SOSUS

I first heard about Regina Spektor from a friend, and from her description assumed Regina would be a fairly traditional, non-descript folkish singer-songwriter. While my friend's description was fairly accurate, it didn't prepare me for Regina's innovative compositions. Her songs are characterized by a simple, often rubato texture. It's hard to pick songs to highlight from the album, since they are all so interesting and unique, walking the line between traditional singer/pianist compositions and avant-garde expressionism.

Regina Spektor moved to America with her family from Russia when she was nine years old. Before coming to the states, her only exposure to western music was through her father's bootleg copies of rock and pop music. Once arriving in America, she was fully immersed in American culture, eventually attending the SUNY Purchase Music Conservatory. Her music blends the sounds of jazz singers, such as Billie Holiday, and powerful blues singers, such as Etta James, into a texture that is completely her own.

The first song to really catch my ear was Poor Little Rich Boy, which has Regina pitted against the rimshot of a snare drum, singing in time with the ever-changing rhythm of the percussionist. The lyrics themselves are simple, but for that reason interesting and inviting. The end of the song has Regina repetitively singing "You're so young / You're so goddamn young," changing the emphasis and rhythm of the lyrics. It's a wonderful song, and is a lot of fun to listen to.

Another song that really exemplifies Regina's careful balance of blues, jazz and originality is the song Sailor Song. The song switches between a heavy chorus (Regina singing "Mary Anne's a bitch / Mary Anne's a bitch"), with a bass line doubled on bass guitar and piano, which gives it a really percussive sound, and lighter, almost calypso verses, which highlight Regina's singing ability. Her confidence comes out in the way she sings her lyrics, truly reminiscent of Etta James' soulful voice.

One of the most interesting songs on the album is the song Your Honor, which leaves Regina's piano playing for a distorted guitar, screaming, and heavy drums. The song shows Regina's versatility, proving she isn't limited to any particular kind of genre. The song is introduced by the previous track, titled Whispers, which calms the reader, making the opening line of Your Honor, "I kissed your lips and I tasted blood", utterly unexpected. The song itself takes a feminist perspective towards traditional male chivalry, adding complexity to the other songs, especially Sailor Song, which chronicles sailors frustrations with the 'prudishness' of a particular girl.

The entire album is great, each song offering something unique to the listener. Its a great example of how modern singer-songwriters are still breaking ground, while holding onto traditional acoustic instrumentation. So often it seems the adjective 'innovative' is saved only for electronic music, that niche of music which embraces modern technology. It's sad to see other musicians overlooked, especially talents like Regina, who are absolutely worth noting.