First up, Regina Spektor. A Russian Jew who moved to America in the 80's. She used to listen to the Beatles in Russia, and not understand a word. She said that Rubber Soul changed her life. (I may well be in love with this woman).
I think Regina captures the eclectic yet childlike spirit of the Beatles, without sounding much like them at all. She gets compared to Tori Amos and Fiona Apple, but I think she is far, far more loony. For proof listen to Apres Moi, in which she sings "Apres moi le deluge, after me comes the flood", and even belts out some Russian poetry by Boris Pasternak. If Apres Moi is too out-there, there's Better - which is as 'normal' as she can get, but it's a beautiful song too. I highly recommend her new album, which could possibly be on my top 20 by now. I think my top 20 has more than 20 albums...
Regina Spektor - Apres Moi - [mp3]
Regina Spektor - Better - [mp3]
Next up is The Rapture, a New York band very much in the business of making rock kids dance - a difficult trick to pull off. One of my favourite lines is from the end of Woo! Alright Yeah ... Uh-huh. It goes "People don’t dance no more/ They just stand there like this/ They cross their arms and stare you down and drink and moan and piss." Wait for it! The other song I've posted is Get Myself Into It, which has quickly moved onto my list of party-perfect numbers (which includes LCD Soundsystem's Daft Punk is Playing at My House, and Goldfrapp's Ride a White Horse - Thanks to Salil for that last one].
The Rapture - Woo! Alright Yeah ... Uh-huh - [mp3]
The Rapture - Get Myself into It - [mp3]
Last and probably least, is Muse - an atrocious band that I just happen to love. I'm not sure why. Perhaps because they are overblown, geeky, theatrical, and sci-fi-metallic. Perhaps because the lead singer sounds like Thom Yorke on speed. The video for their track Knights of Cydonia on their latest album, is a space cowboy kung fu mishmash. Check it out on youtube. I'm posting a different song, with less Ennio Moriccone...
Muse - Starlight [mp3]
