Regina Spektor

Lil' Russian girl who came to America to sing the poppy blues.

Information: Regina Spektor
Suggested first purchase/album: Begin to Hope

Begin to Hope (2006) -- Sometimes pretty, sometimes poppy, almost always very listenable album. Pizzicato strings save the day on songs like "Fidelity" and "On the Radio," which are also the two best songs on the album, along with the equally-poppy "Better" and "Hotel." Other songs are slower and piano-based, like "Samson," and those are pretty. Some songs kinda fade in the background, but nothing is bad, and the song is a little addictive.