Best use of violins in non-classical music

grizzly

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

Pretty much everything by The Dirty Three

rednik

Most of the early music by the Waterboys.

laoisforliam

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

Kid V

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

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

+1 for Elton John's Levon

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

TskTsk

Kid V wrote: »

Radiohead, Sigur Rós and Arcade Fire

Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett)

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

Kid V

TskTsk wrote: »

Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett)

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

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

Kold

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

cml387

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

lordgoat

Wilco - Jesus etc

Final fantasy and Yann as already mentioned

padraig_f

Some nice strings on the new Noah and the Whale album

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

silent sage

My violin based favourite.

niallon

Bruce Springsteen - Jungleland

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

phelixoflaherty

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

Kold

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

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

siltirocker

Love the ones in 'Revelate' by the Frames.

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

Quillo

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

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

bullpost

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

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

bullpost

Another great band to feature violin - The Triffids:

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

anti-venom

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

+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

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

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

duploelabs

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

Dravokivich

er... "Come on Eileen" anyone?

- Drav!

Kid V

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.