Classified CD

Bond: Tania Davis, Haylie Ecker, Gay-Yee Westerhoff, Eos Chater.
Personnel: Gay-Yee Westerhoff (vocals, cello); Eos, Lynda Richardson (vocals); Gerry Moffett, Nikolaj Juel (guitar); Haylie Ecker, Eos Chater (violin); Tania Davis (viola); Ivica Murat (flute); Tim Bran (keyboards); Damir Somen (drums); Fergus Gerrand, Rony Barrak (percussion); Adam Pickard, Eduardo Alarcón Leal, Peter Lazonby, Ian Wherry (programming).
Additional personnel: Peter Huntington (keyboards, programming); Lynda Richardson.
Audio Mixers: Ian Wherry; Gary Langan; Clive Goddard.
Recording information: Air Lyndhurst, London, England (12/2003-03/2004); Olympic Studios, London, England (12/2003-03/2004).
Editor: Gareth Jones .
Unknown Contributor Roles: Scott Wilson; Adam Pickard; Eduardo Alarcón Leal.
Arrangers: Tania Davis; Ian Wherry; Nenad Siskov; Bond.
It's telling that Bond decided to cover the flutter disco classic "Fly Robin Fly" for Classified, its third official album. An irresistibly flaky studio confection of chirping strings and lighthearted beats, "Fly" was essentially a 1975 blueprint for the Bond girls' 21st century sound. Naturally, they handle it with professional charm. Backed by capable beats and processed guitar, violinists Eos Chater and Haylie Ecker, violist Tania Davis, and cellist Gay-Yee Westerhoff reproduce the track perfectly, right down to the vocal interjections (handled by Chater and Westerhoff). Yes, it's fluff. But so was the original, and it was a worldwide smash. Like the sweet violins cascading through the disco era, or Welsh whelp Charlotte Church transposing her soprano over show tunes and pop, Bond's classical skills are just arrows in their quivers as macro-pop interpreters on the world stage. Classified's set list of softballs and wide-angle international flair bears this out. The keening strings and pulsing beats of "Explosive" and the likely named "Samba" are lit with a Latin flame; "Hungarian" amplifies its gypsy qualities with relentless electronic rhythms; and "Lullaby" crosses the familiar sway of Pachelbel's Canon in D with cut-up pop resembling Madonna's "Don't Tell Me." The support of London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on many of these tracks is a nice connector to the classical world, but Classified is still dominated by slick pop production and clicky drum machines, often rendering even Bond's playing as part of the overall scenery. There's filler here, too, where Bond's recombinant formula takes things too far. "Highly Strung," for example, tries to marry Khachaturian's manic Sabre Dance to spy movie guitar and chattering electronics, the result being more garishly cartoonish than interpretive. Still, as their cover of "Fly Robin Fly" suggests, Bond is just trying to have some widely accessible fun. Classified doesn't have purist appeal, but who needs those sourpusses, anyway? ~ Johnny Loftus
Bond, the scourge of classical music purists, follows up REMIXED with CLASSIFIED, the group's fourth release. Derided by traditionalists for its visual and musical flashiness, the sultry string quartet snubbed its nose at the establishment and won over legions of fans with the notion that Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms could be party music. Besides stunning looks and eye-catching attire, the foursome is known for its dynamic re-workings of well-known classical themes--high-octane blends of familiar melodies, world beat, electronica, and dance rhythms.
The group sets the tone right away with the aptly titled "Explosive," a typically high-energy romp penned by Tonci Huljic, a major contributor to Bond's early success. Bond makeovers are applied to Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," Pachelbel's "Canon," Barber's "Adagio for Strings," Bizet's "Habanera," and a raucous version of Khatchaturian's "Sabre Dance." The album also finds the quartet expanding its musical arsenal with some exuberant vocals on the disco-era hit "Fly Robin Fly," as well as "Samba," a Latin-flavored workout. Anyone looking for