| Begin to Hope | 
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| Artist: Regina Spektor
Label: Sire
Category: Music
List Price: $15.98
Buy New: $8.96
You Save: $7.02 (44%)
New (51) Used (15) Collectible (3) from $7.97
Avg. Customer Rating:  172 reviews
Sales Rank: 869
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 44112
UPC: 093624411222
EAN: 0093624411222
ASIN: B000FFJ80I
Release Date: June 13, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Fidelity | | • | Better | | • | Samson | | • | On The Radio | | • | Field Below | | • | Hotel Song | | • | Apres Moi | | • | 20 Years Of Snow | | • | That Time | | • | Edit | | • | Lady | | • | Summer In The City |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
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
Album Description
Regina Spektor's last album, 2004's Soviet Kitsch, garnered praise from Time, Rolling Stone, Spin, Vanity Fair, The New York Times and many others. But this Russian-born, Bronx-bred singer-songwriter-pianist, who emerged from the NYC café circuit, continues to expand her vision. On Begin To Hope, produced by David Kahne (The Strokes, Sublime, Sugar Ray), she broadens here palette with electric guitar, drum machines and seductive electronic loops, finding new canvases for her provocative vocal style. Hope for pop has arrived with Regina Spektor.
Album Description
Regina Spektor's last album, 2004's Soviet Kitsch, garnered praise from Time, Rolling Stone, Spin, Vanity Fair, The New York Times and many others. But this Russian-born, Bronx-bred singer-songwriter-pianist, who emerged from the NYC caf, circuit, continues to expand her vision. On Begin To Hope, produced by David Kahne (The Strokes, Sublime, Sugar Ray), she broadens here palette with electric guitar, drum machines and seductive electronic loops, finding new canvases for her provocative vocal style. Hope for pop has arrived with Regina Spektor.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 167 more reviews...
 Her best yet... June 23, 2006
59 out of 64 found this review helpful
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
 There's still hope June 24, 2006
31 out of 33 found this review helpful
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.
Sweet voice, beautiful piano, great recording! January 19, 2007
20 out of 22 found this review helpful
I now realize that Regina Spektor is not new to the music scene, but she is new to me. I am thrilled to have discovered her! "Begin to Hope" is a tremendous album.
Thanks to VH1 for playing "Fidelity" practically every morning. For a week or so I tuned in just hoping to see her video. I finally decided I had to try her ablum relatively sound unheard. Taking that chance was a great decision.
First, in my opinion, Regina has the sweetest voice you will ever hear. I could listen to it all day and not tire of it. Second, add to that her piano playing, and you have a very powerful combination. She sings and plays with such flair and artistry. She is extremely talented (all this and cute, too).
She makes use of varying styles: folk, classical, pop, and even hints of soul, blues, and jazz. And she does it all meticulously and beautifully. The instrumentation is generally sparse, her voice and piano are featured, while some songs are "fuller" than others. The mood ranges from fun to reflective. She impresses me as being intelligent and witty with her creative use of voice and piano. The lyrics are thoughtful, poignant even.
Certainly this CD isn't for everyone. There is no headbanging or club dancing. But if you have a taste for non-beat driven music, this recording is fabulous. For the right taste, this album positively hits the spot. Highly recommended!
Funky, Cool & Fun January 30, 2007
20 out of 21 found this review helpful
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.
Quality Oddities... September 19, 2006
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
I was introduced to Regina Spektor rather late in the game, apparently, this being the first album of hers that I've heard. When I listened to it the first time, I was, of course, amused (if not a little perplexed) by the grunting and other such vocal acrobatics. But as I came to know each individual song better, I began to understand that the noises are part of a bigger soundscape. Regina Spektor is eccentric, yes, but she is also incredibly talented - not only as a singer, but also as a songwriter. The album is an array of different styles and musical ideas, all executed very well. I think it is obvious that Regina Spektor thought long and hard about how the music would reflect the lyrics and vice versa, putting her a step ahead of many of the other songwriters out there who use the same chord progressions and musical styles over and over and over again. This music is challenging, requiring more from the listener than just a pair of earphones and a quarter of their attention span. Many of the songs conjured up memories from my classical music training and my study of art songs with their compact thematic structures and text-painting. For example - the grunting in `Apres Moi' isn't just there as a rhythmic icebreaker. To me, the grunts sound like she is being hit in the stomach, but no matter how many punches she takes she "must keep on standing." Each song on this album is a successful work of art. Some tracks may strike the listener more than another, depending on their likes and dislikes, but if you enjoy smart, different and intriguing music, this CD will not disappoint.
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