September 03, 2007 11:03 PM
C&L's Late Nite Music Club with Regina Spektor
Last year I stumbled around the not-dangerous-anymore Meatpacking District just north of the Village in Manhattan looking for my friend David's studio. I met a really smart young girl from Russia when I got there. She was funny and she had a really good voice. Now that her record has been released, I've come to realize she is also an amazing songwriter. Her name is Regina Spektor and this song, "On the Radio," isn't on the radio-- but should be.
baby jesus is "frist"
Please don't get pissed at me, but is this the chick that sings about going to rehab No No No? If so, she rocks! When and if I get the cash, I'm getting her album.
baby jesus has never been to rehab, but I think Amy Winestine sings about it
Ba-ba
Ba-badum-ba
Cute.
She is great! A cutie indeed. If John A. reads this, he should go check out Lauren Fine at www.laurenfinemusic.com He will be similarly impressed. Used to play with her before she moved away.
OOoppps! My mistake. It is www.laurenfine.com
Check her out, John.
actually, this song IS on the radio, a lot. it's annoying as hell. sorry, but this particular russian pixie tries too hard to be too cute to be good... ya know?
I discovered Ms. Spektor one evening a year or two ago on Manhattan Cable Channel 25's NEW YORK NOISE, an indie music video showcase produced here in NYC. They were playing an eccentric video of a woman in a room with all sorts of animated activity going on around her. More pertinent, the song itself was catchy and lovely and immediately distinctive...both for its innate musical qualities (melody, etc.) and for the singer's very personal singing style. The video, as I found out at the end of the tune, was for a song from Regina Spektor's SOVIET KITSCH album, and the tune was "Us," still one of my favorites by Ms. Spektor.
Ms. Spektor, of course, is very lovely, but she is even more talented than she is lovely. She deserves to be a big star. For all her wackiness and humor, it is the plaintive quality of so much of her music that captivates.
baby jesus @ 3:
Thank you, baby jesus. Who knew you could save my soul AND correct my lack of musical knowledge? This is what happens when you're raised on elevator music.
Strawberry, no it is not the same girl. Amy Winehouse is the artist belongs in rehab.
This girl has talent also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGTDRztaCCw
Strawberry @ 2:
Amy Winehouse is who you're looking for...
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/Winehouse+rehab/video/x285dc...
SuperSister: Radio -
http://technohippie.com/geeklog/public_html/mediagallery/media.php?s=200...
Song's ok but its a really boring video.
miss_kitty @ 11:
Your Conscience @ 10:
Thank you fellow C&Lers for clearing that up for me, and thank you Miss Kitty for the link. But I must say as far as the Regina video goes...SHOES!!!!! Oh my GAWD, THOSE SHOES!!!!!!! I Love her SHOES!!!!!! Ok. Now you know my deep dark fetish...I love SHOES!
Chicago's Q101 played one of her singles late at night and she also has a YouTube account.
"On the Fradio"
"on the Fradio.... Oh Oh"
i love this girl ... got her cd
If you like her you might like Dresden Dolls and Emily haines and the Soft Skeleton - her album "Knives dont have your back"
[...] the Webmaster C&L’s Late Nite Music Club with Regina Spektor » This Summary is from an article posted at Crooks and Liars on Tuesday, September 04, 2007 This [...]
I am proud to say that I loved Regina's music before Begin To Hope came out and she got lots of new attention. Check out her album Soviet Kitsch; you won't regret it.
Living Colour
Auslander
a land of my own, a chance to be free...
Owsley: Oh No The Radio -
http://technohippie.com/geeklog/public_html/mediagallery/media.php?s=200...
Big Fig
The Newton
here's the tricky part
I'm sorry, but I think she's just awful. I really couldn't handle more than a minute or so, as this song sounds too much like her other "Breaks My Heart" song. Ouch...
http://reginannoying.ytmnd.com/
Please give a listen to her first album, Soviet Kitsch.
I've liked Regina for some time now. I like this video/song and another I'm still looking for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pKujuTgtL0
She's a good combination of Tori Amos and Bjork.
Camel: Cloak and Daggar Man -
http://technohippie.com/geeklog/public_html/mediagallery/media.php?s=200...
This is the "poppiest" on the cd- (used on Grey's Anatomy, the OC, etc. etc.)
I prefer the more epic song, "Apres Moi" in which she incorporates the poetry of Boris Pasternak.
