Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
List Price:
Our Price: $5.06
You Save: $10.92 (68%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.01 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Artist: Regina SpektorBrand: SPEKTOR,REGINA
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2006-06-13
Music Label: Sire
Soundtracks:
- Fidelity
- Better
- Samson
- On The Radio
- Field Below
- Hotel Song
- Apres Moi
- 20 Years Of Snow
- That Time
- Edit
- Lady
- Summer In The City
Free Music Notes for Begin to Hope
Free Music Review: Little wet tears on my baby's shoulder
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been a fan of Regina Spektor for years, ("11:11"? "Songs"? remember those albums? ...If you live on the West Coast like me, probably not.) I actually discovered her when one of my friends on AIM was telling me about her, and I was interested, so I asked my friend to mail me copies of all the music she had by Regina. And since then, I was hooked. I've never heard anything like her before. It was interesting to think I was one of the few people in the state of California who knew who Regina Spektor was. then about a year later, the major label debut, "Soviet Kitsch" came out, and it was all i listened to for a long time. And then one day in early 2006, I was reading through my bulletins on myspace, and i see one from Regina, announcing the 2 new songs on her profile. "Fidelity", and "Better". I was excited! So I listened to these songs, and I was surprised at how mainstream they were. Beautiful, nonetheless, and still totally Regina, but it sounded to me like Regina was playing with her sound a little bit, no shame in that..just as long as her sound didn't change completely.
So I waited impatiently for "Begin to Hope" to finally come out..and when it did, of course I bought it the day it came out, listened to the whole thing, and said to myself, "Yep, this album is gonna make her famous." Sure enough I was right. It took awhile, almost a year...and I thought it was funny that I was already kinda tired of "Fidelity" when it's video premiered on VH1 in 2007, and everyone knew who she was based on that song alone. I'm glad more people know who she is now. Many people say she's selling out, But I really don't think she is. I think every artist needs to get discovered, and experiment with their music a little bit. Plus, every one of Regina's albums have a different sound to them...But they're all Regina Spektor. She doesn't remind of Tori Amos (well, sometimes she does), she doesn't remind me of Fiona Apple. Regina Spektor might play the piano, and almost look like a cross between these two artists...But people need to stop comparing. She's just Regina, plain and simple.
Now, since I'm an Amazon.com customer, I'm going to rate the songs on a scale of 1-10. Plus I'm bored, and I really have nothing better to do, anyway, hahaha. So here goes...
1. Fidelity - 9/10. AMAZING song, couldn't stop listening to it when I first heard it. But now that I'm kind of tired of it, I think I can safely say it's definately not the best song on the CD, and it sure as hell is NOT her best song ever.
2. Better - 9/10. Beautiful, catchy, amazing, and sweet. Repetitive? yes. Does that matter? no.
3. Samson - 10/10. There's 2 versions of this song. the "Songs" version, and the updated "Begin to Hope" version. both versions are SO beautiful, and SO amazing, I think neither version is better than the other, because both versions have the power to bring me to tears. I'm convinced Regina Spektor has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard, and it really shows on this song.
4. On the Radio - 10/10. I can't even explain how much I love this song. It's just so beautiful, the lyrics are so powerful, and true. And by the way, if you haven't seen the music video for this song, youtube it..SO cute. :)
5. Field Below - 20/10. Without a doubt my favorite song on this album. It haunts me, gives me the chills, and definately reminds me of a Billie Holiday song. What I love about Regina Spektor is that her voice always relates to the song she's singing. This song is sad, and you can hear the pain in Regina's voice, and whenever I listen to this song, I feel it.
6. Hotel Song - 10/10. Another favorite. I think Regina Spektor might be the only person who can make the word "cocaine" sound beautiful.
7. Apres Moi - 8/10. This song is good, not my favorite...but it's different. Regina's classical training is definately put to use in this song. (and PS, this is where she reminds me of Tori Amos.)
8. 20 Years of Snow - 10/10. This song is really, really pretty. I just recently got into this song, after never really listening to it (and I mean never REALLY listening to it). It was one of those situations where I 'thought' I wouldn't like it, but ended up LOVING it in the end. So if you THINK you don't like this song, i advise you to listen again. you'll end up loving it.
9. That Time - 10/10. This song cracks me up. It's just so Regina. And okay, if you've never seen Regina Spektor live, and the chance comes around...Take it. She performs all her songs beautifully...But she's especially cute when she does this one, with her guitar. :D
10. Edit - 8/10. Repetitive, but it works here. This song is really cool, and I like the way it was mixed and *cough* edited. ;P, it's not my favorite but its still good.
11. Lady - 10/10. Another favorite! YAY! This song is obviously a tribute to Billie Holiday. It's haunting, gives me the chills, and sounds like a Billie Holiday song. And it makes me cry ("little wet tears on my baby's shoulder".)
12. Summer in the City - 10/10. Some people don't take the lyrics seriously, and of course the "cleavage, cleavage, cleavage" line is gonna make you laugh, but this song makes me cry. My lover went off to college, and this song makes me miss him more than anything. I think anyone who misses someone can also relate when they hear this song.
Basically, I HIGHLY recommend this album to ANYONE who loves pretty music. But take it from a die-hard Regina Spektor fan, if you can get your hands on copies of her first 2 albums, please do. and also Soviet Kitsch. I recommend anything Regina Spektor has ever done, and whenever anyone is looking for music recommendations, I always suggest Regina Spektor first.
And like I said before...go to one of her shows! You won't regret it.
Begin to Hope Poster
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.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
Alternative Rock Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Alternative Rock Music CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $397.77
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $199.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $8.00
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Kate Nash - Made of BricksBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2008-01-08; Music CD
Best price: $6.17
Price in other shops:
Ingrid Michaelson - Girls & BoysRelease date: 2007-09-18; Music CD
Best price: $7.32
Price in other shops:
Regina Spektor - Live In London (CD/ DVD)Release date: 2010-11-22; Music CD
Best price: $14.08
Price in other shops:
Ingrid Michaelson - Be OKRelease date: 2008-10-14; Music CD
Best price: $6.13
Price in other shops:
Feist - The ReminderBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2007-05-01; Music CD
Best price: $5.93
Price in other shops:
Regina Spektor - SongsRelease date: 2002-07-15; Music CD
Best price: $13.86
Price in other shops:
Regina Spektor - Soviet KitschSPEKTOR,REGINA; Release date: 2004-09-21; Music CD
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
Ingrid Michaelson - EverybodyRelease date: 2009-08-25; Music CD
Best price: $9.84
Price in other shops:
A Fine Frenzy - One Cell in the SeaFINE FRENZY; Release date: 2007-07-17; Music CD
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops:
Regina Spektor - FarSPEKTOR,REGINA; Release date: 2009-06-23; Music CD
Best price: $6.21
Price in other shops: