Music Reviews

Begin to Hope Sire Music •••• Sound ••••

Perhaps the best way to describe Regina Spektor is to say she plays world music ... originating from Utopia. How else to convey the talents of an artist who quotes both Billie Holiday ("Lady") and Guns N' Roses ("On the Radio"), references not only the Bible ("Samson") but also "Just One Look"-style R&B, and sometimes sings in her native language, Russian (in, uh, "Après Moi")? Quirky, to be sure. But like some resurrected Laura Nyro, this boho-edged New York singer/pianist is so openly passionate, so flat-out musical, that it all just works.

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