music fan from Birmingham, UK, 13 December, 2001



Nonstop

This is a fantastic idea - Kraftwerk retooled for a strings quartet - and it works superbly. The arrangements are both amusingly precise (witness the electronic noises at the beginning of 'The Robots') and loose enough to work in their own right, and it's a million miles away from the standard 'The LSO plays the music of the Beatles'. For whatever reason, the Quartet have covered the dancier versions of the songs from 'The Mix' (most obvious in 'The Robots'), and not the originals. All but 'Pocket Calculator' (vocals by Alexander Balanescu himself) are instrumental, usually with a violin taking the vocal melody. As a bonus there are some other songs tacked on the end - one by David Byrne, the others by Miranda Sex Garden.

are-puh from London, England, 14 August, 2000
 

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