It truly is a sad thing when the anthems of our youth fail us. For instance, Morrissey and Tori Amos were the two artist that defined my angst ridden teenage years. They were consummate friends, helping me through the muddled existence that was high school and beyond. While I’ve grown up and the glass isn’t quite so half empty anymore, I still expect Depeche Mode to put out quality like they did with Violator, but in holding these artists up to the mirror of themselves, they fail to reflect the best artists they can be. Thankfully, certain new artists have stepped up to fill the gaping void. Tori you can sit down now because Regina Spektor is here and can make the piano do those naughty things that you once made your signature. Regina’s latest album Far continues to fulfill the promise she introduced us to on 2006′s Begin to Hope.

Regina Spektor first arrived on the scene in 2002 with her indie release Songs and followed it up with 2004′s frolicking Soviet Kitch. With each step, Spektor seemed to become more comfortable with her ill-fitting musical skin. Begin to Hope was her official unveiling from underneath the blanket of the indie elite as songs like “Fidelity” and “Samson” weaved their way into the fabric of television shows like Grey’s Anatomy and garnered features on NPR. She was fresh, authentic and boldly unapologetic in her lyrics and her control at the piano bench was second to none.

Far seems to yield a softer, gentler possibly more accessible side of Regina. We’ve cast aside stories of overdosing in favor of folding chairs. Don’t mistake that for a knock on Regina. After all, her sharp edge is what makes her unique and fascinating. None of that bite or Russian might are missing. Rather some of the sharper edges have been mended to make her melodies have an extra pop. The album snares you in with the opening beat of “the Calculation.” Much like Begin to Hope’s intro “Fidelity,” “The Calculation” unlocks the coming whimsy and carefree attitude with which Regina plies as her art in the tracks to come.

At her core, Regina Spektor is a story teller. “Laughing With” is a thoughtful track dotting through an array of tragedies reflecting that no one ever laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake. She paints God as someone you’d share a joke with at a cocktail party. Living through these uncontrollable tragedies you pray for help without seeing the irony that this was his plan to begin with. “Genius Next Door” is another contemplative track whose lyrics are veiled in considerable obscurity, but I take it to be about a drowning in a local town. Her beautiful pianos lift her soft vocals up to create this fog that envelopes this fictional town. While there are a handful of tracks that poke at your brain, the sing-songy anthems that usually define a Regina album are front and center. “Folding Chair” is a poppy diddy that bounces along as her voice becomes just another instrument stuttering about. “Dance Anthem of the 80s” is another along this lighter vein about a meat market where single gals and gents watch each other eat while etching out an image of waking up beside one another the morning after. Casual sex at its best. Regina seems content to sit back and chronicle the existence unfolding all around her.

“Blue Lips” is one of the more addictive tracks here with a sticky chorus “blue lips / blue veins / the color of our planet from far, far away.” It plays with the religious themes like we see in “Laughing With” and “Human of the Year” to serve up her understated environmental message concerning the neglect of our planet. This blue is the color of our blood is a powerful image seeming to imply that regardless of our skin color or ideologies, we are all connected through this Earth we share.

In all, Far is a very impressive album from start to finish. There is very little filler here for the album to stumble upon. Regina continues to evolve as a brilliant song writer and doesn’t make the lyrics adapt to a song’s pacing. If she has to, she will shoehorn the words into a beat rather than sacrifice the meaning. Somehow she makes it all work. I believe we are witnessing the start of a fantastic musical career. I’m sure it won’t be without its occasional missteps, but if Spektor keeps taking chances with her music and challenging the boundaries of her art, we won’t be shaking our head ten years from now wondering what happened to this once great artist.

Grade: A-

Album Release Date: July 28, 2009

With the release of “Far” on Sire Records, the Russian-born Regina Spektor dusts off her suitcases and prepares to hit the road. Fresh off a jaunt in Europe, Regina will be getting everything started in Saint Paul, MN on September 11. The Regina Spektor tour will run through the fall stopping in Portland on November 1.

“Far” was released June 23 which served as the follow-up to her 2006 hit “Begin to Hope.” “Far” leans on a bevy of producers to construct her multi-layered sound from David Kahne (Paul McCartney) to Mike Elizondo (Eminem). This effort comes on the heels of the “Laughing With” EP she released in early-June, featuring the unreleased track by the same name, “The Call” from the Chronicles of “Narnia: Prince Caspian” soundtrack and “Folding Chair” which would later find its way on “Far.”

Hopefully this tour won’t be plagued by symptoms of Regina’s past. She had to cancel, reschedule then cancel again a handful of dates in 2007 due to a nasty bout with vertigo that set in at her show at the Ryman in Nashville.

2009 Regina Spektor Tour Dates
June 2009
17 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre

September 2009
11 – Saint Paul, MN – Myth
12 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
15 – Ann Arbor, MI – Michigan Theater
16 – Toronto, Ontario – Sound Academy
17 – Montreal, Quebec – Metropolis
21 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
22 – Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre
24 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
30 – Washington, DC – Dar Constitution Hall

October 2009
6 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
14 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
26 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
28 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
30 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater

November 2009
1 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater