Ingrid Michaelson
Human Again

THE REVIEW

Introduction: The review I am about to write is not only the first review I am writing on this site, but also the first one I have the courage to complete without stopping and deleting it in a fit of anger at the first adjective I cannot find... Besides, I am not a music expert, just a fan, so please be kind :D

The album I have decided to talk about is "Human Again" by the American indie pop/folk singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson.

Her fifth album, entirely written by her, "Human Again" stands out for me from the previous records due to its more pop-oriented style. However, it is a very refined pop, especially in the arrangements (a recurring characteristic of indie artists), and it does not fall into the banality that, unfortunately, the pop music scene often offers us lately.

The album opens with the track "Fire", one of the most energetic and engaging songs on the record, whose chorus immediately sticks in the listener's head, prompting them to continue listening.

It continues with "This Is War", a track that starts in a composed manner and then explodes into a chorus that manages to envelop and capture the listener thanks to an excellently crafted musical backdrop.

The third track is "Do It Now", perhaps among my favorite pieces on the CD. Besides being, in my opinion, another little gem, I also find the lyrics appreciable, simple but direct. 

At this point, we come across a piece different from the previous ones, "I'm Through", which, poignant and melancholic, cannot help but move you. 

"Blood Brothers", the fifth track, is among the best pieces on the record, engaging, fresh but not banal. Additionally, Ingrid's voice in this piece shows many of her nuances. 

The sixth and seventh songs "Black and Blue" and "Ribbons" are comparable to the first ones of the album: fast-paced, immediate, and well-written.

"How We Love", the eighth track of the album, is, musically speaking, among the best in Ingrid Michaelson's entire discography, calm yet communicative. It speaks of the desire to love, creating simple but effective metaphors.

"Palm of Your Hand", the ninth track, is one of the less immediate of the album, but it is also well-written and composed.

The tenth piece is the single that preceded the album: "Ghost". Upon the album's release, one might wonder why this choice, but also for this track, there is nothing to reproach Ingrid for: well-composed and evocative. Perhaps the only weak point is the theme of the song, which begins to tire since not only her songs but also many others by artists of this genre often speak too much about the end of a love.

"In the Sea" is the following track. A bit subdued, it makes, in my opinion, the end of the album a bit heavy.

To lift the mood, leading to the conclusion of this Human Again, are the final two tracks, "Keep Warm" and "End of the World". Both tracks create a very special atmosphere. The first, almost dreamlike, of a rare class, is excellent from a musical standpoint, while the second, with the explosion of the chorus, transports the listener into a different world, moving them significantly. Fantastic and evocative to listen to in front of a vast and natural landscape.

In short, "Human Again" is a light, varied, well-written album, with a distinctly indie and pop-leaning taste, to be listened to without too many expectations. The most enjoyable part is the musical one, with very refined arrangements, as, like many indie artists, the lyrics are not the most original part.

4/5