Album Review: Human Again by Ingrid Michaelson

Michaelson’s wisp of a voice, fondness for noninvasive string-and-strum arrangements, and knack for sultry melodies have made her perfect fodder for the weepy nighttime-soap set. Human Again continues that tradition — expect the smoldering ”Ghost” to soundtrack a forbidden tryst on Ringer, and the sweeping ? ”In the Sea” to run over a cliffhanger on The Vampire Diaries. But not everything requires doe-eyed longing — ”Fire” has enough drama to follow Revenge.

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Guys just keep breaking Ingrid Michaelson's heart. Five albums into her career, she's still singing about lost loves and bad breakups, filling every sad-eyed song with lyrics like "Open-heart surgery, that is what you do to me" and "It's a wonder that I survived the war between your heart and mine." It's dramatic, but don't expect Michaelson to wallow in her own misery. By surrounding her Lilith Fair melodies with lush, layered arrangements and movie soundtrack strings, she manages to turn even her most downtrodden songs into anthems, sounding proud and resolute despite her malfunctioning cardiac organ.

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At an Ingrid Michaelson concert in 2008, I remember being surrounded by sugar-addled 10-year-olds with “BE OK” painted on their cheeks in tribute to the singer’s latest album cover and single. I had to smile when the same little girls snapped their heads in surprise when she covered Radiohead’s “Creep”. Michaelson’s sweet singles — think “Be OK” and “The Way I Am” — have always done her a bit of a disservice in obscuring the tortured soul at the core of her songwriting.

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Review Summary: Emotive music signifying nothing.When I first heard that Ingrid Michaelson was to team up with producer David Kahne for her fourth studio album, I could barely contain my excitement. The prospect of the talented songstress working alongside one of the chief engineers behind Imogen Heap’s early career success was quite delectable, and the subsequent release of ‘Ghost’ as a single only served to whet my growing appetite. Its rich, textured sound was everything I hoped for from Kahne, while Michaelson sounded as wistful and on-key as ever.

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Lyrically deep and musically adventurous, Michaelson has it all. John Aizlewood 2012 Although she’s part of the female pop intelligentsia (see also: Fiona Apple, Kate Havnevik, Keren Ann and Regina Spektor), Staten Island’s Ingrid Michaelson has taken a very 21st century route to mass acceptance. Her music has graced television programmes including Grey’s Anatomy and One Tree Hill, films and commercials for Google Chrome and Ritz crackers.

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