Soviet Kitsch
Soviet Kitsch | ||||
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Studio album by Regina Spektor | ||||
Released |
May 2, 2003 (self-released) August 17, 2004 (reissue) | |||
Recorded | TMF in NYC and The Garden in London | |||
Genre | Art pop[1], punk rock | |||
Length | 38:49 | |||
Label | Sire | |||
Producer | Gordon Raphael, Alan Bezozi, Regina Spektor | |||
Regina Spektor chronology | ||||
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Singles from Soviet Kitsch | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 72/100[2] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | |
The A.V. Club | (favorable)[4] |
Blender | |
Pitchfork Media | (6.8/10)[6] |
PopMatters | (7/10)[7] |
Prefix Magazine | (7/10)[8] |
Rolling Stone | |
Stylus | B−[10] |
Soviet Kitsch is the major label debut and third album by American singer/songwriter Regina Spektor. It was originally self-released in May, 2003 but was reissued in August, 2004 when Spektor signed with Sire Records. The title is drawn from Milan Kundera's expression for the vacuous aesthetics of Stalinist-style communism, a theme in his book The Unbearable Lightness of Being. One version of the album was released with a bonus DVD, which included a short promotional film titled The Survival Guide to Soviet Kitsch and the music video for the song "Us".
As of 2007 it has sold 54,000 copies in the United States. [11]
Critical reception
In 2009, the album was included in NME's list of 100 greatest albums of the decade.[12]
Track listing
All songs written by Regina Spektor.[13]
- "Ode to Divorce" – 3:42
- "Poor Little Rich Boy" – 2:27
- "Carbon Monoxide" – 4:59
- "The Flowers" – 3:54
- "Us" – 4:52
- "Sailor Song" – 3:15
- "***" – 0:44
- "Your Honor" – 2:10
- "Ghost of Corporate Future" – 3:21
- "Chemo Limo" – 6:04
- "Somedays" – 3:21
- Deluxe version bonus track
- "Scarecrow and Fungus" – 2:29
- Standard vinyl release
- "Scarecrow and Fungus" – 2:29
- "December" – 2:10
Track 7 is titled "Whisper" on digital versions of the album. It is a brief spoken word piece in which Spektor and her brother, Barry "Bear" Spektor, discuss the following song ("Your Honor").
Personnel
- Regina Spektor: piano, voice, rhodes, drumstick, percussion, producer, songwriter
- Alan Bezozi: producer, drums, percussion, heartbeat
- Oren Bloedow: guitar
- Graham Maby: bass
- Gordon Raphael: percussion
- Bear Spektor: whispers ("***")
- The 4x4 String Quartet: strings ("Us" and "Somedays")
- Kill Kenada: backing punk band ("Your Honor")
- Eric Biondo: songwriter (one lyric and melody sampled in "Somedays")
Releases
Year | Label | Format | Catalog no. | Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | Sire | CD | 48833 | US |
CD/DVD | 48890 | US | ||
Shoplifter | CD | 005 | UK | |
2005 | Sire | LP | 48953 | US |
2007 | WEA | CD | 9362493522 | UK |
2016 | Sire | Red LP | 549811-1 | US |
References
- ↑ Christgau, Robert (February 21, 2006). "Old-Fashioned Amenities". The Village Voice. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ↑ "Soviet Kitsch by Regina Spektor". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ↑ Allmusic review
- ↑ "Regina Spektor: Soviet Kitsch". 5 April 2005. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ↑ Blender review
- ↑ "Regina Spektor: Soviet Kitsch Album Review - Pitchfork". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ↑ "Music Reviews, Features, Essays, News, Columns, Blogs, MP3s and Videos - PopMatters". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ↑ "Album Review: Regina Spektor - Soviet Kitsch". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ↑ Rolling Stone review
- ↑ Stylus review
- ↑ https://uk.reuters.com/article/music-spektor-dc/singer-songwriter-regina-spektor-doing-it-her-way-idUKN0511681520070106
- ↑ "The Top 100 Greatest Albums Of The Decade". NME. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
- ↑ "Regina Spektor - Soviet Kitsch". Retrieved 5 October 2016.