Now, Regina Spektor was referenced in my last post as possibly being one of the most fake. What I mean by this is that her songs are NOT about her, they're about people she observes; they're stories. However, it is brilliant and absolutely ridiculous in all literal meaning of the word, as well. I read one very long interview and listened to another very long interview with her about her music, if I can find them again at some point I'm sure I'll share it on here, but really I think I just googled random stuff about her and found it somewhere in the depths of the internet...so you know, good luck finding that.
While she [her musical composition] is fake, I think she could also possibly be the most real in her production. She thoroughly understands what she's singing about and her music reflects the feelings that you're supposed to be feeling...but it is nothing short of the most ironic thing possible because the point of anti-folk is to make fun of all the seriousness of life. In the music video of "Fidelity" it first shows a lot of seriousness as the title suggest through most of it. Black and white and lots of sharp angles and her always sitting properly and acting as a lady should, but at the end she takes her white heart necklace and seems to suggest giving it up to the headless mannequin and it just falls to ground and shatters into pieces and allows colorful dust to fall everywhere. It then continues with the mannequin coming to life and she becomes happy and they play in the colorful dust. I believe this shows that Regina isn't serious about her lyrics, the what if's in the song are irrational ideas and one should not think of such things, but be confident in who you are and where you are. Rather, "Oh yeah, this is really breaking my heart, watch me laugh and roll around in this colorful dust with this handsome man...WHY WOULD THIS BREAK MY HEART?! Why would I take this for granted?! Why would I even have wishful thinking of NOT having this?!" It's almost sarcastic, but I think ironic is still a better word.
Next thing to...admire with Spektor is her musical talent, something the last performer didn't have the most have, just...wasn't as void of it as people make her out to be. Spektor has a voice I admire in that what you hear on the album is what you hear in real life. It's a raw, good, properly sung sound. She knows how to make her voice weak and strong, how to express and evoke emotion even when it's not necessarily her own emotion and how to edit vowels. A good example of this amazingly expressionate voice is in "Après Moi" Just listening to it you can get a visual of the feelings. I really don't want to say too much on this, it's too good for this, just listen to it.
Probably not the last thing to appreciate, but last thing I'm going to note is...when she is serious. I've come to believe that "Samson" is serious. And this one is a work of real art. If there was an equivalent of literature in music, this would be on the top of the best of all-time list. It references the story of Samson and Delilah. The first comment on the link I attached to the title [at least what I see as first atm...] is quite understandable and another points out that Spektor was in a relationship with someone who had been diagnosed with cancer. This is also the only song/video that doesn't have a hint of her happy-go-lucky self and is purely solemn. Again, I don't want to give too much, because I want to encourage curiosity and independent thought [the real definition of indie: independent, not just recording, but thought]. I'd be thrilled to discuss this though in the comment section or if you want to message me or something. One thing I would like to note though, it says...the Bible didn't mention us...it took me a while to get this because *I* thought she was talking about putting herself in Delilah's shoes, but I don't tihnk she is, I think she's referring to Delilah as another woman who Samson dated after her. "I loved you first...I loved you first." Regina DIDN'T cut his hair, "Your hair was long when we first met." It's not anymore, and she's unsuspecting of this the sound of the song seems to imply to me. Another commenter on the website points out that the "wonder bread" is supposed to be medicine. I think she's actually saying that Delilah is the cancer and that it took Samson away from her and made him weak.
That's all I have on Regina right now. I dearly love her so I'm sure I'll have another post on her stuff at some point. Hopefully this musical she's working on will be brilliant and hey...since I'm on the east-coast maybe I can see it for real!
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ReplyDeleteAh. I love Regina Spektor. I have for as long as I can remember. She's one of the artists that I try to get people to listen to all the time and they just don't get it.
ReplyDeleteI always felt like Regina was the woman who came before Delilah. And she and Samson loved each other. I thought that Regina did cut his hair. Samson's strength was in his hair, right? So they met and his hair was long. He loved her enough to let her cut it and be vulnerable with her. Then, their love ended. His hair would have grown back out and you have the Samson and Delilah story that everyone knows.
Anyway. I love Regina Spektor. And I agree with everything that has been said here.
Oh yeah, I just went a listened to it again and it does flat out say she did. Whups ^_^'
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