SAI
08-27-2006, 04:01 PM
http://www.orlandoweekly.com/sb/34086/06.09%20MUSIC-ReginaSpektor.jpg
I'm in love. I'm not sure why Regina Spektor escaped my attention until now but on one of my single buying excursions I picked up the 7 inch of On The Radio and flipped for it. I'm a fan of people like Tori Amos, Fiona Apple and Kate Bush and other female singer/songwriters of that ilk so the simple girl at a piano arrangements of Begin To Hope and Soviet Kitsch.
Begin To Hope is the 26 year old's fourth album (this years earlier release Mary Ann Meets The Gravediggers and Other Short Stories is a compilation). Born in 1980 in Moscow she left Russia in '89 with her family, eventually setteling in the bronx. A clasically trained pianist she wrote her first songs as a teenager while on a trip to Israel, making them up while hiking.
Prior to Begin to Hope Spektor had released three albums: 11:11 (2001), Songs (2002) and 2004's Soviet Kitsch which was the first to gain real popular notice.
I'm still getting into her myself but I've not been as enthused about an artist since Tori Amos (after buying her first album it took me a month to get the other five she'd released at that time).
Particularly recommended as songs to provide a way into her music are:
Us; a spine tingling highlight of Soviet Kitsch which was recently used on a Sky TV ad in the UK (the one with the skateboarder UK schmoes).
Samson is a thing of beauty and an early favourite of mine from Begin to Hope. The lyrics send a shiver up the spine from the opening 'You are my sweetest downfall'. In fact the opening four tracks of Hope are perhaps the finest passage of any album this year, quality songwriting abounds on these moving witty songs which, along with the rest of the album, will make it nigh impossible for you to get the cd out of your player.
Here's some links where you can hear some of Regina's music:
http://www.reginaspektor.com/index2.html
The official site, the music and video sections are excellent and there's even a little game, Spektris.
http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=38713
Streaming video of a full gig for UK radio station XFM
I'm in love. I'm not sure why Regina Spektor escaped my attention until now but on one of my single buying excursions I picked up the 7 inch of On The Radio and flipped for it. I'm a fan of people like Tori Amos, Fiona Apple and Kate Bush and other female singer/songwriters of that ilk so the simple girl at a piano arrangements of Begin To Hope and Soviet Kitsch.
Begin To Hope is the 26 year old's fourth album (this years earlier release Mary Ann Meets The Gravediggers and Other Short Stories is a compilation). Born in 1980 in Moscow she left Russia in '89 with her family, eventually setteling in the bronx. A clasically trained pianist she wrote her first songs as a teenager while on a trip to Israel, making them up while hiking.
Prior to Begin to Hope Spektor had released three albums: 11:11 (2001), Songs (2002) and 2004's Soviet Kitsch which was the first to gain real popular notice.
I'm still getting into her myself but I've not been as enthused about an artist since Tori Amos (after buying her first album it took me a month to get the other five she'd released at that time).
Particularly recommended as songs to provide a way into her music are:
Us; a spine tingling highlight of Soviet Kitsch which was recently used on a Sky TV ad in the UK (the one with the skateboarder UK schmoes).
Samson is a thing of beauty and an early favourite of mine from Begin to Hope. The lyrics send a shiver up the spine from the opening 'You are my sweetest downfall'. In fact the opening four tracks of Hope are perhaps the finest passage of any album this year, quality songwriting abounds on these moving witty songs which, along with the rest of the album, will make it nigh impossible for you to get the cd out of your player.
Here's some links where you can hear some of Regina's music:
http://www.reginaspektor.com/index2.html
The official site, the music and video sections are excellent and there's even a little game, Spektris.
http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=38713
Streaming video of a full gig for UK radio station XFM