Far

Performer: Regina Spektor
Engineer: Tom McFall; Marc Mann; David Kahne; Beck Henderer-Pena; Steve Jay; Joe Mendelson; Joe Barresi; Adam Hawkins
Producer: David Kahne; Jacknife Lee; Jeff Lynne; Mike Elizondo; Regina Spektor; David Kahne; Jacknife Lee; Jeff Lynne; Mike Elizondo
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Regina Spektor (vocals, piano, keyboards, drums, percussion); Jack Dishel (vocals); Jeff Lynne (guitar, 12-string guitar, keyboards, background vocals); Jacknife Lee (guitar, keyboards, drums, percussion, programming); Sonia Slany (violin, viola); Katherine Jenkinson, Yoed Nir (cello); Brad Warnaar (French horn); Oren Marshall (tuba); Marc Mann (keyboards, programming); Mike Elizondo (upright bass); David Price, Matt Chamberlain (drums, percussion); Mckenzie Smith (drums); Steve Jay (shaker); David Kahne (programming). Audio Mixers: Marc Mann; David Kahne; Steve Jay; Jacknife Lee; Michael Brauer. Illustrator: Brendan T. Sharkey. Photographers: Adria Petty; Jeri Heiden. Regina Spektor worked with no less than four big-name producers on FAR, all of them with very different backgrounds: David Kahne was her collaborator on 2006's BEGIN TO HOPE; Garret "Jacknife" Lee counts R.E.M. and U2 among his credits; Jeff Lynne's lavish sound is famous on ELO's albums; and Mike Elizondo has worked with Fiona Apple and Maroon 5. It's something of a surprise, then, that FAR sounds so homogenized. On SOVIET KITSCH and BEGIN TO HOPE, Spektor's wide-eyed moments were balanced with darker, knowing songs that kept her music grounded. Here, almost all of the rough or unpredictable edges have been smoothed away, and all that's left is Spektor's sweet, quirky side. At times, FAR gets close to being too precious, whether it's putting Spektor's name in all lowercase letters in the liner notes, her dolphin on the otherwise charming "Folding Chair," or lyrics like "We made our own computer out of macaroni pieces" on the chirpy opener, "The Calculation." Even the album's darker tracks, such as the percussion-heavy "Machine," are surprisingly sugary compared to her previous work. However, Spektor's guileless voice and delivery allow her to get away with sounds and ideas that would be cloying in the hands of almost any other artist. She manages to make a song with the chorus "Eet, eet, eet" catchy and affecting, and fashions an observant and witty story out of returning a wallet to Blockbuster Video. Still, FAR's best moments occur when Spektor turns down the whimsy a few notches Regina Spektor worked with no less than four big-name producers on Far, all of them with very different backgrounds: David Kahne was her collaborator on 2006's Begin to Hope; Garret "Jacknife" Lee counts R.E.M. and U2 among his credits; Jeff Lynne's lavish sound is famous on ELO's albums; and Mike Elizondo has worked with Fiona Apple and Maroon 5. It's something of a surprise, then, that Far sounds so homogenized. On Soviet Kitsch and Begin to Hope, Spektor's wide-eyed moments were balanced with darker, knowing songs that kept her music grounded. Here, almost all of the rough or unpredictable edges have been smoothed away, and all that's left is Spektor's sweet, quirky side. At times, Far gets close to being unbearably precious, whether it's putting Spektor's name in all lowercase letters in the liner notes, her dolphin on the otherwise charming "Folding Chair," or lyrics like "We made our own computer out of macaroni pieces" on the chirpy opener, "The Calculation." Even the album's darker tracks, such as the percussion-heavy "Machine," are surprisingly sugary compared to her previous work. However, Spektor's guileless voice and delivery allow her to get away with sounds and ideas that would be horribly cloying in the hands of almost any other artist. She manages to make a song with the chorus "Eet, eet, eet" catchy and affecting, and fashions an observant and witty story out of returning a wallet to Blockbuster Video. Still, Far's best moments occur when Spektor turns down the whimsy a few notches. It's probably not a coincidence that the Kahne-produced "Human of the Year" shares some of Begin to Hope's intimacy and ambition, but "Blue Lips" and "Man of a Thousand Faces" also let Spektor's more mature -- but not overly serious -- side shine. Likewise, "Two Birds" and "One More Time with Feeling" show that she hasn't lost her touch for deceptively pretty pop with clever lyrics. While Far is far from bad, it doesn't quite live up to expectations, either, based on all the talent involved in making it and how fully Spektor expressed herself on Begin to Hope. ~ Heather Phares

Rolling Stone (p.77) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "FAR matches KITSCH's rococo flow with the follow-up's pop smarts....'Laughing With' begins as a meditation on God's wicked sense of humor and end collapsing in an existential freakout over a soft beat and weeping cello..." Spin (p.88) - "[I]t's 'Folding Chair,' which refines Spektor's blend of classicist flourish and pure pop sense, that best encapsulates her talents and gnarly eccentricities." Billboard (p.34) - "With her third Sire album, FAR, Spektor again shows how original she is, finding the gleam in modern life with its contradictions and confusion in a uniquely colloquial manner." Record Collector (magazine) (pp.94-95) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Darker themes are explored...delivered in a a deceptively sweet voice that sugar-coats the sinister heart of her subject matter."

Although Regina Spektor got her start in the defiantly uncommercial "anti-folk" scene in New York City, the singer-songwriter and pianist has become an unlikely breakout star due to her quirky melodic and lyrical gifts. Born in Moscow on February 18, 1980, Spektor emigrated to New York with her family in 1989, during the collapse of the Soviet Union. Already a prodigy on the piano, Spektor graduated from music school in 2001 and self-released two albums before 2004's breakthrough SOVIET KITSCH brought her to greater public attention, followed by 2006's Top 20 hit BEGIN TO HOPE.

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