Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope (Sire Records, 2006)

"I cut his hair one night, a pair of dull scissors in the yellow light, and he told me that I'd done all right and kissed me til the morning light." So it is, with lines such as this - taken from the song Samson - that Regina Spektor has the ability to paint vivid images in the mind of her listener; images that are oddly uplifting and sweetly melancholy simulataneously.
This album has been on my radar for some time now, however, it was not until recently that I was inspired to pick it up; and for that inspiration I am truly thankful.
The album has a number of great tracks, and while not all of them hit their mark exactly, there is more than enough here to justify repeated listens. The opening number, Fidelity, sees Spektor confessing that by "protecting my heart truly, I got lost in the sounds I hear in my mind," and immediately I can relate. The aforementioned Samson, is a stirring paen to a lost love; her sweetest downfall. Stripped down to the bare essentials - voice and piano - Samson is perfect, winsome in its simplicity.
On The Radio is Spektor at her best. The track carries with it an emotional weight that seems unlikely in a song that, on first listen, appears to revolve around hearing Gun'n'Roses' November Rain on the radio; however, Spektor's playfulness belies the true message in the song, and her summary of how it (life) works, is as touching and succinct as any I have heard.
Though these songs are the albums strongest, there are plenty of other highlights, such as Field Below and 20 Years Of Snow - on which Spektor's classical training on the piano is truly evident.
Begin To Hope is the type of album that can make you smile and feel sad at the same time; it will make you feel nostalgic for things that haven't even happened yet; hopeful for things that will happen in the future.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/reginaspektor