ReginaSpektor.net

Your hair looks like Robert Smith...brings to mind the word "obsessed"

2007-10-29T03:21:00.000-04:00

This recording made the rounds back in the day, but it appears to have fallen out of general circulation. Zo...

2004-11-15 London, England | Bush Hall

Recorded by the talented and generous BloodRoses:

Intro
Dance Anthem of the 80s
Carbon Monoxide
Time Is All Around
interlude
The Virgin Queen
Poor Little Rich Boy
Blue Lips
interlude
Bobbing for Apples
interlude
That Time
Après Moi
interlude
Uh-merica
interlude
Hero (of the Story)
interlude
Ghost of Corporate Future
Summer in the City
interlude
Samson

This show earned a 5-star review from The Guardian and features the first (and, to date, only) known performance and recording of The Virgin Queen.

"Dan in Real Life" Original Soundtrack

2007-10-02T22:05:00.000-04:00

Hell No (Sondre Lerche & Regina Spektor)

Released in October 2007, this movie soundtrack features music by Sondre Lerche and includes a duet with Regina.

Live at Lollapalooza 2007

2007-10-02T20:44:00.000-04:00

Fidelity
Bobbing for Apples
Après Moi
Summer in the City
Ghost of Corporate Future
Samson

Released in October 2007 as an iTunes exclusive, this EP features songs recorded live on August 4, 2007 at Grant Park in Chicago, IL.

Better

2007-07-03T20:06:00.000-04:00

Better (Radio Recut)
Better (Piano & Voice)

Released in July 2007 on 7" vinyl, this single features a new recording of the song (not the Begin to Hope version); the "Piano & Voice" cut is the same new recording, but stripped of all other instruments and effects. Individual promo CDs for each track were also produced.

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur

2007-06-12T21:56:00.000-04:00

Real Love

Released in June 2007, this benefit compilation features a previously unreleased cover of the John Lennon song.

Fidelity

2007-03-05T17:32:00.000-05:00

USA 1-track promo CD

UK 1-track promo CD

UK 1 track promo CD+DVD

Fidelity
Music Box

Enhanced CD-only bonus track:

December

Released in the UK in March 2007 on CD (2 tracks), Enhanced CD (3 tracks plus the official "Fidelity" video), and 7" vinyl (2 tracks); "Music Box" can also be found on the 2-disc Begin to Hope Special Edition, while "December" was previously made available on the vinyl versions of both Soviet Kitsch and the Us single.

Beginning in May 2006, various promo versions were produced for press/radio; one notable UK promo in gatefold DVD packaging bundled a 1-track CD with a DVD featuring the official music videos for both "Fidelity" and "On the Radio", along with an 11-page color booklet of UK press clippings.

A toast, Jedediah, to love on my terms

2007-02-27T23:13:00.000-05:00

Of course, now I'll have to turn in my Regina Spektor Know-It-All Fan badge. I mean, how do you forget a song titled Dead Rat, for crimeny's sake?

Bah...we don't need no stinking badges!

17 April 2002, The (Original) Living Room, New York

intro
Ain't No Cover
interlude
Twenty Years of Snow
interlude
Raindrops
interlude
Lounge
interlude
Belt
interlude
Dead Rat
interlude
One-String Blues
interlude
Bear Spektor
Daniel Cowman (aborted)
Buildings (aborted)
Buildings
interlude
Lulliby
interlude
Braille
closing

Attic Jam

2007-02-14T21:30:00.000-05:00

Music Box

Released in February 2007, this iTunes exclusive compilation features a song recorded live in Pete Townshend & Rachel Fullers's trailer at the T in the Park Festival on July 9th, 2006 in Balado, Scotland, for an episode of their In the Attic video podcast.

Live in California 2006

2007-02-13T20:17:00.000-05:00

Fidelity
Field Below
Sailor Song
Ghost of Corporate Future

Released in February 2007, this EP features songs recorded live on November 2, 2006 at the Avalon in Los Angeles (tracks 1-3) and on October 29, 2006 at the Fillmore in San Francisco (track 4).

Artists Den, Volume III: Hudson St. Recordings

2006-12-11T21:46:00.000-05:00

Better

Released in December 2006, this compilation features a song recorded live on June 1, 2006 at the Angel Orensanz Center in New York, NY.

Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others

2006-11-07T09:35:00.000-05:00

Three years ago, I wore a sign that read "NO WAR" around my neck for 3 months. I abhor this administration. I am not excited at the prospect of a Democratic Congress.

I voted anyway.

I encourage you to do likewise (but only mildly encourage, because it's not in my character to be rah-rah about these things).

***

Anyway, this is ReginaSpektor.net, not HalfAssedPoliticalActivism.net, so here's a couple of interviews I don't even remember having uploaded:

14 September 2005, Morning Sedition
22 February 2006, Radio Warwick

I haven't re-listened to these, but I do remember that the recording quality on the Radio Warwick file is absurdly bad. Fairly warned be thee, says I.

It's a long way to the house of Fitzcarraldo

2006-11-06T00:07:00.000-05:00

If you had consulted your srg-to-English dictionaries, you would know that "this weekend" in fact means "6 or more weeks from now" (duh!). Anyway, here are two shows for you (some of these individual tracks were posted previously).

The marathon set from Bowery Ballroom last year features, among other things, a rare performance of Rejazz and the resurrection of the long-dormant Hotel Song, which has since evolved into a set-closing rocker.

The Housing Works show, which took place the night before a Tonic gig (recorded by Crimson and available for download here) , includes the debut performance of Blue Lips, the first attempt at the piano-less Ghost of Corporate Future, and the first & only performance, as far as I know, of the disturbing & awesome Long Brown Hair. Regina previously played the Live from Home series ca. January 2003, but I don't think any recording has surfaced.

30 March 2005, Bowery Ballroom, New York
(with Sean Lennon opening)

intro
Ain't No Cover
interlude
Edit
interlude
Ode to Divorce
interlude
Loveology
interlude
Blue Lips
interlude
Ghost of Corporate Future
interlude
Hero + Bartender
interlude
Rejazz
interlude
Pound of Flesh
interlude
Folding Chair
interlude
Baby Jesus
interlude
Ave Maria
interlude
Sailor Song
interlude
"begin to hope"
interlude
Après Moi
interlude
Prisoners
interlude
Summer in the City
interlude
Time Is All Around
interlude
Somedays
interlude
Carbon Monoxide
interlude
Poor Little Rich Boy
interlude
The Flowers
interlude
"open"
interlude
Silly Eye-Color Generalizations
interlude
Samson
interlude
Hotel Song
interlude
Your Honor
interlude
That Time
interlude
Bobbing for Apples
interlude
Reginasaurus
closing

15 October 2004, Housing Works Used Book Cafe, New York
(Live from Home series, with John Wesley Harding and Buddy Miller)

intro
Edit
interlude
Ghost of Corporate Future
interlude
You
interlude
Blue Lips
interlude
Long Brown Hair
interlude
Loveology
closing

I also had the distinct pleasure of attending the Halloween night record release party for Nellie McKay's long-delayed Pretty Little Head (buy it!); muchas thank-you's to the guys at NellieMcKay.org (now that's how you design a fansite).

On the Radio

2006-07-03T19:18:00.000-04:00

Part One

Part Two

1-track promo CD

On the Radio

Part One B-side:

Ain't No Cover

Part Two B-side:

20 Years of Snow

Released in the UK in July 2006 on CD and 7" vinyl, this two-part single includes live versions of "Ain't No Cover" (from the Live at Bull Moose EP) and "20 Years of Snow" (previously unreleased--recorded at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on February 4, 2006).

You're too old for precocious. You're too young for me.

2006-06-18T19:16:00.000-04:00

Don't say I didn't warn you about the quality...but there's at least one nugget here that you probably haven't heard before.

13 March 2002, The (Original) Living Room, New York

intro
Twenty Years of Snow
interlude
Bonne Idee
interlude
8th Floor
interlude
Baobabs
interlude
Mustard Musketeers
interlude
A Lesson in How Fleeting Preservation Is
interlude
Buildings
interlude
Love Affair
interlude
Soho
interlude
Braille
interlude
Samson
closing

In case you're wondering, Morgan Taylor's Rock Group (whom Regina mentions at the outset) no longer exists as such (which is sad, because it really did rock), but you can check out what Morgan Taylor & co. are up to these days at Gustafer Yellowgold music.

