Customer Reviews

SOVIET KITSCH [Vinyl]

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The first time I heard Regina Spektor on The Next Big Thing, I was in love with this young, weird singer-songwriter. I downloaded Soviet Kitsch legitimately, then went on to buy the album with DVD and saw Regina play in Philadelphia.

The album is wonderful, and it coheres beautifully. Much of it is content with just Regina playing the piano; the spare sound brings out her beautiful voice and great playing style, and the completely out-there nature of her lyrics. Regina manages to say some very odd things about life and people without coming off as precious or pretentious, which is one of her best achievements.

Probably the most fun song on Soviet Kitsch is "Poor Little Rich Boy." It's the second cut; I often skip over "Ode to Divorce," which is also great, just to hear it. The song, you see, consists of Regina singing while playing the piano with one hand and a chair with the other. It's a fun, energetic number, as is "Your Honor," which has a backing band to it. Other songs are slower, usually ironic - like "Carbon Monoxide" or "Chemo Limo" - demonstrating Regina's candor about death. Her piano work is wonderful in songs like "The Flowers" and "Us," and no track doesn't feature her exquisite, unique voice. Though it lacks a particular theme, Soviet Kitsch works as a whole album, changing and developing themes beautifully.

The fact that Soviet Kitsch seems to be selling and Regina Spektor is getting a fan following gives me hope for music's future. This one belongs on top 5s for the year. Give it a listen; if you like it, you'll fall in love with it.

I came across Soviet Kitsch in a rather interesting way... and I never looked back.

Regina Spektor is the music lover's best friend. People might shoot me for saying this, but Regina Spektor, in my opinion, can't apply to any one genre. Her lyrics and music flow and complement each other, not over powering the other, but holding each other's hand as they stroll down the field of music masterpieces.

But let me get to the point of this review, Soviet Kitsch. It is a very eclectic grouping of song choices that only foster Ms. Spektor's unique visions and musical inspirations. This album probably has everything or anything you might want. The heavyhearted mourner or emotional listener in you would enjoy the softer and intense "Somedays", "Ode to Divorce", "Flowers", or "Chemo Limo". The rocker in you would love(or not)"Your Honor". The rest of the tracks can continue to surprise you the first or the billionth time; as they are outside a grouping, as is all her music. Overall, Ms. Spektor's use of piano in new and interesting ways leaves the listener wanting more by the first listening.

The DVD adds to the wonder of Ms. Spektor and gives the listener an insight. It contains the music video for "Us" and a short film, "The Survival Guide to Soviet Kitsch"; a sampling of "The Flowers", "Carbon Monoxide", "Us", "Ghost of Corporate Future", and the full version of "Ode to Divorce" in a music video-esque fashion. To not give away too much, I'd suggest you watch "The Survival Guide to Soviet Kitsch" (and enjoy) it yourself.

Ms. Spektor, in my mind, cannot be compared to the piano singer/songwriters of the time... she simply just is... one of a kind.

I completely suggest this album/DVD for your collection, you won't regret it!!!!

The comparisons to Tori Amos or Bjork or Kate Bush or Fiona Apple (or Laura Nyro or Joni Mitchell to go back a ways) are more points of reference to give us some bearing regarding Regina Spektor's eccentric and original Soviet Kitsch. Hey, she's a chick with a piano and a quirky sense of timing and a refreshing lyrical oddness. Aren't they all the same, then? Well, no. Spektor's take on the singer-songwriter trope certainly includes those forebears, but she's also steeped in punk history, wherein she quotes Patti Smith on "Poor Little Rich Boy", and isn't afraid of squawking dissonance. Which makes the unadulterated beauty all the sweeter -- especially on the manic "Us" and the expressive "Someday", either of which the above-mentioned women would love to have in their own canons.

If I were forced to compare Regina Spektor to other musicians, this is how I'd do it: she's like Tori Amos mixed with Bjork, with a dash of Nellie McKay for good measure.

This is a very good CD, one I'd definitely recommend to anyone who is a fan of any of the above artists; if you like all three of them, I'd say it's a must-own. The music is piano-based, eclectic, subtly bitter and cynical beneath a sometimes cheery surface. Spektor is an excellent pianist, and not a shabby vocalist, either. All the songs are good, but my particular favorites are "Us" (possibly the best new song I've heard thus far this year), "Chemo Limo," and the sillily-titled "Ghost of Corporate Future." If I have a complaint about the CD, it's that it's too short (not quite 45 minutes); really, though, it's a compliment to say about a CD that it left me wanting to hear more.

This edition comes with a bonus DVD, and it doesn't amount to a whole heck of a lot. There is a short film, "The Survival guide to Soviet Kitsch," which is really just five videos linked together. I personally found the film to be poorly shot and poorly edited to the point of distraction. The camerawork is extremely handheld and shaky, and it practically never takes a moment to slow down and simply focus on this talented and attractive musician. Also, the songs all cut off before they finish, which leaves the film feeling very incomplete. There is also a formal promotional video for "Us," and it's rather good; very inventive, and not plagued by pretentiousness like the film. Is it worth spending the extra money for this DVD? Probably not. I don't mind having spent it, but it's certainly nothing special.

