Regina Spektor - Soviet Kitsch

Posted by: Jason Milner on 06 September 2004

Anyone else picked up on this yet? Got it a couple of weeks ago on recommendation from Virgin, & its been hooking its way into my consciousness ever since, but news on who she is seems thin on the ground. Anyone else heard it / liked it / know much about her?

J
Posted on: 07 September 2004 by O
She reminds me of a cross between Tori Amos and Laura Nyro (not as good as Nyro of course) - good, original (as much as you can be) and lots of hooks, but a little self-consciously kooky and twee in places (hence the Tori Amos comparison) - the "you're so young you're so goddam young" part p*sses me off!
O

www.owenduff.co.uk
Posted on: 11 September 2004 by Jason Milner
Fair point re the kookiness (is that a word? Oh well, it is now Smile), although for me that's more than balanced by the originality. Tend to listen to a fair amount of solo female singer songwriters, from Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Tori Amos etc (TA has dropped a little from my playlist but still like some odds & ends - Happy Phantom from Little Earthquakes being one stand out), so maybe I'm a bit of a Kookiness junkie?

Have to admit though I haven't yet sussed out "Poor Little Rich Boy" yet though - I'm guesing that the song is a reference to someone specific, which may explain / justify the "...so young" bits, but I've no idea who (any takers?)

Have to admit though, I've never heard of Laura Nyro - not quite sure how that happened having just checked her out on Amazon - seems to be very much a "must have" - so have duly added to my pending purchases list (thanks for the tip O Smile) Any specific recommendations?
Posted on: 13 September 2004 by O
Ah... I love introducing people to cool artists they've not heard! Laura Nyro is pretty much a forgotten legend, she was the first real female singer-songwriter, bursting on to the music scene in the mid to late 60s as a fully-formed, competely unique talent - and she was only 17!

The one to go for first is 'Eli and the Thirteenth Confession', her next 'New York Tendaberry' is beautiful but definitely a more aquired taste. The next, 'Christmas and the Beads of Sweat' is much more accessible again, and 'Gonna Take a Miracle' is a covers album of soul, Motown and doo-wop songs.

She kind of retired after making these, producing lower-key albums every few years. People often talk of how she 'turned her back on fame', because around 1970 she was really tipped as the next big thing, but it wasn't for her. She's one of the few people that Joni 'modest as Mussolini' Mitchell will acknowledge as a direct influence, and you can hear Nyro in Tori Amos, Kate Bush et al.

O

www.owenduff.co.uk
Posted on: 14 September 2004 by Jason Milner
quote:
I love introducing people to cool artists they've not heard!

... & I love being introduced to cool artists I've not heard Smile

Thanks O.

J