Far - Regina Spektor

I wanted to much to like this latest offering from Soviet-born American singer-songwriter Regina Spektor. Apparently an "anti-folk" artist (I love that term - it conjures up in my mind, hoards of protesters all carrying signs with Bob Dylan's face crossed out in bold red) Spektor first came to public attention when her song Fidelity featured on a couple of TV ads. You remember - do-do dee-do-do dee-do-do-dee do-dee-dee-do. No? This help?

Ok well that was from her excellent album Begin to Hope. I really enjoyed that album and wanted to like this one. I did... but I didn't love it.

Spektor maintains a lot of her quirkiness and originality - two traits to be much admired. This is particularly notable on the tracks Folding Chair, One More Time With Feeling and Two Birds. For me, these are two stand-out tracks on the album, showcasing the singers gift for unusual lyrics, up-beat catchy melodies and piano driven ballads showcasing her unique voice.

Laughing With is a beautiful and thought-provoking track about the scepticism and beliefs in tough time. This one made me stop everything and listen. Easily the track I'll remember most.

Other tracks such as Human of the Year and Machine seem a little too over-thought and over-produced. They come across as preachy and tacky.

Not an unpleasant listen by any means, the album is still far from her best.

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2 Stars