Good album, though. I think Spektor is a real talent.

To sum it up, Regina's songs are precious, personal little gems that actually make you feel happy to be alive. I can't say that for hardly any artists out there now.

I saw Regina live before I heard her album, and she's a completely irrisistable and awe-inspiring performer. She's also the most heart-wrenchingly adorable thing the world ever did see. :) I saw her open up for the Dresden Dolls recently, and I have never, NEVER in my life seen virtually the whole audience fall in love with an opening act so hard and not want them to leave, ESPECIALLY when they're rabid fans of the headliner. I've also never seen the headliner personally come out and enthusiastically introduce the opening act before. It was incredible. And to top it all off, Regina lived up to the hype in spades. I cannot recommend seeing her live enough.

If you haven't seen her live and are just going by the album, you may think it's a little cutesy at first, possibly even a little too precious, but I promise it will grow on you if you give it a chance to really open up.

And she doesn't sound like Tori Amos at all, in my opinion. I love Tori, but it's a veeeery apples and oranges deal. Regina's far more intimate and down to earth than Tori.

Hmm, I'll try my best to clinch this...

Regina Spektor's Soviet Kitsch sounds kind of like Neutral Milk Hotel's Aeroplane Over The Sea and Kate Bush's The Dreaming mixed together, only the lyrics are...well...I can't think of a reference for the lyrics. They're distinctively Regina. They'll make you laugh and cry simultaneously in that kind of Smithsy way of hitting you emotionally to the core and making you laugh about it at the same time. Just brilliant.

I first heard Regina Spektor a few months ago while I was browsing through the iTunes music video section. I came across the "Us" video. I dug the song and checked out her Soviet Kitsch album. I dug every song on the album - something I've not done in a while. It's so full of life and talent. I bought the album there. Then I checked out her 11:11 album. Dug every song on that album too. Bought that one on the spot as well. I've never come across ANY artist that I've enjoyed EVERY song on EVERY album. Not even the Beatles. I did want the "Us" video - so I bought the physical CD/DVD from Amazon. I also found her "Songs" and "Live at Bullmoose" excellent as well. You can hunt down some of her bootlegs online, too. I am going to watch out if/when she comes into town. Regina is awesome. Support talented artists!

Since everyone who wrote a review loves her. But I didn't see it listed here, regina also has a cd out called "songs" which is also amazing and excellent, you knew it would be. And a cd called "11:11" which you can only, so far, buy at itunes.

You know if there's something I've seen/read/listened to/eaten that almost defies the words I would (normally) use to describe it that this is indicative of something exceptional. This is the case with SOVIET KITSCH, Russian-born and Bronx-bred Regina Spektor's third musical release. We can hear the influences that this passionate and prolific (Spektor claims to have written over 700 songs, at the tender age of 28) musician draws from. They include the Yiddish klezmer music of her Russian-Jewish heritage, "drunken sailor" songs (an example of this being the rowdy "Sailor Song" that sounds like a composition written at 3:00 AM in a smoky bar somewhere), soulful ballads ("Somedays") and much more. Though, for some, Spektor's unbridled and very distinctive vocals might prove to be too much, for me, they work brilliantly with her wildly eclectic tunes. She has been compared to everyone from Bjork to Tori Amos. Though, her vocals are soft, at times, and screeching at others, I really think Regina Spektor has a truly unusual and captivating sound comparable to none. And yes, she does play the piano and sing about quirky and unexpected topics, not unlike Amos, but Spektor is as far from a copy cat as you can get. How many copy cats have you heard of who can successfully meld together blues, r&b, gospel, folk and classical influences, all the while singing about topics like divorce, carbon monoxide and chemotherapy? Personally, I can't think of one. Buy this album today and draw your own conclusions about this marvelous young artist.

The first time I tried to listen to this cd was as I was trying to fall asleep, and well, I couldn't fall asleep. I had to keep listening. I had downloaded the song "Us" earlier and had seen the video and listened to it nearly two dozen times before breaking down and buying the album. She feels just like such an original artist. The instrumentation for "Poor Little Rich Boy" lists Regina on piano, voice, and stick. "Chemo Limo" is extremely sweet and sad. The whole album is just such a varied mixture, but every bit unique.

The DVD may not really be worth the extra money, but I really enjoyed it. I watched it before listening to the album and the Survival Guide to Soviet Kitsch really gives you a sense at how the album will sound, even though it only gives you snippets of five or so songs. I would definitely recommend watching the DVD before listening to the album.

Five stars all around!

Ok, I discovered Regina a couple months ago, when I heard fidelity on alt nation (sirius radio), I went to youtube to see her and immediately bought "begin to hope", which I think is an amazing album. Now I'm discovering her previous work, and it is even more impressive! Don't get me wrong, begin to hope is good, but her style is so heteroclitical (nothing like the crap you hear on the radio over and over again) that you need to get the other albums if you really want to understand her and her style.

Quirky, melodic, different, refreshing, beautiful, dramatic, lyrical, those are the words that come to my mind when I hear this album. Go Regina!