Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope

Regina Spektor, "Fidelity"

Regina Spektor, "Summer In The City"

I meant to get to Regina Spektor and her new album, Begin To Hope, while we focused on women performers. But, I realized that it was sorta offensive to make a big show of women performers, treating them as anomalies rather than talented artists doing big things like all the others we talk about.

Anyway, Regina is one of my favorites, an overwhelmingly talented singer/songerwriter, but with balls. I had her first album recommended by MC and it was spot-on, maybe I'll throw up a few tracks from that one later this week. What makes her super special to me is her refusal to be easy, to be pop, her fearlessness. She's been labelled as anti-folk, which sounds stupid, but I do like the anti-aspect. Her voice is unique and beautiful, her lyrics can go from silly to dark without losing anything and she isn't afraid of dissonant sounds in her music. This ain't that soft and easy shit that passes for singer-songwriter; this is more in the tradition of Dylan, Cash,

The songs above give a pretty good idea of what to expect on the album, as this is piano music and Regina and her lyrics first and foremost. These are my favorites, although I really could have taken any of the first six songs. What's amazing is that she works in a genre completely reliant on words and she's been able to put out two consistently great albums already. "Summer in the city, I'm so lonely, lonely, lonely." Sing it girl, sing it. Go here to buy the album, it's highly recommended. To all my electro, rap, bassheads, you need this in your life. True thugs know the value of a good cry.

-Watch this stunning footage of a recent press conference with George W. Bush talking about terrorism. Remind yourself that this is the President of the United States, the most powerful in the free world. I imagine that these clips will be used often in the future to show what strange and dark times these were. Am I the only one embarrassed?

-Thanks to all the good people in my life who've been getting me through the past few weeks. A lot of people talk about ride or die, but it's been good to see who really is. There are some changes in store this week for me and the site; we'll be moving to a host and the mpfrees will be up for as many people as possible for a week or 10 days, no more yousendit! On the personal, I'm gonna be getting my head shaved as a symbolic new beginning, MR and I have taken a pledge, beginning to get my urban magazine off the ground and making the future NOW. Most of all, I'm gonna try to be happy with who I am and change what I need to change, as I've been trying make too many people happy and fucking up just the same. So fucking focused, time to put things behind me. Ride or fucking die.