Posts tagged ‘Regina Spektor’
Favorite songs of 2009, finally.
Yeah, I pretty much failed at life when it came to keeping up with my favorite-songs-of-the-year-advent-calendar idea. My bad. At first, it was easy to blame exams and schoolwork. But by the end of the month, my laziness was to blame. And life. I actually had what seemed like a life for a couple days there, it was weird.Then the holidays, can’t forget those.
New Year’s Resolution? Finish these posts and try not to neglect this poor blog. So, let’s roll. I will try to keep commentary to a minimum since there’s quite a few songs to go through.
14. Emmy The Great – Two Steps Forward
“Two Steps Forward” is yet another example of Emmy the Great’s songwriting talent. This is one of Emmy’s older songs that didn’t make it onto her debut album First Love, but it was included on the Edward EP released back in August. I highly recommend you watch the Black Cab Sessions performance of this song.
15. No Doubt – Stand and Deliver (Adam Ant cover)
This year, No Doubt returned and my heart could barely handle it. 2010 will (hopefully) see the band release a new album and I will get to experience more of this. YES PLEASE.
16. Jack Peñate – Let’s All Die
Who doesn’t love a good party jam about death? Hm? I wasn’t exactly head-over-heels for Peñate’s Everything Is New, but “Let’s All Die” was one of my favorite tunes from the album. It wasn’t until after seeing Peñate live that it definitely became my favorite from the album. It’s just too much fun.
17. Jamie T – Sticks ‘n Stones
For the longest time, I had this dinky little live recording of “Sticks N Stones” and of course I loved it, but I had no idea the power this song would have over me once my ears experienced a proper quality recording. HOLY SHIT. This song was born to be on repeat. When I feel like life is kicking my ass, “Sticks N Stones” is there to help me kick life right back, square in the balls. It’s like my own personal “Eye of the Tiger” but a million times better. People, there’s a reason Jamie T is KING.
18. Generationals – Nobody Could Change Your Mind
I like happy music. I really really do. And you know who made some damn good happy music this year? Generationals.
19. Slow Club – When I Go
There’s something very beautiful about the way Charles and Rebecca’s voices complement each other as they sing about back-up plans for love and life.
20. The Lullaby Club – Batman and Robin
The Lullaby Club were a 2009 musical discovery who are still quite a mystery to me. They were a random friend request on the ol’ myspace and for some odd reason instead of hitting the usual ‘ignore/delete’ button on band requests (like I did 98% of the time), I decided to click and have a listen. There was close to nothing on their page, just a link that led nowhere and a couple songs. And as luck would have it, the songs were rather good. If you’re a fan of the whole folk/pop/happiness thing, you might really dig them. There’s something quite familiar about the vocals and I’ve tried to find more information on the band, but my google searches have yielded nothing. If you know anything, please fill me in.
21. Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
I think I’ve made my feelings about this song pretty clear on previous posts. Something about it being so good I want to have babies with the song, or whatever. This summer I discovered that one of the greatest ways to listen to this song is while driving through a thunderstorm, darkened clouds and lightning in the distance, with thunder roaring just as the song reaches its climactic ending. Talk about epic. Totally helps you forget about the possibility of hydroplaning, crashing, and dying.
22. Peggy Sue – Lover Gone
Sometimes when people break up, they write bitter, hurtful songs about their ex-lover. Sometimes when people break up, they write nice songs about their ex-lover and how there’s no hard feelings since ultimately it was for the best. This is one of those songs. 2010 will be a good year for Peggy Sue as it will see the release of their first album Fossils and Other Phantoms. Excitement!
23. The Maccabees – No Kind Words
It was the first taste of what was to come from The Maccabees on their second album Wall of Arms and mother-eff if it didn’t leave you wanting more! Recently, the boys reworked the tune with Roots Manuva and the result, “Empty Vessels,” will be featured on a special reissue of the album in early 2010.
24. Johnny Flynn – Lost & Found
This whole year has been a tease of what Johnny Flynn has in store for his second album, set for release sometime in 2010. Sweet jesus, I am excited!
