Okay, so the other day I saw my younger brother (he's 21, I'm 24) who I don't see very often; I picked him up at his new apartment and as he was walking toward my car he looked at my stickers and said, what does that say? Looked at the little square sticker closer (I got it at the Roxy show in April) and read, "Regina Spektor." I nodded. "That sounds familiar," he said. He got into the passenger seat and I explained, she's a musician I'm in love with, she's a pianist, singer-songwriter, Russian Jewish, from New York .... I say, I wish I had some of her stuff to show you but it's not with me. He says, "Oh, ok, I know where I saw her. On Conan." I'm happy, I say, "Oh, how cool, you saw her on Conan?" and he says, "Yeah, I wasn't impressed. Seemed like she was trying to have this weird style and she was just trying to be Ani Difranco." Wtf? Ok, he is a blunt person (if we were discussing someone he liked I wouldn't be so rude), but got momentarily upset that he dismissed her so because of the Conan performance. Plus he doesn't know shit about Ani Difranco either. I said, "well, she was nervous, I think it was her first national t.v. appearance" and let it go. But it irked me a little! A friend told me later, "well, some people have to dislike her, right, otherwise it's not so special that you like her" or something to that effect. I understand that she may not be everyone's cup of tea but it made me feel a sort of psychic disappointment in my brother for not ... getting it, or even trying to. Anyone have any similar experiences or overhear anything maddening being said about Regina?

ive found that most people that listen to radio head, bjork, and are also into experimental folk stuff like joanno newsome, devendra, Antony & J's....and those crowds trypically always like Regina when i introduce them to her..........but most people that listen to mainstream rock/pop typically just think she is weird and dosent like it when she makes "funny/strange noises" ....i understand why...i then proceed to tell them that they probabably really dont want me to put on my Cocorosie CDl.........but yeah it is really frusterating when people dismiss her music immediatley when they hear her do lip trails, or the vocal drum machine beats.........but hey.........its there loss

The few negative things I've gotten in response to Regina is from girls I know. When I was in college I tended to listen to Regina when walking around campus. Huge studio headphones were attached to my head at all times so people would ask me what I was listening to. Several of my friends said they thought she was an act and was just trying to ripoff other people. Later on I found out the girls were just annoyed because their boyfriends said they thought Regina was adorable. Since they had never used that word to describe their own girlfriends I think it made them jealous.
I also agree with stwongbad85. People who are used to music that is considered mainstream haven't developed an ear for all styles. I remember being a 5 year old who couldn't stand anything other than Duran Duran. The moment "Kiss" would come on the radio by Prince I would yell for by brother to change the station. Now after exposure to a myriad of styles I love everything. If you had given me Regina's music when I was in high school I probably wouldn't have liked it. (I went through an N'Sync phase...that I am only as of late able to admit)

Anyways if they don't like her they don't have to. Regina loves music and from what I can tell loves art in general....and from my perspective art isn't meant to please everyone.

Later peeps
Shawn

My mom hates her. I put it on in the car because my dad likes her and wanted to hear her. My mom was like "This is not music. You can write better." Sure. Sure. Anyways, my mom isn't like exposed to different types of music whereas my dad listens to classical and folk and rock. It got me angry when my mom kept on dissing Regina. Also, I took my friend to see Regina with me and she thought she was okay. She didn't like it much. She's a person who probably doesn't even know who Radiohead is. My point is, I guess if you're exposed to different types of music it's easy to like Regina.

Don't be too hard on her. People tend to not even listen to lyrics anymore. They listen for a moment and categorize it. Your mother may be viewing her through the pop music filter. If you have her listen to Songs you may be able to ease her into Regina's music. Soviet Kitsch is great, but it could be a little too much for her right now. If it doesn't work you at least have your Dad.

Later peeps
Shawn

Well, she sorta liked Daniel Cowman and she liked Us too. I got angry when she was saying things about her personally. None of us know her personally but her music, like she says is telling stories in other people's shoes so it's hard to have a picture of her personality and life by just listening to her music. My mom thinks she's on drugs.

