- A Look At What Is New In Music -
WEEK OF 10.14.08
Ingrid Michaelson - Be OK
Ingrid Michaelson - Be OK
There is a certain amount of respect to be demanded when it comes to Ingrid Michaelson - not just because she is a genuinely talented singer, songwriter and performer; Not just because she has built an entire career out of TV soundtracks and viral marketing without the use of a record label.
Ingrid Michaelson has made the ukulele a viable instrument in the world of pop music.
It's not a novelty. It's not a high school production of "Blue Hawaii." It is songwriting that good and performance that genuine that the average listener probably couldn't even tell you what instrument that new favorite song of theirs was recorded with - because it doesn't matter.
THAT is why Ingrid demands respect.
"Be OK" isn't a new album, really. It is the sort of product that artists such as Ingrid - that is, artists who have experienced a large amount of success in a short time period and are worried about being a "flash in the pan" - put forth to keep their name in the media and their fans not feeling famished. The disc features live versions, cover songs, and a few un-released tracks - some "old" and some "new."
Anyone who has seen Ingrid live in the last 6 months had to know such a collection was on the way. Having toured and promoted herself tirelessly using only one collection of songs for so long, she has recently seemed desperate for different material to play - if only for her own satisfaction. At Headliner's in June (read review of that show here), her set was half-full of tunes now found on "Be OK," including the title track, "The Chain," and "Giving Up."
The tracklisting is pleasant and balanced and keeps from being over-indulgent. The covers are appropriate (Why wouldn't a ukulele player play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" or "I Can't Help Falling in Love"?), the live tracks are messy enough to sound authentic, but are more than listenable. And the "new" (or "previously unreleased") tracks remind fans why they are fans - "Giving Up" and the quirky "You and I" especially.
If red hair, trendy eyeglasses (eat your heart out, Palin) and the uke aren't enough? Well, partial proceeds from this collection will benefit the Stand Up 2 Cancer organization. Good deal...
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