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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The style known as "anti-folk," as realized by practitioners like Ani DiFranco and Billy Bragg, is derived from a punk aesthetic, and thus tends to be spare and confrontational. But while Regina Spektor's music is anti-folk in the way it subverts the traditional coffeehouse vibe, it's less interested in rebellion and more concerned with the joy of eccentricity, melody and surprise. Begin To Hope is full of surprises, and like her promising major label debut Soviet Kitsch, it displays an easy facility with song structure that enables her to go in different--sometimes wildly off-the-wall--directions without sounding scattered. Classically trained on the piano, she's been compared to Tori Amos, but her music isn't as delicate or precious. Fiona Apple comes up as well, but just because neither fits in the usual female singer/songwriter cookie cutter mold doesn't mean they sound the same. Her voice is actually the primary attraction, cracking and loopy on would-be lullabies like "On The Radio" and "Field Below," then punchy and cute on "Hotel Room." But the music, if understated in the mix next to her vocals, makes an impression as well, breaking in with twisty piano arpeggios ("20 Years of Snow") and occasional touches of electronica. It's a consistently intelligent and daring record, yet remains enormously listenable--a neat trick for anti-folk, or any other genre of music for that matter. --Matthew Cooke
Product Description
Begin to Hope [Audio CD] Regina Spektor
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quirky, perky and perfect,
By
This review is from: Begin To Hope (Audio CD)
This is the third studio album from a woman varyingly described as eclectic, eccentric, energetic and enigmatic. Alliterative descriptions aside, this album is one of the most purely enjoyable and listenable CDs I have bought in a long time. Spektor is a classically trained pianist, and as a woman singer songwriter inevitably attracts comparisons with Tori Amos. Its not a bad comparison - but Spektor is a feistier, happier and bouncier musician than her better known comparator.
The music is a combination of gloriously catchy, poppy songs with loopy lyrics and gripping chorus lines, and the more delicate, heart-stirring songs that seem to come directly from and to the soul. That leaves another set of songs which are derived from Spektor's wide and varied imagination, complex, twisting and haunting melodies which weave fairy tales of varying degrees of darkness and intensity. This is one of the first albums of the year that I have listened to in a state of joy and sheer exuberant pleasure. Each track is enjoyable, and there are more than a handful which are simply great. From the happy, clappable Fidelity to the stirring, childlike delight of Samson and the repeated delights of On The Radio. Not only does Spektor utilise a range of instruments, notably focusing on her ability on the piano, but her voice is quirky and interesting. At once New York, and then surprising with a Russian accent. For a CD that has been labelled "anti-folk" this is both off-beat and gloriously listenable. It is the perfect way to enjoy something that is different, surprising, intelligent, daring but that doesn't stray into the mainstream.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning,
By
This review is from: Begin To Hope (Audio CD)
Regina's latest release has come under fire from some of her hardcore fans for being more "mainstream" than her earlier releases. Although the charge is true, in the case of Regina I feel inclined to say that this is in fact a good thing.
In her earlier work, Regina utilised only her voice and her piano, and created some stunning albeit spectacularly strange music. In this current work she has experimented more with other instrumentation, and the outcome is more radio-friendly than anything she has previously released. However, this is not the sound of an artist compromised; Regina sounds confident and at ease with the material. What some would call selling out, I would call artistic growth. I thoroughly recommend this album, and if you enjoy it then I'd consider purchasing "Soviet Kitsch" next, as out of all her other CDs it is probably the closest in sound to this one.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Addictive,
This review is from: Begin To Hope (Audio CD)
I have all of Regina Spektor's albums and as a pianist myself I love her music.
I like the more poppy/indie sound that she has in this album, it comes across as alot more mainstream and is alot more easy- listening than her previous albums. I have become completely addicted to this album and have not only listened to it non-stop but my friend made me a book of the sheet music for my birthday and I have been playing it also. As I said above, this album is alot more well rounded and flows easier than previous albums however I feel that it is Regina's orginal style, lyrics and piano accompaniment that make her such a wonderful artist to listen to. On conclusion, although slightly different and possibly a more developed sound than her previous music.... still a BEAUTIFUL album and definately worth buying. If you are anything like me you will fall in love with it and question the meaning of your life without it.
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