13.
Regina Spektor
Far
Regina Spektor has been making some really great music for quite a while now, but has only recently hit on the style that suits her best. Far builds on the formula she discovered on 2007’s excellent Begin To Hope. Simple but haunting piano which is very easy to listen to, but also has a number of deeper things going on underneath it. She has a beautiful voice, and writes striking tunes that are both quirky and fiercely intelligent. It’s a bit of a shame that the guitars that made sporadic appearances on Begin To Hope are now virtually non-existent, and it is probably for that reason that I ultimately prefer the 2007 album. Nonetheless, in many ways, Far is a step forward: it is more confident and more consistent as a record. It showcases Regina Spektor’s many talents without ever being overly flashy – the songs are given room to breathe. Lyrically, there is also a lot going on. I’m not sure if ‘Laughing With’ is anti or pro religion – it seems to poke fun at both Christians and atheists in a way that would be offensive to neither, and ‘Folding Chair’ makes a day at the beach both hilarious and poignant. Far is the sound of a singer-songwriter coming of age; it’s a wholly distinctive but inherently accessible sound which will raise her growing profile still further. The first ‘must have’ record on this list.
Regina Spektor
Far
Regina Spektor has been making some really great music for quite a while now, but has only recently hit on the style that suits her best. Far builds on the formula she discovered on 2007’s excellent Begin To Hope. Simple but haunting piano which is very easy to listen to, but also has a number of deeper things going on underneath it. She has a beautiful voice, and writes striking tunes that are both quirky and fiercely intelligent. It’s a bit of a shame that the guitars that made sporadic appearances on Begin To Hope are now virtually non-existent, and it is probably for that reason that I ultimately prefer the 2007 album. Nonetheless, in many ways, Far is a step forward: it is more confident and more consistent as a record. It showcases Regina Spektor’s many talents without ever being overly flashy – the songs are given room to breathe. Lyrically, there is also a lot going on. I’m not sure if ‘Laughing With’ is anti or pro religion – it seems to poke fun at both Christians and atheists in a way that would be offensive to neither, and ‘Folding Chair’ makes a day at the beach both hilarious and poignant. Far is the sound of a singer-songwriter coming of age; it’s a wholly distinctive but inherently accessible sound which will raise her growing profile still further. The first ‘must have’ record on this list.