Column: Gordon Raphael #11, Jan 2003
By: Gordon Raphael
Regina Spektor - Tonic, New York City - Dec 19, 2002
OK 2003, I see that you're presenting the future a little early... What I witnessed lately in the excellent-sounding hall known as Tonic in New York's Lower East Side was absolutely a revelation. Regina Spektor is, quite honestly, a piano-playing, drumstick-hitting, singing miracle.
Once I saw Jeff Buckley play by himself in a small coffee shop in Seattle, revealing that magical voice, guitar-playing and lyrics to a crowd of twenty people. Once I saw Chris Cornell, age nineteen playing with Soundgarden in an early concert, thinking to myself, 'Oh my god - can this kid sing!' Now, I've seen Regina Spektor - a young woman whose music introduces an audience to the beyond; imagine Mozart and hip-hop conducted on a piano with the most gorgeous female voice you've ever heard. Every song tells a story, with so many details that the lyrics seem to be channeled from a stack of books hidden offstage, and these are not cute, abstract or arty in any way - in fact it may be one of the purest musical offerings I've ever seen, certainly among the most brilliant.
Playing in front of a crowd of one-hundred club-goers - almost entirely consisting of bespectacled, short-haired men that reminded me of students or future bank presidents (perhaps they were actually all going to be inventors) - Regina played extravagantly energetic two-handed piano, keeping the rhythms as steady as techno, whilst delivering a breathtaking stream of morphing tones, and all in as close to perfect pitch as you're ever likely to hear. But, wait, there's more: this music is no study in technique, or even cleverness, because there isn't a moment when your emotions are not set to go off... You know how a good movie is supposed to make you feel somehow changed or a bit enlightened after you leave? Well, imagine ten songs in a row that can do that effortlessly.
There was one new song she'd written the day of the show, which featured her unique brand of bold and unique melodies - which you immediately love and are comfortable with, even though you've never heard them before - and there is so much depth and demanding concentration in there that you'd swear it would take a month to memorize it, let alone perform it flawlessly.
Her songs 'Ave Maria' and 'Chemo-Limo' were also highlights of the night for people that just refuse to veer down the same musical roads again and again. Whilst, on the one piece where she beats a chair with the drumstick, Regina creates a line of tap-dancers or jazz drummers, as she plays a sombre sonata with the left hand, soaring over the top with her voice like an eagle flying from branch to branch. And, often in the midst of these large, sprawling, yet never-ever-letting-you-down compositions, there are these crazy rapping-style breaks where she changes the time-signature to 22/8 and spits out three-hundred words at lightening speed, all in perfect synchronisation. It sounds not right, but I found it very hard not to like, a lot.
Presently, Ms. Spektor is recording many of her hundred best tracks, and there should be lots of news and more music from her available soon. Right now on CDBaby.com, there is a small collection on offer which does have some of the finest songs from this performance as well.
If the world is ready to expand its horizons this year, and still has any kind of ears left after the corporations and commercials have had their way with us, listen on.