2004-06-29 New York, NY | Sin-é

This was a benefit show in memory of Aaron Wilkinson, who had passed away the previous summer. Aaron's father Dennis opened with a prayer and introduced the artists (including Kimya Dawson, Adam Green, and Aaron's brother Graham). Regina's short set included the debut performances of Hero (with some additional lyrics and alternate phrasing not found in later performances), Après Moi, Aquarius, and almost The Wallet (but, even then, people had to have their Samson).

Recorded by pattivill:

01) introduction from Pastor Dennis Wilkinson
02) Aquarius
03)
04) Hero
05)
06) Bartender
07)
08) Genius Next Door
09)
10) The Flowers
11)
12) Après Moi
13)
14) Samson
15)

2004-06-26 NME

"Discovering Regina Spektor is a thrill akin to being electrocuted by fairy lights."
- Cat Goodwin

Summer 2004 - Kings

2004-06 XFM studio session

Download

Folding Chair
Carbon Monoxide
Bartender
Ghost of Corporate Future
Ode to Divorce

2004-06 The Fly

profile: Regina Spektor

Words: Martin Kahl

REGINA SPEKTOR'S accent would have you think she's a true New Yorker, but to suppose that would be to suppose wrong. She's originally from Moscow, her family leaving what was then the USSR when she was nine, travelling via Austria and Italy to the USA, where they settled in the Bronx. "I went to a Hebrew school," she says, "where everything was taught in English and Hebrew. The only other kid I spoke Russian with was my cousin." Her command of languages often takes her already unique songwriting to another level. "I love the sound of languages, and sometimes slip some German, French or Russian words into my songs, but more for the mood than the meaning - I like how nice it feels."

It's about 15 years since Spektor's family left Moscow, but Regina has never been back. "I might go this summer, but I'm hesitant. I have very vivid memories, and it's such a different place now. It'll be very overwhelming, so I've been postponing it."

A classically-trained pianist, she soon found herself mixing with the Anti-Folk singers at places like the Sidewalk Café, and playing in small clubs on the Lower East Side, armed only with a piano and her poignant, beautifully crafted songs. 'Soviet Kitsch' is Spektor's first "properly" produced studio album. Prior to that, she had released two albums herself: '11:11' and 'Songs'. 'Soviet Kitsch' came about through a meeting with Strokes producer Gordon Raphael. "Gordon heard 'Poor Little Rich Boy', and said 'we have to record this'. We did, then started work on an EP; suddenly it went from single to EP to album."

Raphael played Spektor's music to Julian Casablancas, and she soon found herself opening the Strokes' recent US tour. "During the tour we recorded a song together called 'Modern Girls And Old Fashion Men', which became the B-side to their single, 'Reptilia'. Then I supported the Kings of Leon when they toured Europe."

An amazing experience, doubtless, but, being unsigned, she had no record label money behind her; all those flights and hotels have left her popular with credit card companies...

'Soviet Kitsch' is a collection of gorgeous, striking, entertaining and heartbreaking songs. Performed primarily on piano, they aren't simply chorus-and-verse, but often complex structures. 'Carbon Monoxide' might be one of the most beautiful songs in the world, ever, yet it couldn't be more different from the punky 'Your Honor', featuring another Gordon Raphael band, Kill Kenada.

Despite being a style mag favourite, and a regular on specialist radio shows, Spektor remains humble and grateful for anyone willing to listen to her music. When she talks, she doesn't come across as someone for whom everything seems finally to be falling into place. Incredibly, she's still unsigned. "Well, I'm in the process of being signed, but I haven't physically signed anything."

The release of 'Soviet Kitsch' will be accompanied by a short tour, including a handful of dates in Britain in June. "I'm not opening for anyone else this time - these will be my own shows."

It's safe to say that Regina Spektor is not a household name in May 2004. The release of 'Soviet Kitsch' is likely to change that. Just remember the name. You'll be hearing a lot more of it soon.

