The Kolacny Brothers are two Belgians who adapt rock songs by bands such as Nirvana, Radiohead and Metallica for Scala, a 200-strong choir of classical female singers. The concept probably makes you shudder in horror, which perhaps explains the project’s enormous status in Europe, where no such prejudices exist.
If you’re old enough, you may remember Enigma, a similar outfit which matched Gregorian chants to breakbeats and made a lot of people nauseous: those people won’t like the Kolacny Brothers either. If you can find it in yourself to be charitable, however, this album has its moments: specifically in the renditions of Foo Fighters’ Everlong and Oasis’s Champagne Supernova. Drone-based songs such as these suit the choral approach best, and the three original pieces by the brothers (Seashell, Our Last Fight and Masquerade) also work just fine in an undemanding, Classic FM way.
For the renditions of Smells Like Teen Spirit and Nothing Else Matters, you’ll definitely need a strong stomach: of the big rock tunes, only Radiohead’s Creep really works. Its inclusion in The Social Network soundtrack lends it a touch of cool which Euro-audiences already appreciate. Whether we jaded Brits will feel the same remains to be seen.
