If you were to look up the word kooky in the dictionary, you may just come across a picture of Regina Spektor. The Soviet-born singer/songwriter may come across as someone with too much affection for the likes of Kate Bush, but she's one of the most underrated pop talents producing albums today.
Her new record Far is no exception. Part bittersweet, part silly pop froth, and part plain weird, you can't help but sing along. And they're beautifully crafted songs, treading a tightrope where they could land the wrong side of bland, coffee table, muzak. But thankfully Spektor has honed her talents over the last 8 years to produce another memorable set of songs.
She doesn't always hit the mark with her piano driven melodies, and some of her more adventurous vocal moments, such as the 'dolphin song' section of 'Folding Chair', are a little cringe worthy. Taking that into account though, at least Regina's trying to push the boundaries of what is acceptable on a pop album.
Meanwhile on 'Machine' Regina is living in the future, in her pre=war apartment. She's hooked into a machine and is "upgraded daily", strange indeed, but again rather compelling as she unfolds another oddball story. That's really the attraction of Far, it's not a concept album but you never know what's coming next.
The standout tracks here are first single 'Laughing With' and 'Wallet'. Both are bittersweet meditations asking "what if?" The former surmises that if something terrible happens to you, that suddenly "no one's laughing at God". 'The Wallet' then tries to construct a life from the contents of a lost wallet. It concludes with the fact that Regina will never know the owners true identity after she hands the wallet in at Blockbuster.
The variety of material on Far could be put down to the fact that Spektor has worked with four producers including Jeff Lynne and Jacknife Lee. But in honesty you won't want to know the secret to why the album works, it just does. Sit back and enjoy the anthemic 'Eet' or the expertly executed vocal harmonies on 'Blue Lips' and it all makes sense. She's five albums in and Regina Spektor's now living up to the promise that she's always shown.
Rating: 4/5