show: Regina Spektor + Only Son


First: sorry this is my only picture, they just weren't happening. Perhaps Sharon will post some, assuming she made it to the show.

The opener was Only Son, which consisted of Jack Dishel and his iPod band. Jack was guitarist for NYC's Moldy Peaches, which (unsurprisingly) has informed his own music. The songs were very nice, especially after I got over the weirdness of the iPod backing tracks. They sounded a lot like Adam Green and Grandaddy, often as touching as they were humorous (aww). Check out Only Son's MySpace page here.

Regina Spektor came on next, wearing her special "car racing shirt for y'all." She grabbed the mic bravely for her first song, and belted out a fantastic a cappella number. Her vocals remained top-notch throughout the night, which seems like a feat given the way she sings. Unafraid to go for the fragile highs and lowest lows, Spektor has an air of confidence and gentleness that suits the intimacy of the show. Her performance also highlighted another of her unique strengths - her way with words. Perhaps it's a result of learning English as a second language, being able to hear words as sounds before they have meanings, but the way she plays with sounds and expectations is incredible. She'll roll words around and it's clever, and then hit you hard with a heartrending and simple phrase: "I need your money, it'll help me/ I need your car/ and I need your love." Add this to her spectacular piano playing, and the results are just as spellbinding as I had hoped for.

From Soviet Kitsch (buy):

Regina Spektor - Poor Little Rich Boy It was cool to watch her hit a chair with a drumstick to make the percussion in this song as she played piano and sang, like one of those one-man-bands.

***

You Ain't No Picasso is my hero. He's posted a Page France WDET radio session, grab it quick!

An Aquarium Drunkard has some Colin Meloy singing Shirley Collins.

And the Thing You've All Been Waiting For:

JENNY LEWIS RAPPING (mp3)

Check out that interview here.

Word!