In "Apres Moi" you hear her very strong classical- and Russian- influences. Try to listen to the CD version- not a live performance- so you will experience the full orchestral treatment.
(By the way, she's not new- she's been around the "anti-folk" scene in NY for years- this was just the first attempt at a more commercial sound. Many of her early fans felt a little betrayed by this CD- they thought she had sold out. So yes, check out her earlier, rawer work as well).
Also, check out Diane Cluck- a true "anti-folk" NY artist- but she's definitely an "acquired" taste.
(Note: I'll let the meat-packing district comment pass for now- but as someone who lived in the village during its most decadent phase- I can tell you it was never really as dangerous as it appeared to outsiders. Much of what went on there was "theater" and was meant to be off-putting to those who weren't there to "play." A lot of those guys were doctors, lawyers- and university students- by day).
Love your site, by the way. I read it daily.
You know, I think it's great that this guy has had a pretty interesting career in music and all, but most of his posts reference 'my friend this' or 'when i signed so and so' and it doesn't really add much to the point at hand, which is the sharing of interesting music.
Maybe I'm just a douche. Who knows.
I enjoyed her music. Here's a couple more.
Serena Ryder-Good Morning Starshine
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EZZupSur8_U
Hayley Sales-What You Want
http://youtube.com/watch?v=heL3hzu0j8M
While we're on the subject of female singers
Imogen Heap-Goodnight & Go
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EZZupSur8_U
Kate Nash-Foundations
http://youtube.com/watch?v=orACIBjHuI4
Kelly Willis-I Don't Want To Love You (But I Do)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cUy6YjjDhxU
Natasha Bedingfield-These Words
http://youtube.com/watch?v=j1R1Rg8gcDQ
Nina Hagen-New York New York
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CST7XOxw4Dk
Nina Hagen-Zarah
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5r5MBBRRn1Y
Rilo Kiley-It's a Hit
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mU6evKmwLhA
DC: Not Ready To Make Nice -
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fwc5YSAc-7g
A song for Cindy Sheehan, Wishbone Ash: Warrior -
http://technohippie.com/geeklog/public_html/mediagallery/media.php?s=200...
Oh, yas. Her I like.
I love that quirky style. Thanks Howie.
Actually, SOVIET KITSCH was Ms. Spektor's third album, not her first; it was preceded by SONGS and 11:11. 11:11 is available on iTunes, but SONGS appears to be unavailable at the moment, although one can listen to it on her website as streaming audio.
Seen her live a couple times and she is GREAT! Don't miss her if you get the chance.
expat @ 23:
Great news! Soviet Kitsch is actually her third album.
You know, as to the person who thinks Ms. Spektor is "just awful," this is mystifying to me, as I found her immediately riveting when I first heard her, but of course, it's axiomatic, "each to his own." Also, "there's no arguing about taste." (For example, I've always hated Tom Waits, whose music I find affected and phony, his faux-"hobo-bluesman" voice and mannerisms unbearable, yet he seems to be almost universally revered among the cognoscenti. Bruce Springsteen, as well, to name a more commercially successful musician--but who was once known only to a discerning few--has always been hard for me to enjoy, although I can bear him more than I can Waits; he seems to be a decent enough songwriter, as is more evident when others perform his material, but I've never enjoyed the sound of his voice or the instrumentation and sound of his band. Ah well.)
She's on the radio here in the Happy Valley, played by a radio station name the River - WRSI.
'Cause I couldn't find this guy's song of the same title.
Joe Jackson
Is She Really Goin' Out With Him
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/Joe+Jackson/video/xpfhx_joe-...
Thank God!!!
I have been listening to her for a few months now. Quite awesome voice, but when people ask me who she sounds like, the best I can come up with is Nellie McKay.
Any other hints?
Thanks, Howie. Interesting stuff.
I like the song in general, especially the lyrics about the love you make in your heart, and passing that on to other people.
Hard to judge after just one listen, but I do think she tries to be too cute with the "oh-oh" part. That could become very annoying with repeated listening.
one of my work mates turned me on to her several months ago, and I personally can't get enough of her, though I do skip this particular song. check out Lacrimosa, Genius, Oedipus, Lady Sings The Blues, Samson, 20 Years of Snow to get an idea of how talented this really girl is.
there are also tons of bootlegs of live performances made prior to her recording debut that are also very good, if somewhat lo-fi.
