Warner Music Group/Sire

In the general scheme of things, live albums can either be a grand concert souvenir or a terrible musical blunder. While some bands need to be seen in order to be believed, others need that special sparkle from the studio to complete its sound. Regina Spektor, the Russian-born and New York-based songstress, is one of those artists who effortlessly transcends the live album stigma on her first concert album Live in London. The captivating singer/songwriter is a consummate performer, whose palpable charisma and sonic appeal comes across on this sparkling effort. Best suited for heart-pouring pop balladry, Spektor only falters when playing against type, embodying a heavy-handed caricature of a brazen sailor-tongued vixen during songs like “Bobbing for Apples,” and the new country-tinged track “Love, You’re a Whore.”