Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor has a gift for making the ordinary sound fantastic. Through hushed pixie coos, wacky hiccup trills, gorgeous falsettos and even dolphin grunts ("Folding Chair"), her stories of everyday people become majestic affairs. An all-star production team is behind Far (including ELO's Jeff Lynne and Mike Elizondo [Eminem]), providing tracks like "Eet" and "Human of the Year" a grandiose Coldplay swell, yet it's Spektor's simple elegance that remains the star attraction. "Machine," "Laughing With" and "Genius Next Door" recall Tori Amos and Fiona Apple, but without the bitterness.