Most of my friends refuse to listen to her, I got one friend to listen to a little of "Us" and she said she sounded like Aled Jones.

Usually, I would have just laughed at a comment like that, but I thought that it was really rude and got quite offended.

Not all storytellers write stories that are personally theirs. Some people write for the art and others as a way of emotional therapy. I think that's why alot of songs are about heartbreak and anger on the radio. As for the drugs thing.... I don't know about that...but I have been labeled a stoner on many occasions due to my often baggy eyes and tendancy to be scatter brained. Ecentricity is too often applied to drug use. Especially when people don't have a basis from where to understand you.

Later peeps
Shawn

Storytelling through the lives of fantasy characters is usually just a way of expressing your creativity and imagination and allowing people into your fantasy world for a few minutes. The average person really doesn't have that exciting of a life to entertain others with. "I woke up, ate breakfast, took the subway to work(school)" type shit. Besides, once they become well-known the media displays every aspect of their lives anyway, so it won't be anything new. It is also a way of bypassing unnecessary criticism, by allowing your fictional characters to express everything so you don't have any repercussions. They may just think your harmlessly weird for creating such stories, which I would take as a compliment, in relation to music standards lately.

I agree with you guys, and I know that when I write songs I like to write from other people's points of views. As interesting as my life may get (being sarcastic), I like putting myself in other people's shoes. It's what makes writing fun.

I think Shawn hit it on the head with the comment on "pop music filter". I thought Regina was jusy okay when I first listened to her. I grew to love her after several listens. I definetly didn't get it at first. It takes a little time. Most people today are too busy to take the time. We live in a world of instant gratification. People take one listen and they're done. You know what? That's their loss. I don't care what other people think about Regina (including my wife). Regina must have developed a thick skin by now. I'm sure she would agree with me. Didn't someone here post an audio clip where after being heckled (I think someone asked her to play Freebird) she told the jerk where to go?? Those folks have a choice just like the rest of us. No one performer will ever be universally liked by everyone. It's just human nature. But those suckers sure don't know what they're missing

Needless to say, my wife won't be using the ticket I bought for her to go to the Irving Plaza show. I'd rather it that way. I don't want her to go if she won't enjoy it. Although she might get it if she tried. I'll just write the ticket off as a donation to a woman who is a magnificent breath of fresh air in this mostly stale and stagnant world of music.

My father thinks all the "goddamn"s in Poor Little Rich Boy are unecessary.

So now I always turn up the volume at the part.

He has yet to hear about Mary Ann and her being a bitch.

But we're jewish, and I think he appreciates that Regina's doing her own thing and is successful.

Hmm, my parents think everybody I listen to is on drugs and/or drunk at the same time.

My brother HATED the flowers, he honestly couldn't finish watching it. My sister says she can't sing, as does my dad and mom. But, I accept it. My other friend told me kindly, "She's not my style."

My mother is alright with her, doesnt listen to her much, but my dad, he will listen to her, but admits that he thinks she cant sing, he thinks its whiney. i personally love love love love it. seriously, such a brilliant girl, with brillant lyrics and a brilliant voice. keep it up and BRING OUT MORE CDS REGINA!

Normally I would not actively try to introduce Regina to anyone in my family; they have always thought I was weird when they'd hear particularly intense snippets of Radiohead or Tori Amos. My brother (the one I wrote about earlier) actually just recently admitted that Radiohead is a good band, yet all those years I was listening to them he wrote them off as kailee's weird music. So when I talked to him about Regina, it was just a casual mentioning, and though his reaction really annoyed me, I was not too surprised. I think it's true that you pretty much know who will like her (get her) and who won't. I made a Regina mix cd for one friend, who became obsessed within a week and knew all the lyrics. It made me happy to be able to drive around with someone and sing Regina! My boyfriend loves her but he won't really belt out the songs with me ...