I suggest her album Soviet Kitsch. I can't get enough of "Poor Little Rich Boy"
Tom @ 22:
Er. No.
I bought Regina's CD last year after being invited to her MySpace and hearing the gorgeous song Samson. She's now one of my favorites. If anyone out there hasn't heard her yet, I think you really should.
The community radio station I dj for in Grand Rapids MI, wyce.org, has two of her cd's and they get lots of air play. She's great! Also, check out her version of Real Love on the compilation "Instant Karma"
Howie great musical choice but just a quick geographical FYI for ya. Although the Meat Packing District is, in fact, a district it is a district within Greenwich Village and NOT north of the Village. North of the Village is Chelsea.
Toodles.
Regina's "Songs" CD was available quite recently on CDBaby. That's where I got it. I like it even better than Soviet Kitsch.
When talent improves with age.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKxX1tNhpuU
Paging TaTu, your limousine is ready.
Spektor's ditty had me until the last 33 seconds when it devolved into "too cute for its own good." Needs a better arrangement, as well, IMO. Perhaps Daniel Lanois is available.
I only found out about Regina Spektor through this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PovAIrXJnGE
that chick is even hotter than Regina ;)
Regina Specktor; I saw her a couple of months ago in SF at the Warfield I think... I found her voice to be pretty solid and with a good range. Her songs are OK, I think more to my sons liking than mine, but I wasn't put off by her or anything... She was cool and her crowd was digging her thing totally... Mostly aside from her obvious musical talents on piano and vocally I was mainly struck by the whimsy and sly Russian influenced humor apparent in a lot of her tunes and stage performance..
Here now, is a young lady who knows how to have fun with this pop/rock stardom thingy without it having to be all ainsty and filled with broken love or sordid sex and drugs 'all the time'...
(Hey I like all that stuff too... But, ya know, variety and the spice of life and all that... I can like 'Close to the Edge' and still dig a good doctor Demento tune like 'Hamster Love'...Ummm deep fried fur linings...heheh, or some other goofy send up....Anyone can, and probably does....
I dig that she seems to have that marvelous capacity to write a decent tune and inject a little humor into it without fear that this approach might hurt the composition or her career... That aviodance of all that ainst is actually sort of an accomplishment in itself considering she hails from Russia... I'd pay to see another live show, seems she attracts a lot of female followers.. That always works for me... Yea yea, I know, a boy, a horndog and blah blah blah.. So shoot me... Or not... Not so sure I'd throw duckets down to buy her music...Depends, so far the music I've heard from her is cool enough, but haven't yet heard something by her that really really grabs me... My late teen son and my girlfriend digs her though... And that ain't no bad place or fanbase to start forging a longer career from.....I say, good luck Ms. Spector, keep on doing your thing honey.....It seems to be working............................JD
Teddy @ 38, I often think of Nelly McKay too when I hear her. Their voices are similar, but it's the playfulness most of all.
can't stand-sta-sta-sta-stand her. I couldn't believe she actually was getting radio play. Maybe live is better but I thought it was terrible. Amy Winehouse is great though instant classic album. I figured specktor was related to someone or a gfriend to get a contract she was so bad. Maybe it is just the song i heard.
Okay, Howie. You picked a winner. Incredible voice with tricky segues between funny little herky jerky trills and stunning notes with the clarity and purity of a Joni Mitchell in her prime. Innovative songwriter as well. I'd like to see her in front of a big audience, say at a Bridge School concert. Hmmmm.
nice.....hopefully I'll get a chance to see her....nice vocal range.
Once again - could wish for more genuine - less artificial.
Those weird stutters & crap in her songs - her idea or her producers?
It gets irritating fast-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ss-ss-sst!!
No taste, Howie, just gimmicks.
This thread is probably dead, but my own take on Regina's vocal playfulness is that she simply likes to play with the sound of words...like a child trying out the sounds that he or she eventually learns are words and have meanings independent of their sounds...but the sounds are fun to play with anyway. I've wondered whether this is because she emigrated here from Russia as a young girl and found English to be a strange and musical new language to play with...or if it simply has to do with her own innate sensibilities as a human and as an artist. Either way, it's far more charming and less obtrusive than Tom Waits' bogus hobo croak. I know I dissed Waits in an earlier comment, but the veneration accorded him by seemingly all afficianados of challenging popular music has always baffled me. Unlike Don Van Vliet, whom I adore, Waits has not added anything to the musical forms or vocal stylings he affects.
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