25. Regina Spektor – The Calculation
Alright, I intentionally saved the best for last. OMG REGINA?! WHAT A SHOCKER! Part of the excitement in a new Regina Spektor album is (a) not knowing how she’s changed up some of her “classics” and (b) not knowing how many songs will actually be brand new songs no one has ever heard before in any way, shape, or form. “The Calculation” was one of the latter. In classic Regina fashion, she wrote a whimsical love story jampacked with Spektoresque metaphors that manages to be as catchy as it is beautiful. Since May, I’ve listened to “The Calculation” at least once a day everyday and I’ve been happy for at least three minutes.
BAM! Done. Better late than never, right? For songs 1-13, check out the tags.
Regina Spektor on NPR’s Mountain Stage
This past week Regina Spektor performed songs from her most recent album Far on NPR‘s Mountain Stage:
1. The Calculation
2. Eet
3. Folding Chair
4. Machine
5. Laughing With
6. Dance Anthem of the 80s
7. The Sword and the Pen
8. Blue Lips
Regina is still on tour (she’s a machine!!), she’s finishing up dates around the US before heading to the UK/Europe in December so catch her being absolutely fucking brilliant before she takes a break: TOUR DATES
Regina performs on the Late Late Show, continues to be perfect
Regina Spektor performed “Eet” on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson this week, looking and sounding much more relaxed than on recent appearances on Conan and Letterman. If you missed it, you can watch it below:
“Man of a Thousand Faces” video
Alright, Regina Spektor’s video for “Man of a Thousand Faces” finally made it’s way online. Simple video for a beautiful song, perfect:
Before they were on “Far”
In five days, I get to see Regina Spektor live. Be still my heart, be still.
In honor of such a glorious experience, I would like to share with you some live gems of Ms. Spektor performing songs from her latest record Far. As we all know, bootlegs are a tricky deal and it’s usually very difficult to find good quality recordings, but something is always better than nothing.
Blue Lips (10-17-2004)
Not sure where she’s performing, but the sound quality is great.
Folding Chair (XFM Session, August 2004)
She’s perfected her dolphin sounds in the last five years.
Human of the Year (04-09-2006)
When Begin To Hope was released, Regina and her label asked that bootlegs of “Human of the Year” and “Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori” not be shared. Obviously you can’t control the internet, but fans did respect her wishes for a long time which was very considerate. This is one of those first recordings of “Human of the Year” from a show in Boston. As she begins to play, audience members repeatedly shout requests and her response is one of my favorite things ever.
Dance Anthem of the 80s (12-29-2003)
Before the drums and the special guest beatboxers, it was just Regina and her piano.
Genius Next Door (04-09-2006)
This is from the same Boston show as “Human of the Year” above. Of all the live versions I have of this song, this is hands down my favorite and the reason this is in my top 10 favorite Spektor songs*.
Wallet (07-10-2004)
One of the earliest recordings of this song from a show at Tonic in NYC. I don’t think that club even exists anymore.
One More Time With Feeling (07-14-2007)
It was a big deal when live recordings of this song surfaced because it was legitimately a “new” song. From the live versions, you would have never guessed it would have been one of the happier sounding songs on the album.
Man of a Thousand Faces (05-14-07)
This recording is bittersweet since it was recorded at a Borders instore in Chicago and I couldn’t make it due to my lack of transportation. The previous night, I saw her at the Riviera where she sang “Silly Eye Color Generalizations” and I almost peed my pants. Anyway, this is one of the first known recordings of this song and although the quality isn’t the best and the beginning is cut off a bit, it’s still pretty incredible how great she sounds at a simple instore.
* It’s actually impossible to choose only ten songs as my favorite, but if I could “Genius Next Door” would be near the top of the list.
Regina live on Morning Becomes Eclectic
Today, Regina Spektor recorded a session on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic with Jason Bentley. Even though Bentley isn’t the most steller interviewer around, he’s kind of a fanboy (fanman?) so it’s pretty cool.You can listen to the show online or download it below.
1. (Intro)
2. The Calculation
3. Eet
4. Machine
5. (Interview)
6. Laughing With
7. Us
8. Blue Lips
9. Samson
10. (Interlude)
11. Folding Chair
12. (Outro)
For the weirdos who naysay the “overproduced” sound of her new album Far, they should appreciate these live stripped down sessions she’s been doing lately. They should put all the whiny “Ugh, she’s not the same anymore. I miss the ooollldddd Reginaaaa” comments to rest. Her voice is spot on and the addition of strings to songs like “Us” is magical.
