Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope

what kind of music is it?

I just saw her perform on Conan O'Brien and immediately came to the Music forum to see what others have said. Tonight was the first I have heard her sing, and I really enjoyed it. The song she played was a bit quirky, but in a very good way that I really enjoyed. After en480c4's short review, I think I'm going to pick up this CD. For some reason I found her voice to be slightly reminiscent of Bjork's, and on allmusic.com, it lists Bjork as an artist she was influenced by.

I'm watching her on Conan right now. Wonderfully different. It's been a night for good music on the late night shows. Leno had K.T. Tunstall on and I'm pretty sure I'm in love...with her music, that is.

*edit* Regina Spektor has AMAZINGLY beautiful eyes.

I like this album too. Wish I would have known she was on Conan.

Soviet Kitsch was OK... there are just too many songs that are plain irritating and I am forced to skip.

Cool, might have to pick that one up then.

I love her. I have the new album, and I'm digging it. But, I don't understand the "Soviet Kitsch"-bashing. I think that, no matter how many albums she puts out over the forthcoming years, that CD will be considered her defining work. The things I thought I didn't really like about it - low production values, "quirkiness" as you guys describe it - are missed on "Begin". Case in point : I've been hearing an early version of the song "Samson" for quite awhile now on a coffeehouse-type radio show. It was a slow-fi and raw as anything on Kitsch. But, the version on "Begin" is all polished up and slick. It lost a lot of it's emotion & sincerity. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like the quirky artsy-fartsy New Yorky Regina and there's no need for a spit & polish version at all.

I like Soviet Kitsch, but there are songs on it that are just plain irritating.

I'm not 'bashing' it, but when she just starts repeating words in a whiney voice that is not musical talent!

"Won’t you help a brother out, out, out, out, out, out, out, out, out?"

Now, the other songs on there that don't suffer from this I quite like. She's sort of like a "weirder Tori Amos lite" to me which is great, because I love Tori. I've also been enjoying Sarah Slean quite a bit and I can actually listen to her whole album without cringing once.

EDIT: By the way, though I generally don't like the whole repeating thing... I do enjoy that 'Poor Little Rich Boy' song for some reason. Maybe because she repeats whole sentences rather than single words?

Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope

Every once in a while you read a post that is exactly what you are thinking. This recently happened to me. I had posted a thread concerning NPR Top 10 Albums of the Year (Regina Spektor, Begin to Hope, has made a number of Top Album of the Year lists). DanielBurns11 wrote:

Unlike DanielBurns11, I had purchased, but had not listened to the album. Here is a rundown of the album. Bottomline, if you like "Fidelity" you should like "Begin to Hope". Regina Spektor does not stray too far off the reservation.

1. "Fidelity" is the song that seems to bring everyone to the album.

2. "Better" is a rock song with an overlie of singing and speak-whispering. High female with bass is not my cup of tea (I like it more the second time around). Not awful.

3. "Samson" a piano dominated ditty. Lyrics:

You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the sheets of paper lies my truth
I have to go, I have to go
Your hair was long when we first met

Samson went back to bed
Not much hair left on his head
He ate a slice of wonder bread and went right back to bed
And history books forgot about us and the bible didn't mention us
The bible didn't mention us, not even once

You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first , I loved you first
Beneath the stars came falling on our heads
But there just soft light, there just soft light
Your hair was long when we first met

Samson came to my bed
Told me that my hair was red
He told me i was beautiful and came into my bed
Oh I cut his hair myself one night
A pair of dull scissors and the yellow light
And he told me that I'd done alright
and kissed me till the morning light, the morning light
and he kissed me till the morning light

Samson came back to bed
not much hair left on his head
Ate a slice of wonderbread and went right back to bed
Oh, we couldn't bring the columns down
Yeah we couldn't destroy a single one
And history books forgot about us
And the bible didn't mention us, not even once

You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first

4. "On the Radio" a close relative of "Fidelity". If you liked "Fidelity" .......

5. "Field Below" piano and voice. A very nice voice. Lyrics aren't bad:

I wish I'd see a field below
I wish I'd hear a rooster crow
But there are none who live downtown
And so the day starts out so slow
Again the sun was never called
And darkness spreads over the snow
Like ancient bruises
I'm awake to feel the ache
But I wish i'd see a field below

I wish I'd see your face below
I wish I'd hear you whispering low
But you don't live downtown no more
And everything must come and go
Again the sun was never called
And darkness spreads over the snow
Like ancient bruises
I'm awake and feel the ache
I'm awake and feel the ache
And I wish I'd see a field below

6. "Hotel Song" upbeat could have been performed by the Bangles. Orca Whales and bags of cocaine. Not bad.

7. "Apres Moi" - "Après moi le Deluge": MEANING: A premonition of impending political and social collapse attributed to Madame de Pompadour. A march to hell? I rather like it. Some of the lyrics:

Be afraid of the lame
They'll inherit your legs
Be afraid of the old
They'll inherit your souls
Be afraid of the cold
They'll inherit your blood
Apres moi, le deluge
After me comes the flood

8. "20 Years of Snow" A piano and voice in discord. Not my cup of tea. I think she's pissed-off.

9. "That Time" Reminds me of something from the Velvet Underground. I like the song, but it took some time.

10. "Edit" About John Lennon???? Took a few listens, but I like it. Lyrics:

White lines on your mind,
Keep it steady
You were never ready
For the lies

You don't have no Doctor Robert
You don't have no Uncle Albert
You don't even have good credit
You can write but you can't edit

11. "Lady" Ode to Billie. Regina is not a Blues Singer. Sorry. The piano is all wrong.

12. "Summer in the City" Reminds me of Rickie Lee Jones. Not great, but o.k.

WARNING:
I LIKE THIS ALBUM AND WOULD BUY IT AGAIN.

NONETHELSS, BUY AT YOUR OWN RISK

i would like to second the recommendation for begin to hope

also her older stuff, especially Soviet Kitsch. the song "Us" IMHO is a much better song the fidelity and is a "must listen" in my book.

I agree on both accounts, except I think "us" is by FAR the stand-out track on "Soviet..," while "Begin.." is a much stronger overall record. I can only take her in moderately small doses, but they are good times.