Ingrid Michaelson – Be OK

Ingrid Michaelson has a lot to be thankful for, I suspect. Independent artists don’t usually end up on Old Navy commercials and multiple Grey’s Anatomy soundtracks based on their first record, and it typically takes years to assemble the sort of fan base she already has. So after Girls and Boys put her on every music publication’s hot list last year, it begged the question: What was she going to do for a follow-up?

The answer? Well, obviously: release a benefit album for the organization Stand Up to Cancer.

Be OK’s 11 tracks are a fun mishmash of new material, previously unreleased tracks, covers and live performances. It’s truly all over the place, but gleefully so, much like Michaelson is as she traipses about from one song to the next. One moment she says things like, “The sky looks pissed,” and “What if I chase you with the rolling pin?” and the next she moonlights as a trumpet for a spell on “Lady in Spain.” You can’t help but think her oddball sensibilities are what allow her to have so much fun making music.

And while she can have fun, she is grounded too. The title track is a quick, catchy ditty with several lines repeated throughout. It sounds like a mantra for someone desperate to remain sane in the wake of a broken relationship or life-altering news. It’s peppy and serious all at once. And on “Giving Up,” she talks about accepting reality instead of wasting so much time pining for something better that you forget to live your life.

Be OK again showcases Michaelson’s impressive coffee shop pop vocal prowess. “Keep Breathing” is a case and point as she interchanges low and quiet tones, middling notes and higher octaves with languid fluidity. Whether her voice is lilting or coming on strong, dancing with the lyrics or whispering to them, she exudes a confidence that is startling. The variety, the range, the complexity of her vocals—it all seems as natural to her as breathing, which is why it works so well because it doesn’t come off as pretentious.

For fans of the live act, “The Chain” is a winner. Recorded at Webster Hall in New York City earlier this year, the song is a stirring-yet-melancholy tune of love lost and of making a promise not to waste a second chance if it ever comes back around. As the song swells and Michaelson sings in the round with her backup singers, the song really gains some emotional steam. This one packs a punch.

The covers are hit and miss. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (which thankfully resembles the Elvis rendition more than UB40’s) is especially good given Michaelson’s ability for singing affecting subtle notes. It’s a tender track and it works the way she has recorded it. “Over the Rainbow” on the other hand, is really the biggest misstep on the album. The timing is awkward and a chunk of the vocals miss the mark. She gets kudos for trying, but this one doesn’t work.

“You and I” is the most enjoyable recording on this record. The lyrics and tone of this one just put a smile on your face. It has to because you can hear the smile (yes, you read that right) on Michaelson’s face at about the 30-second mark because she’s every bit as aware of the whimsical nature of this song as the listener is. The ukulele accompaniment adds to the effect, and by the time the song gets to its foot-stomping, hand-clapping stage at the 2-minute mark, it’s impossible not to join in with the chorus of singers who have already joined Michaelson.

Be OK is a neat album. The “acoustic” version of the already semi-acoustic “Be OK” is superfluous, and including an in-studio performance of her megahit “The Way I Am” is odd since her entire fan base already adores that tune, but the fact that this album contains rarities and live recordings is cool. Toss in some unreleased tracks and you’ve got a bit of everything: old and new, quirky and emotional; it’s all here. There’s a lot to like on this record and it’ll leave you feeling A-OK.

Tagged as: singer/songwriter

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