Begin To Hope

regina spektor | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: June 13, 2006
• Label: Sire
• Copyright: 2006 Sire Records for the U.S. and WEA International Inc. for the world outside the U.S. Marketed by Warner Bros. Records Inc., A Warner Music Group Company.
• Total Length: 47:02
• Genres: Alternative Rock/Singer-Songwriters, Folk/Contemporary Folk, Pop/Adult Alternative, Pop/Singer-Songwriters, Rock/Singer-Songwriters
• ASIN: B0011Z50RQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (194 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,111 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)
  • #10 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Folk > Contemporary Folk
  • #18 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Pop > Adult Alternative
  • #19 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Rock > Singer-Songwriters

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Her best yet..., June 23, 2006

By 

Tankery "Tankery" (New Orleans) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Begin to Hope (Audio CD)

This is simply a beautiful album, beautiful music, soothing, clever execution throughout. It ends on one of the most beautiful notes I've ever heard- Summer in the City and on up it crackles, sparks, wreaks, and explodes with a creativity of an artist at her best. What ridiculous labels: anti-folk, anti-pop, something to feed bad critics with--yes, Regina sounds a bit like Fiona sometimes (That Time) and is as adept with the keys and weirdness as Tori, but what she outshines both of these artists with is a vitality and energy that both of these self-conscious super stars have been lacking lately.

If Begin to Hope sounds a bit more commercial than her previous efforts, it's only because Regina has access to more musical colors and gets to explore her incredible musical vision on a bigger canvas.

Regina Spektor is plain and simply the best at what she does.

6 stars.

Author of:

A Bottle of Rain

Nowhere Near the Sea of Cortez

41 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars There's still hope, June 23, 2006

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Begin to Hope (Audio CD)

In her previous three albums, Regina Spektor specialized in quirky anti-folk. Piano, odd melodies and poetic lyrics.

But Spektor tries a new sound in her long-awaited fourth album, "Begin to Hope." Instead of anti-folk, her music here is more polished and poppier... or perhaps it's anti-pop. Either way, while this album has its middling moments, most of the songs are still Regina Spektor at her best.

It kicks off with the oddball "Fidelity," a trilling little song with the piano edged in synth. Spektor doesn't fare quite as well in the second one, which sounds too generic for her talents -- guitar pop with only a dash of piano, and only a few of her vocal flourishes.

But then the album changes, as if Spektor feels she's done enough "typical" pop. Instead she switches to the soft-edged piano melody of "Samson" ("You are my sweetest downfall"), followed by a strong string of songs that stick to her strengths: piano anti-folk (or anti-pop), and songs that don't sound like anything "On the Radio."

Instead she leans on soft piano ballads, silky piano folk and jagged little rock songs. Songs like "Edit" and "20 Years of Snow" are pure Spektor, with the cascading piano melody and the quirky singing, while "That Time" is a strange, mocking little rocker about reading Shakespeare and burying bits of a cat's body. The finale is a quiet, meditative song about loneliness in the city, and missing the one you love. For anyone who misses a lover, this will be a heart-tugger.

And the special edition has a bonus EP, perhaps for fans who adore her quirkier side. There are the bittersweet piano ballads like "Another Town" ("my soul feels so old!"), the bittersweet "Baobabs" and "Dusseldorf." And then there is quirk supreme: "Uhmerica," which has her uttering an explosive grunt through the chorus, and the kinetic weirdness of "Music Box."

Yes, the cry is that Spektor has gone commercial -- there's more guitar on this album, and little washes of synth. But the heart of her music has always been the piano, odd melodies and unusual singing -- and though this is a bit more polished than her prior work, the brilliance is still there.

And remember, the music is what we came here to hear. Once you get past the lackluster second song, Spektor's piano music is back -- she can do it slow and soft, or fast and jagged. And she's backed by some solid enough drums that get to go wild in "Hotel Song." And what about the synth? It bobbles along in the background... and actually enhances the piano.

Spektor's offbeat voice is just as versatile as her piano -- she sounds sweet in the ballads, quirky in the faster songs. She rattles off the strangely written songs ("the words float out like holograms") as she sings of loneliness, love and eating tangerines. "Be afraid of the cold/They'll inherit your blood/Apres moi, le deluge/After me comes the flood..." she croons.

Regina Spektor had a lot to live up to after the brilliance of "Soviet Kitsch," and for the most part she does. A bittersweet gem of anti-folk... and anti-pop.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funky, Cool & Fun, January 30, 2007

By 

Marion "[e-mail]" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Begin to Hope (Audio CD)

I don't buy many CD's but I saw Regina Spektor on a morning news show recently and was mesmerized by her voice, her life and her poetry/lyrics. I tried to resist, but finally gave in and purchased this CD.

I was not disappointed! I like every song on it. It's so rare to hear a truly original soul anymore who isn't prepackaged and tied with a pretty bow by media mogols, but this CD is NOT your average music. It's funky, cool, fun and unique. Her voice is as much an instrument as her piano and she plays it with abandon.

If you march to the beat of a different drummer, you will LOVE Regina's music. I can't wait to hear more.