Authentic, out of touch

Predominantly acoustic artists are finding themselves in a bit of a rut. The age of the piano has passed, and singer-songwriter types and anti-folk artists like Regina Spektor tend to get left in the dust.

Russian-American Spektor is a sentimentalist. The entrancing lyrics and slow, sweet melodies on opener “Small Town Moon” are what we know the honey-voiced, angelic weirdo for.

But the album throws no fastballs, nor does it take any real risks, save the singles “All of the Rowboats” and “Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas),” which get a little dancey but not really.

Trying to attack an artist like Spektor is about as ethical as clubbing a baby seal — it just doesn’t feel right. But the problem Regina is running into is that dozens of her unrecorded songs, some like “Ne Me Quitte Pas” written more than 10 years ago, are surfacing at a time that don’t fit the modern ear.

Nevertheless, a ballad like “Firewood” reminds you that she’s a true genius in authenticity.

By Francisco Tirado