Begin to Hope

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Begin to Hope
Begin to Hope cover
Studio album by Regina Spektor
Released June 13, 2006
Recorded
Genre Alternative Rock, Anti-folk
Length 47:15
Label Sire Records
Producer David Kahne, Regina Spektor
Professional reviews
Regina Spektor chronology
Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories
(2006)
Begin to Hope
(2006)
Live in California 2006 EP

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. As of June 16, 2007, the album had sold about 407,000 copies [1]. 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 [2].

The album is named after a rare live-only song.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Fidelity" – 3:47
  2. "Better" – 3:22
  3. "Samson" – 3:10
  4. "On The Radio" – 3:22
  5. "Field Below" – 5:18
  6. "Hotel Song" – 3:29
  7. "Après Moi" – 5:08
  8. "20 Years of Snow" – 3:31
  9. "That Time" – 2:39
  10. "Edit" – 4:53
  11. "Lady" – 4:45
  12. "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.

[edit] Bonus Disc Version Contains:

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

[edit] iTunes Version Contains:

Bonus Tracks

  1. "Hero" – 3:44
  2. "Bartender" – 3:12

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Charts

[edit] Album

Year Chart Peak Position
2007 Australian ARIA Albums Chart 29
2006 Austria Albums Chart 72
2007 Ireland Albums Chart 18
2007 New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart 10
2007 Swedish Albums Chart 16
2006 U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers 1
2007 U.S. Billboard 200 19
2007 U.K. Albums Chart 53

Source: [3]

[edit] Single 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" [4].

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.

[edit] 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 sales of more than 500,000. [5]

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