[timjthomas]

I came across a reference to the album Fiction on NPR's best music of 2011.  Being a String Quartet, I decided to give it a try.

I can only say this is one of the most original CDs I have listened to in quite some time!  I can not recommend Fiction highly enough.  I would recommend previewing a few tracks before purchasing though -- it is a bit different 

Here is a review from BBC Music: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/zg3q

And here are the comments from NPR:

France's Ebène Quartet has fast become one of the hottest chamber groups in the world, with excellent reason: The youthful group's warmth, vitality, deep curiosity and musical intelligence has carried it far already. But this album is about what these classical string players dub "the other Ebène" — and if that sounds as if they have a split identity, that's just how they'd like it. Fiction is a fresh melange of covers drawn from across genres, from The Beatles' "Come Together" to a smoky "Corcovado" with Stacey Kent as guest vocalist (albeit with a Debussy-esque interlude). Throughout, they play and occasionally sing with silky smoothness and Gallic finesse. This isn't crossover pandering; it's who they are — as Fiction proves, "Nature Boy" and Bruce Springsteen are as much a part of their musical DNA as Mozart.

[RoadTripper]

I stumbled upon Quatuor Ebene Fiction because Tidal came up with it on a Stacey Kent search. And, yes, she sings a track on it. This group is now on my album list. They are a big balm to the soul.