Begin to Hope

2006-06-13T15:44:00.000-04:00

Fidelity
Better
Samson
On The Radio
Field Below
Hotel Song
Après Moi
20 Years Of Snow
That Time
Edit
Lady
Summer in the City

Special Edition-only bonus tracks:

Another Town
Uh-merica
Baobabs
Düsseldorf
Music Box

Online-only bonus tracks:

Hero
Bartender

Regina's 4th LP was released in June 2006 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, and eventually climbing as high as #20 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Initial shipments came bundled with a copy of the 6-track "Side 1" promo CD (ostensibly for buyers to share with a friend) and four 1" buttons.

A 2-disc "Special Edition" digipack featuring 5 bonus tracks and an expanded booklet was released simultaneously. The downloadable version (via iTunes, Rhapsody, and other outlets) featured 2 additional bonus tracks.

Special Edition

6-track promo CD

Not dead? Not yet quite dead?

2006-06-07T22:56:00.000-04:00

So, uh, I don't know if you've heard, but Regina's got, like, a new album coming out today and stuff...maybe you were tipped off by New York magazine, or anthem, or American Songwriter, or Alternative Press...maybe it won't really sink in until you watch her on Conan Wednesday night.

For my part, you can probably guess what I have to say about the new record...but just in case: I think that Begin to Hope is not only the best work Regina's ever done, but also among the greatest things ever. I'm talking Master of Puppets-, The Godfather Part II-, tattered blue jeans- levels of awesomeness here.

Don't believe me? Such absurd heights of hyperbole strain my credibility, you say?

::menacing glare::

I'm going to pretend you didn't say that. I think you'd better buy the album and get the hell out of here before I get upset.

***

p.s., I'll have another old show recording of questionable quality up later this week.

p.p.s., You'd do well to pick up a copy of Dayna Kurtz's record Another Black Feather (for the Wings of a Sinner), also released today.

Stage dive off of porches into crowds of dandelions

2006-03-13T22:54:00.000-05:00

I trust that by now everyone has heard the 2 lead tracks off the forthcoming Begin to Hope over on Regina's MySpace page. For the record:

I think they TOTALLY FUCKING ROCK! Yeah!
If you don't like them, I think you're crazy. Or just afraid of change.
But I'm pretty confident you'll like them eventually, once the shock of dissimilarity wears off.
Unless you're stubborn. Or just crazy.
But no matter what, we'll still be friends. Yeah!

Moving right along, here's a set from December 2003 in New York--a homecoming show of sorts after the Strokes/Kings of Leon tours, and also a stopover before playing New Year's Eve in Las Vegas with those same folks. The space was packed to fire-hazard level, as seemingly everyone was there, including the aforementioned Strokes (you'll hear a bit of banter between Regina and J. Casablancas on track 5), and Regina busted out a bunch of new stuff for the occasion (although by now it's nothing you haven't heard a thousand times already, I'm sure).

29 December 2003, The Living Room, New York

intro
"a cooler version"
interlude
Time Is All Around
interlude
Dance Anthem of the 80s
interlude
Prisoners
interlude
A Cannon
interlude
Patron Saint
interlude
Secret Stash
interlude
Carbon Monoxide
interlude
Folding Chair
interlude
Music Box
interlude
Ode to Divorce
interlude
Consequence of Sounds
closing

Us

2006-02-13T01:16:00.000-05:00

Us
Scarecrow & Fungus

Vinyl-only bonus track:

December

Released in the UK on CD and 7" vinyl by Transgressive Records in February 2006: "Us" is taken from Soviet Kitsch, while the B-sides were previously released on the vinyl edition of that album.

To suffer greatly from the indignity of working for a living

2006-01-24T14:45:00.000-05:00

Scanning the racks again, the January 21st issue of NME crowns "Us" as Track of the Week--a given, really, considering that it...

...surely must be the indie love song of the millennium...The way in which she manages to make the hiccoughed glottal stop in the word "contagious" sound like a mini-explosion of emotion is almost worth the asking price alone.

The first single off Soviet Kitsch is now of course drafted back into service as the second single off Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories; the review even notes that the song is "about to blow out the candles on its second birthday cake" (not to be a gossip, but she's actually twice that age...you didn't hear it from me).