2004-06 i-d magazine

SHE'S GOT IT LICKED

Russian folkstress Regina Spektor: a self-confessed nerd, buddies with the Strokes and no relation to Phil... what a doll

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INTERVIEW BY LESLEY ARFIN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT JONES

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So, let me tell you a little something about my friend Regina Spektor. Actually, she's not really my friend at all, but I kinda want her to be because she's so rad. I pretty much have a girl-crush on her. Regina is a piano playing machine, and when she sings the notes bend all over the place and you kinda feel like you're inside her living room or on top of a mountain, and all the trees and all the animals are totally vibing off her singing energy; kind of like you're in a cartoon movie where animals can do that sort of thing. Her music is a little bit history lesson, a little bit ghost story. A little bit kindergarten playgroup and little teen angst. She went on tour with the Strokes and the Kings Of Leon but she's not known for that: Regina's not anyone's girlfriend just yet (except maybe mine, hopefully). Her new album, 'Soviet Kitsch', is just perfect for rainy days and sleepy-time tea.

Regina's originally from Russia, where she didn't grow up listening to Bob Dylan or Billie Holiday because her parents were, well, Russian. "Not only am I not in touch with reality, but I'm also from Russia. There's so much stuff that I only found out about in college. And people were like, 'you don't know Radiohead!" When she was nine she moved to the Bronx, started taking music lessons and becoming a big nerd. In that order. When she didn't feel like practising her scales, she rebelled and read Shakespeare instead. Why does it suddenly seem like Regina is from 1945?

Regina's music evolved when she started playing shows at the Sidewalk Cafe in the late '90s, which is home to the 'anti-folk' scene in New York and musicians such as The Moldy Peaches, The Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players, Dufus, Langhorne Slim and a bunch of other nerdy art-folkie-anti- folkies, whatever that means. Regina has her own ideas: "Anti-Folk is a community of musicians. Everyone has their own opinion about what it actually is. To me, it's people who allow themselves to write and play and record any kind of song they come up with - usually with emphasis on lyrics. But in a lot of ways I never fit into anti-folk, because I have a lot of classical music influences and I like to write complicated and technical parts... I don't know, I don't think I have the defined sound of any scene, but I do have the punky sentiments that are associated with anti-folk." Regina soon moved on to bigger and better, recording a duet with The Strokes called 'Modern Girls And Old Fashioned Men', which is the b-side to their Reptilia' single. The song was recorded while she was on tour with them, officially making her The Strokes First Lady. There were rumors going around that she was going out with Julian, but Regina denies this, as she should. "It's like, how many times can a person say 'no'? How many times can a person say I'm a musician, this is disrespectful'? Look, it's amazing that I went on tour with The Strokes, but it's not my fucking claim to fame. I made music before then and I'm making music after. People who need to know me, know me."

Truthfully, she needs no rock star to get our attention, because so far, those who have heard Regina's music absolutely love it. Her sound gives off a kind of rare energy and magical spirit that is reminiscent of Joni Mitchell. She's the Commie Joni, the angrier Mazzy Star or, like, the way cooler Tori Amos. But she sings in such a spontaneous, poetic way that one can't help but be reminded of Van Morrison's 'Astral Weeks', especially on the track 'Carbon Monoxide', which is a dark delicious mess of notes and keys, with lyrics that are sort of sarcastic and funny: 'Carbon monoxide/soon I'll go to sleee-eee-eep/no-one will notice we're gone/cuz we don't have a job to keee-eeep/they'll just say we're being lazy/sex crazed sex crazed hazy/they'll just say we're livin' our life in bed/ and we'll be in bed oh so very much/dead-a dead-a dead-a dead/ but we're so cool/we're so cool/we're so cool.'

And that ain't even the half of it. Right now Regina's website is down, so I can't get the rest of the yummy story-telling lyrics she conjures up. Her music is often surprising, unpretentious, silly and even romantic. And you can bet your bottom dollar that she's gonna snowball out of control. "Just this Friday, oh my gosh, I get this phone call from my friend in North Carolina who was like, I'm walking by a barn right now and I hear your stuff coming out of the radio!" Regina is now getting used to her new home in SoHo, where she lives alone with her piano and, well, basically plays music all day. Tough life. 'Soviet Kitsch' comes out, like, right now I think, but she also has two other albums called 'Songs' and '11:11'. You can visit www.reginaspektor.com to look at cute pictures of her, find out when she's playing next, listen to her old songs and read her sweet little diary that she always updates. Start obsessing over her now before she blows up and you're stuck hanging out with all the poseurs during the Regina Spektor backlash. Go get fanatical and start a fanzine about her. Seriously. She's catching on like wildfire.

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The album Soviet Kitsch is out in June on Shoplifter Records.