When I need to focus, and I am finding my usual music catalogue to be distracting, I pull out these amazing string quartet tribute albums by The Vitamin String Quartet. They have put out an absurd amount of cover albums in tribute to modern, and classic rock artists of the past 4 decades. In checking out their list of albums available, it’s clear that I have some digital shopping to do!

Three of my current faves from the Vitamin String Quartet catalogue:

Do You Realize (Flaming Lips cover)

Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode cover)

Clocks (Coldplay cover)

I tried to find some sort of theme for these covers in this post… a clever association to bring them all together, but I got nothing. They are all pretty awesome, so enjoy them, like french fries covered in cheese and gravy!

It Was A Very Good Year by The Flaming Lips originally by Frank Sinatra

Shore Leave by John Hammond Jr originally by Tom Waits.

Heigh Ho by Tom Waits originally by Disney.

20. Campus – Vampire Weekend

From the self titled album Vampire Weekend, released in 2008.

19. No one does it like you – Department of Eagles

From the 2008 album In Ear Park.

18. Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

From the 2009 album Up From Below.

17. Long Way Home – Tom Waits

Off the 2006 triple album Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards.

16. Electric Feel – MGMT

Off the 2008 album Oracular Spectacular .

15. Sing – Travis

From the 2001 album The Invisible Band.

14. Do You Realize – The Flaming Lips

Off the 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.

13. Love of my life… – Erykah Badu & Common

Erykah Badu & Common collaborated on this soulful tune for the soundtrack of Brown Sugar in 2002. The film barely made an impression, while this stand out track will likely last for many decades to come.

12. All These things that I’ve Done – The Killers

From the 2004 album Hot Fuss.

11. Crazy – Gnarls Barkley

From the 2006 album St. Elsewhere.

John Lennon’s early years, including the formation of The Beatles, is chronicled in a the debut feature film by , Nowhere Boy premierd yesterday at the London Film Festival. Check out the trailer:

I’m excited for this film to hop the pond, and make its way to a theater near me. Until then, I’m enjoying these John Lennon covers:

Nobody Told Me – The Flaming Lips

Imagine – Eva Cassidy

Jealous Guy – Elliot Smith

Happy Christmas (War is Over) – The Polyphonic Spree

Do You Realize?? – The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips have been honoured by their home state of Oklahoma during the 2008 legislative session. Tulsa World reports that The Flaming Lips’ single Do You Realize?? has been voted as the official song of the state. The modern classic tune is from The Lips’ 10th studio album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots released in 2002. I have long loved this tune, and often take a moment when it comes on to say to myself: “Holy crap… we are floating through space!”

Because it’s a great remix, I thought it best to include the Scott Hardkiss Floating in Space Vocal Remix of Do You Realize (mp3) from the Fight Test EP. Enjoy!