Regina Spektor — Soviet Kitsch (Review)
My first introduction to Regina Spektor’s music was through VH1’s You Oughta Know artist spotlights. The song they debuted was her hit single “Fidelity” off of her 4th album Begin to Hope. I was immediately taken by her bubbly delivery and playful lyricism. Spektor has released music since 2001 independently. Her first album 11:11 would showcase her creative lyricism through a more jazzy approach. Her second independent release, Songs, would be the first time we would hear early versions of two of her big singles “Samson” and “Ne Me Quitte Pas”. Spektor self released her third album, Soviet Kitsch” independently in 2003. She began touring with The Strokes in 2003–2004, which would prove to be her big break. She signed with Sire records in 2005 who rereleased her third year. This rerelease would be packaged with a DVD called the Soviet Kitsch Survival Guide, which would contain the video to “Us” along with a short promotional video. I found the beautiful rerelease of her 3rd record Soviet Kitsch at a Circuit City (remember those) and went home to listen to the album.
“Ode to Divorce” opens off the record. The song continues to be a live staple (having heard Spektor perform the song on her tours for Far, What We Saw From the Cheap Seats, and Remember Us to Life). As the title states, the song takes the point of view of a woman finding out that her marriage is about to end. Regina’s trademark quirky take on the scenario sees the woman’s mind sinking into dread over what will happen to her life in this moment. “I need your money/ It’ll help me/ I need your car and I need your love…” Regina sings begging to keep her financial and emotional life the way it is. She bargains with the man to let this break be slow and easy, “Just break me to small parts/ Let go in small doses/ But spare some for spare parts/ There might be some good ones”. The song has a soft, slightly melancholy tone with Regina’s piano playing and a layer of strings in the background. The heartbeat throughout is reminiscent of the feeling of your heart bounding in your head during such a moment.
“Poor Little Rich Boy” seeing Spektor playing percussion and piano at the same time (something she would do live playing her piano while using a drumstick on a chair to create the percussion). Here, Regina paints the scene of spoiled young rich man envious of everyone around him and ungrateful of the things that he has. She playfully sings the many relationships he wishes he loved but doesn’t, “You don’t love your girlfriend/ And you think that you should but she thinks / That she’s fat but she isn’t but you don’t love her anyway/And you don’t love your mother/ And you know that you should…”. The breaks down in Regina’s unique fury towards the character at the bridge, “You’re so young/
You’re so god damn young…”, she repeats over and over in an scolding manner.
“Carbon Monoxide” is this a bizarrely upbeat song that lyrically leans heavily the notion that her and another character committing suicide. The act appears to be planned out through the use of carbon monoxide. The two seem to be at their lowest, “Carbon monoxide/ Soon we’ll go to sleep/ No one will notice we’re gone/ Cause we don’t have a job to keep…”. The song does have some dark irony with the lines, “First time I get my socks on right/ But I don’t have a gas mask on…”, showing the one day something goes right is the day it’s all about it end.
“The Flowers” has an Eastern Europe/Russian tone in its piano playing. Regina is desperately clinging onto mementos from this clearly failing relationships. She’s piling through whatever she can to get ahold of how this is happening and how she can alleviate this failure. Be it metaphorically waiting for the unbloomed bulbs to blossoms or cutting her way through any literature can to get some answers. The chorus, “Things I have loved I’m allowed to keep/ I’ll never know if I go to sleep”, points her mentally in the moment. She knows she’s allowed to hold on to these treasured memories, but also still is hoping for something that isn’t going to happen.
“Us” is the big single off of the record. I have enjoyed looking into other meanings to the song. I personally hear it as the song edifying a relationship. I saw numerous other meanings (from the US and Europes relationship, to religion, to communism). The meaning I agree with the most comes from a user on songmeaning.com named anna118k referring to this relationship Regina and this other person had being the such a pinnacle to others they made a statue of them to admire. I recommend you checking the other responses out to give you a different perspective on the song. The music video plays with both stop motion and various overlaying effects. I can see the communism connection he connection here with imagery of soldiers, maps, and taking sides. This playing along side Regina’s history of being a Jewish Russian immigrant to the United States provide an interesting second take on the indie pop piano track. It’s very much must listen for anyone who’s getting into her catalog.
