Seriously, the new Regina Spektor song from the Narnia movie is album only?!?! It’s not just iTunes, it’s this way on AmazonMP3.com. Obviously Disney knows that most people don’t want the other throwaway shit on this album and expect me to pay $8 for one song? Um, no thanks.
Off to The Pirate Bay I go!!!!
Hope everyone had a great holiday and a happy new year. I’m very excited by the music landscape of 2008 so far especially after getting my hands on both the new Cat Power and Vampire Weekend full length. I highly recommend both. Here are a few other things that I’ve been thinking about recently…
•I happened to stumble upon a trailer for a new Keira Knightley movie called “The Duchess”:
Seriously, can someone call her agent and tell them ENOUGH WITH THE DAMN PERIOD PIECES ALREADY? Not only do I despise period piece movies, but it’s a complete waste to cover up such a beautiful specimen in all those ugly-ass frilly Victorian dresses. (And I’m aware that she’s been in some non period-piece movies lately, but I hardly call “Domino” and “The Jacket” worthy films.)
•I happened to catch The Simpsons Movie over the break and I have to say I was actually pleasantly surprised. I’m one of those people that thinks the The Simpsons should’ve been taken off the year 10 years ago, but the film actually was quite enjoyable.
•There’s a great new EP by The Smashing Pumpkins on iTunes titled American Gothic. It’s all acoustic and all awesome.
•Also in the iTunes spirit, a free track from Ms. Regina Spektor called “My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year).” Get it before it’s gone.
•Mark your calendars because February 4th marks the return of one of my biggest guilty pleasures of all time: “Paradise Hotel 2” premiers on MyNetworkTV & Fox Reality. (I just hope it is half as good as the first one.)
•All this talk of Keira Knightley makes me want to post a picture of her royal hotness.
Everyone’s favorite Russian Pianist will be hitting the road this Fall. Tour dates below.
Sept. 16: Austin, TX Austin City Limits Festival
Sept. 19: Baltimore, MD Ram’s Head Live
Sept. 25: Northampton, MA Calvin Theater
Sept. 26: Storrs, CT Jorgensen Center
Sept. 27: Upper Darby, PA Tower Theater
Oct. 1: Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre
Oct. 2: Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room
Oct. 3: Cincinnati, OH Bogart’s
Oct. 5: Omaha, NE Sokol Auditorium
Oct. 6: St. Paul, MN The Myth
Oct. 8: Milwaukee, WI Eagles Club
Oct. 10: Detroit, MI State Theatre
Oct. 11: Toronto, ON Kool Haus
Oct. 14: Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
Oct. 16: New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Oct. 30: Los Angeles, CA Wiltern Theatre
Oct. 31: Anaheim, CA Grove of Anaheim
Nov. 2: Salt Lake City, UT In the Venue
Nov. 4: Phoenix, AZ Orpheum Theatre
Nov. 6: Austin, TX Stubb’s Bar-B-Q
Nov. 7: Houston, TX Warehouse Live
Nov. 8: Dallas, TX House of Blues
Nov. 11: Kansas City, MO Uptown Theatre
Nov. 12: St. Louis, MO Pageant
Nov. 14: Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
Nov. 15: Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
Nov. 19: Norfolk, VA The NorVa
Nov. 20: Richmond, VA Toad’s Place
Regina Spektor’s “Live in California 2006″ EP will be released tomorrow (Feb. 27). The EP was recorded over, ironically enough, her California shows from 2006! Tracklist is as follows:
Download the EP from iTunes here. For those who want a physical copy, I’m told this link will work. (It’s not working yet at time of publication.)
If you’re a fan of Regina Spektor, check out the Florida-based artist Emma. I’m really digging the song “Da Vinci II.”
2006 was a great year for music, especially when compared to 2005. In fact, I had such a hard time picking my 10 favorite albums that I have expanded my list to 20 this year.