Anyway, Mary Ann... is out now on CD, as you probably already know, and the single is out next month, but you can pre-order your vinyl 7" from the men of Transgressive Records right now--apparently with artwork this time, and I must say that, even reduced to 1" square in the pulpy tabloid pages of the New Musical Express, it sure look purrty.

Mary Ann meets the Gravediggers and other short stories by regina spektor

2006-01-16T00:41:00.000-05:00

Oedipus
Love Affair
Poor Little Rich Boy
Sailor Song
Mary Ann
Prisoners
Consequence of Sounds
Daniel Cowman
Lacrimosa
Pavlov’s Daughter
Chemo Limo
Us

This compilation of tracks from 11:11, Songs, and Soviet Kitsch was released in the UK on CD by Transgressive Records in January 2006, accompanied by a re-branded version of the same DVD included in the Sire release of Soviet Kitsch. This release is particularly notable for its evocative artwork by Julie Morstad.

4-track promo CD

I can't imagine why, but I feel like dancing

2006-01-08T19:52:00.000-05:00

Crimson hooks it up again, by way of his man on the West Coast, name of Distortion:

26 January 2005, Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles

Pound of Flesh
Carbon Monoxide
"all the rowboats" First (and only? my mind is going) performance of this song
Poor Little Rich Boy
"open"
Bobbing for Apples
That Time
Uh-merica
Fidelity
Prisoners
Reginasaurus

I find your lack of pants disturbing

2005-12-11T23:09:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of el fabuloso Señor Crimson, two more shows being served up, from early this year:

21 January 2005, Bowery Ballroom
(opening for Mates of State)

Carbon Monoxide
Pound of Flesh
Poor Little Rich Boy
Genius Next Door
Bobbing for Apples
The Flowers
"open" -- This was the song's debut, if I'm not mistaken
Us
Samson
Fidelity -- Also the debut for this one (not counting The Next Big Thing, recorded before but broadcast after this show)
Uh-merica

3 February 2005, Toad's Place, New Haven, CT
(opening for The Dresden Dolls)

Carbon Monoxide
Pound of Flesh
Poor Little Rich Boy
Baby Jesus
"open"
The Flowers
Bobbing for Apples

I should have another show up (and get some general housecleaning done) before the week is over. But then again, this is me you're talking to.

Thank you. Come again.

When they ask you, What's your church?, you say, I dance

2005-11-27T21:43:00.000-05:00

Since you've already cleared out a shelf for all things Regina, please be advised that there's a short piece in the current issue of Heeb:

"There is no real 'I' in my music," Spektor continues. "An actor can take up any role and win an award for it. However, a musician can sing from the perspective of a wife-beater and suddenly that musician is inciting violence." Spektor takes another bite of her muffin and looks up, exclaiming, "Wow, this muffin is really amazing."

The item refers to her label as Record Collection (a different cog in the WB conglomerate) , but I'm chalking that one up to a slacking intern fact-checker.

R.I.P. Chris Whitley, and thank you.

Carbon Monoxide

2005-11-21T22:31:00.000-05:00

Carbon Monoxide
Uh-merica

Released in the UK on 7" vinyl by Transgressive Records in November 2005: "Carbon Monoxide" is taken from Soviet Kitsch, and "Uh-merica" is a live concert recording from Irving Plaza in New York City on September 15, 2005.

This is the way the world ends

2005-11-01T00:17:00.000-05:00

By special request (dude, what are you doing tomorrow eve, or Friday?), here's another show, this time from July 2004 at Tonic. I have no editorial comments to offer.

(opening)
Ain't No Cover
(interlude)
Folding Chair
(interlude)
Carbon Monoxide
(interlude)
Lucky Penny
(interlude)
Genius Next Door
(interlude)
Hero of the Story (aborted)
Patron Saint
(interlude)
Bobbing for Apples
(interlude)
"I cut off my hair"
(interlude)
Bartender
(interlude)
The Wallet
(interlude)
Reginasaurus
(interlude)
Aprés Moi
(interlude)
Summer in the City
(interlude)
Uh-merica
(interlude)
Music Box
(interlude)
Samson
(interlude)
Baby Jesus
(closing)