“Sailor Song” is yet another live staple in Spektor’s setlist. The song gives off vibes bar shanty being played piano on in some naval pub. Regina sings of the men on this military ship. They’re missing the girls back home, growing tired of their life on the sea, and questioning why they choose this life at all. I have seen takes on Mary Anne as being a woman, the boat they are on, or the open ocean they sail. I enjoy Regina’s music because, much like a painting, she leaves her songs up to your interpretation.
“Whisper” is a very short skit between Regina and her brother Barry “Bear”. Bear asks Regina when the song “Your Honor” will start and Regina tell him to wait it will start in just a minute. It’s cute, but skippable.
“Your Honor” is performed along side UK punk band Kill Kenada. The verses have this a punk flare. Regina sees her love constantly fighting anyone who speaks illy of her. This is a turn off to her as she doesn’t understand why he has to constantly do this. She sees this as pointless and futile. The chorus to song breaks this rock tension to this calm piano section. Regina takes care of her beaten boyfriend and tells she doesn’t understand why he constantly does this.
“Ghost of Corporate Future” is a tongue and cheek take on losing yourself in your work and putting your life into focus. Here, Regina tells the story of a man who is visited by this ghost of corporate future who tells him all this anxiety over your work is destroying his social, romantic, family, and personal life. Through this, the ghost tells him to live life more joyously and be goofy. Be this taking off your shoes, licking a rock, cutting your own hair, or putting dirt balls in your pockets. It also says to take chances and change your outlook. Kiss someone, drink less coffee, and watch less television. It’s very Regina and will definitely bring a smile to your face.
“Chemo Limo” is one of my absolute favorites off of the record. The song goes on this dream journey Regina has. The character here has been diagnosed with cancer. In this dream, she tells off the doctor over how expensive and harsh the chemo will be. Here she’s going to be fine. The chorus breaks out of this world to say that she’d rather live it up the way she wants than to wither away under the treatment, “No thank you no thank you no thank you no thank you/ I ain’t about to to die like this/ I couldn’t afford chemo like I couldn’t afford a limo/ And besides this shit is making me tired/ You know I plan to retire some day/ And I’m gonna go out in style/ Go out in style…”. The perspective the song takes between this dream like state where things are fine even has an air of unease as the kids even have this off sense of sadness over their mother diagnosis and future. It’s such an interesting take done in a way only Regina can do. I highly recommend giving his song a listen.
“Somedays” is a song I would commonly skip on the album, and I don’t know why. It’s a beautiful song which adds these beautiful strings as it progresses. The song has this depressive element to it. You get a since the character is just existing at this point. The days are just passing him by. There is also sense of rejection about this woman the he is in love with. The lines, “I’m in love with your daughter/ I want to have her baby./ I’m in love with your daughter/ So can I please..”, show this potential familial rejection to his professions of love towards her. As such, he’s in this deep depression. He asks to be left alone and to not be bothered by a soul. It’s a beautiful track to end the album on.
Regina went on to have great success with her follow up album, Begin to Hope. The singles “Fidelity”, “Better”, and “Samson” saw quite a bit of success. Far and What We Saw From the Cheap Seats would also see moderate success on the independent radio waves. She would also go on to write the themes for The Chronicles of Narnia and Orange is the New Black. I think this album is a wonderful jumping point to get a taste of both her music and lyrical stylings. My highlights on the album are:
- “Ode to Divorce”
- “Us”
- “Sailor Song”
- “Ghost of Corporate Future”
- “Chemo Limo”
My overall rating: 9 out of 10 Soviet tchotchkes.