With each record on the following list I have included a list of my favorite tracks, as well as some mp3s to download. If you like what you hear, I urge you to head on over to iTunes, Amazon or your local record store and support these great artists.
Fuzzy Lion’s Top 20 Albums of 2006:
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20. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time Best Tracks: “Our Swords” / “The Funeral” / “Monsters” |
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19. M. Ward - Post War Best Tracks: “Post War” / “Eyes on the Prize” / “Rollercoaster” |
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18. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther Best Tracks: “Roscoe” / “Van Occupanther” / “It Covers the Hillsides” |
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17. Damien Rice - 9 Best Tracks: “9 Crimes” / “Coconut Skins” / “Sleep, Don’t Weep” |
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16. Dears - Gang of Losers Best Tracks:”Ticket To Immortality” / “You and I Are a Gang of Losers” / “Ballad of Humankindness” |
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15. Hem - Funnel Cloud Best Tracks: “He Came To Meet Me” / “Not California” / “Too Late To Turn Back Now” |
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14. Caroline - Murmurs Best Tracks: “Pink & Black” / “All I Need” / “Where’s My Love” |
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13. Bob Dylan - Modern Times Best Tracks: “Spirit On the Water” / “Working Man’s Blues #2″ / “Nettie Moore” |
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12. The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns Best Tracks” “Bonnie Brae” / “Underneath the Waves” / “Dead To Rights” |
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11. Ill Lit - Tom Cruise Best Tracks: “Across Country” / “The Ghost of Presston Brown” / “Worth the Wait” |
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10. Rainer Maria - Catastrophe Keeps Us Together Best Tracks” “Catastrophe” / “Life of Leisure” / “Terrified” |
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9. The Elected - Sun, Sun, Sun Best Tracks: “Would You Come With Me” / “Fireflies In a Steel Mill” / “Not Going Home” |
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8. Gomez - How We Operate Best Tracks: “See the World” / “Chasing Ghosts With Alcohol” / “Girlshapedlovedrug” |
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7. French Kicks - Two Thousand Best Tracks: “So Far We Are” / “Also Ran” / “Basement D.C.” |
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6. Embrace - This New Day Best Tracks: “Nature’s Law” / “Target” / “The End Is Near” |
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5. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass Best Tracks: “Mr. Tough” / “Black Flowers” / “Beanbag Chair” |
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4. Mates of State - Bring It Back Best Tracks: “Think Long” / “Like U Crazy” / “Running Out” |
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3. Mojave 3 - Puzzles Like You Best Tracks: “Breaking the Ice” / “Most Days” / “To Hold Your Tiny Toes” |
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2. Cat Power - The Greatest Best Tracks: “Lived In Bars” / “Could We” / “Living Proof” |
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1. Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope Best Tracks: “On the Radio” / “Better” / “Hotel Song” |
This site is hosting some super live Regina Spektor MP3s of a performance and interview session with the BBC.
Update: Fixed link
From Regina’s MySpace Bulletin:
Come down to
Tower Records (4th & Broadway) beginning at 9am on Tuesday, June
13th and be one of the first to buy Regina’s new album and get a
wristband for this exclusive performance and signing.
I’ve been praising this album for months now. Even if you don’t like Regina’s earlier work, give this record a chance. It’s much more “accessible” than her previous stuff and continues to be one of my favorite albums of the year.
I will admit it took me a little while to embrace Regina Spektor. Not only is the cover of her last album Soviet Kitsch probably the worst cover of the new millennium,:
but her style is unlike anything many have been exposed to before. After a few listens, I became hooked, and a fan.
Regina’s new record, Begin To Hope, will be released on June 13th, but she is selling select tracks off it now on iTunes.
This is hands down my favorite album of 2006 thus far. Every song is easily a 4 or 5 star selection on my iPod and I fully believe that this record is going to put her on the map.
If you want something to hold you over until mid-June, download the following songs off iTunes. It will be the best $2.97 you’ve spent this year.
iTunes Music Store Links: