2CELLOS – 2CELLOS

In many ways, the cello is a fitting choice of instrument for an album of rock covers in a classical style. It can replicate the melodies and the driving rhythm section with comparative ease, keeping both the tunes and the brute force intact. Luka Šulić and Stjepan Hauser, the classically-trained Croatian duo comprising 2Cellos, are intent to showcase that potential on this debut album. The songs that they’ve chosen to cover are a solid selection, but sometimes uninspired – Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, really? Their version of Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal, with over a million views on YouTube, tells you everything you need to know. While one cello chugs away with the brooding riff, the other gratingly soars with the vocal line. The virtuosity is definitely impressive, and the variety in sound and technique is enough to easily sustain interest for the whole track. The epic bombast of U2’s Where The Streets Have No Name also translates surprisingly well. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for their treatment of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails, which is reduced to little more than a monotonous plodding. The limits of such a restricted ensemble gradually become all too apparent, but 2Cellos certainly pushes the idea as far as it can go. This album is more than enough to satisfy the curiosity that such a concept may inspire – if not, a couple of views on YouTube should suffice.

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