Begin to Hope

Infobox Album | Name = Begin to Hope
Type = Album
Artist = Regina Spektor


Released = June 13 2006
Recorded =
Genre = Alternative rock, Anti-folk
Length = 47:15
Label = Sire Records
Producer = David Kahne, Regina Spektor
Reviews =
*"Allmusic" Rating|4|5 [http://www.allclassical.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5fud6j257190~T1 link]
*"Entertainment Weekly" (B+) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1202262,00.html link]
*"Pitchfork Media" (7.5/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/36597/Regina_Spektor_Begin_to_Hope link]
*"PopMatters" (9/10) [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/regina-spektor-begin-to-hope/ link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/reginaspektor/albums/album/10468706/review/10532943/begin_to_hope link] | Last album = "Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories" (2006)
This album = "Begin to Hope" (2006)
Next album = "Live in California 2006 EP" (2007)

"Begin to Hope" is the fourth album by Regina Spektor. It was released June 13, 2006. The album debuted at number 70 on the Billboard 200, but due to the popularity of the single "Fidelity" the album rose to number 20 and was labeled a "pace setter" by Billboard. Rolling Stone magazine named it the 21st-best album of 2006.

"Samson" is a new recording of a song originally released on 2002's Songs. Also "20 Years Of Snow" is a revamp of a song by the same title on her previously unreleased "Demo Cassette".

Also to be noted a majority of the bonus tracks are also revamps of songs previously found on the "Demo Cassette".

The album was nominated for the 2007 Shortlist Music Prize [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003597429] .

The album is named after a rare live-only song.Fact|date=March 2008

Track listing

#"Fidelity" – 3:47
#"Better" – 3:22
#"Samson" – 3:10
#"On the Radio" – 3:22
#"Field Below" – 5:18
#"Hotel Song" – 3:29
#"Après Moi" – 5:08
#"20 Years of Snow" – 3:31
#"That Time" – 2:39
#"Edit" – 4:53
#"Lady" – 4:45
#"Summer in the City" – 3:50

The first six songs were also included on a bonus disc that came with the original CD intended for the buyers of the album to give to their friends.

Bonus Disc Version Contains:

#"Another Town" – 4:07
#"Uh-Merica" – 3:16
#"Baobabs" – 2:02
#"Düsseldorf" – 3:09
#"Musicbox" – 2:11

iTunes Version Contains:

Bonus Tracks
#"Hero" – 3:44
#"Bartender" – 3:12

Personnel

*Regina Spektor - piano, vocals, guitar, percussion
*Nick Valensi - guitar on "Better"
*David Kahne - bass on "Better"
*Zhao Gang - erhu on "Field Below"
*Ralph U. Williams - saxophone on "Lady"
*Shawn Pelton - drums on "Fidelity", "Better", "On the Radio", "Hotel Song", "Après Moi" & "That Time"

Charts

Album

Source: [http://acharts.us/album/14805]

ingle Success

In 2006, Regina Spektor's first single, "Fidelity," premiered on VH1. Soon after, VH1 included her among "You Oughta Know: Artists on the Rise" [http://www.vh1.com/artists/you_oughta_know/index.jhtml] .

Regina Spektor performed "Fidelity" on Late Night With Conan O'Brien in July 2006 and "On The Radio" on Late Show With David Letterman in April 2007. She performed the song again on Jimmy Kimmel Live in November 2006, and on the Australian Rove McManus show in 2007.

"Better" was released to US radio in late July 2007.

Even though it hasn't been released as a single, "Hotel Song" has reached #11 in the Irish music download charts and #16 in the Irish Top 50 Singles Chart as of May 2007. The song is featured in mobile phone company Vodafone's TV commercial in Ireland, contributing to the song's popularity in the country.

"Musicbox" is featured on a JCPenney commercial with a magic theme.

"Samson" was featured on in the second season episode .

Sales

In New Zealand, the album was certified Gold for sales of more than 7,500.

In Australia, the album was certified Gold for sales of more than 35,000.

In the United States, the album was certified Gold for shipments of more than 500,000. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/riaa/index.jsp]