Regina Spektor, Sonic Youth

Regina Spektor – Soviet Kitsch

Sonic Youth – Dirty

It is interesting how much darker it is here than Chicago. It is eerie how the blackness blankets you; not in an uncomfortable way but in a way that things jump out at in unexpected shadows. These are welcome fiends when the coldness is setting in and the only light comes from the fire station kitty corner the park.

This is not unlike Verizon Wireless. Recently I switched over to a new plan and was screwed over by them accusing me of not paying my bill. Not being one that enjoys talking on the phone I opted to pay everything all at once via my credit card.

Thus, dear reader, you must imagine my shock when I went online to pay this month and showed another negative balance in excess of one hundred dollars. Ergo, cursing myself, Verizon and any other name that immediately sprung into my mind I re-allocate the necessary funds only to watch the negative balance move in excess of $250. My concern level is raised to orange and a well placed call is made to Verizon where I’m informed that I’m over by $250. This is better than owing but… fuck’s sake! Who puts a fucking minus in front of balance!!??!!?

Speaking of anxiety, I had a pretty bad attack last Sunday night while trying to go to bed. Sleep deprived, the brain fills with images of everything that you’re not going to do with your life; your eyes close and a feeling that if you do go to sleep you’re not going to wake up. I tried walking around, tried stretching, relaxing, tried to feel my pulse. After two hours I put my headphones on and accepted it; if this was the end then I might as well go out to good music (current album of choice to die to: In Rainbows by Radiohead). Eventually, as was the case of Wilbur, sleep and I finally found each other.

After falling in love with Regina Spektor over Begin to Hope I had great expectations for her first album Soviet Kitsch. And, in a way, I feel bad for reviewing it as Begin to Hope had already hit me on both the sonic and personal level. Meaning that there was no way that Soviet Kitsch would ever be able to measure up.

This is not a bad album. It captures her left hand piano, right hand playing a drum and body screaming into the mic. Track 8, Your Honor, might be one of her better songs of all time and her voice is there throughout the album capturing melodies and then releasing them in unforced gestures leaving the listener giddy with excitement and rewarded for their anticipation. This album is nowhere near as good as Begin to Hope however it still is a fine album.

Other Reviews:
Pitchfork, Metacritic

Marking their ten year anniversary as a band Sonic Youth released the album Dirty. An album that has it all: epic overtures in Sugar Kane, the 1992 ready made single of 100% and JC a song dedicated to their murdered friend and roadie Joe Cole.

Listening to this album again it is interesting just how much Sonic Youth influenced what came out of and into the 90’s. I now prefer Thurston to Kim although that might be an anachronistic punch in the balls at suffering Courtney Cox for too long. A good album and an important album for anybody locked into a serious music collection.

Other Reviews:
Pitchfork

100%

Amy Winehouse legitimately and physically scares me. But this song has been in my head since the woman died in the Phoenix airport on her way to rehab. The story really isn’t that funny but… well yeah…

Rehab

I dragged my Ma to Lars and the Real Girl over the weekend and while that movie was enjoyable this movie also looks excellent. The final line with shenanigans slays me.

Juno