Regina Spektor - ‘Fidelity’ (Wea) Released 05/03/07

‘Fidelity’ is a pastel-coloured portrait of girlie innocence and loneliness and heartbreak. Resonating vocals and jarringly syrupy idiosyncrasies over fairy-tale plucked strings are ever the order of the day for Regina Spektor, but there’s an unshakable sense that there’s something missing from this song.  Simple emotionally charged vocal flourishes are sublime, but somewhat hollow sounding.  Her bizarre vocals extensions are sweet the first time you hear them, but second time rather grating (‘Hea –a- a- a -a –a-a –a- a-a -a –a- a- art’): her excessive attention to syllable can get more than a little irritating.  The lyrics seem trite and forced, and sadly seem perfectly at home around the coffee table, or in a pink bow as a last minutes Mothers Day gift. What’s so sad is that Spektor has proved she can do so, so much better than this: her infantile, beguiling, yet ultimately stunning vocals are worth more than this Joss Stone-like effort.