Russian / American singer, pianist and songwriter Regina Spektor emerged from the New York anti-folk scene in the noughties. Humor and jumpy exuberance dominate her early albums like Soviet Kitsch (2004). But on her album Far (2009), produced by a variety of star producers, she took a major step towards adulthood, which grew her status as a female singer / songwriter. She has now found a nice balance
… on the stage of the stately London Hammersmith Apollo. Behind the piano is a charismatic artist in a black dress, but there are always elements that put things into perspective, in her mimicry or lyrics, which indicate that we should not take her theatrical songs too seriously. Partly because of her appearance but also because of her elastic use of voice, she reminds us of a less obvious Tori Amos. The accompaniment of a string quartet and a firmly playing drummer make the concert a tasteful and rich whole. (MR)more