Album Review: Lights Out - Ingrid Michaelson

Ingrid Michaelson has been flying under the radar for most of her career, finding her greatest success from her songs’ placement on various television shows and commercials, such as Grey’s Anatomy and One Tree Hill.  Her pen-ultimo album, Human Again, gained her greater exposure and success peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on U.S. iTunes charts.  Her new album, Lights Out, proves to be her best work yet. 

I cannot say enough amazing things about the album! Michaelson pours out her heart and soul breathing life into every track, every note.  She sings of loves lost, love found and life itself.  The album has a more pop sound than her previous albums with the pop-synth sound of “Handsome Hands”, and the more upbeat tacks such as “Girls Chase Boys” and “Afterlife”.  The album still has the simple, yet powerful, feel that is expected, and welcomed, from singer-songwriters.  It is composed of songs that require active listening in order to understand their true depth with a dash of songs that are just fun to sing along with.

Human Again was a great album in and of itself, but the inclusion of other artists on this album adds a layer of variety which aids in taking the album to a completely different level.  Adding another voice to a song provides the potential to explore two intertwining perspectives within one story which Michaelson is able to do well with Storyman and Mat Kearney, as well as the other artists on the album. 

The music on Lights Out is poetically simple and alive.  It combines a tracklist of varied sounds into a harmonious mix that plays seamlessly together.  If she keeps working to improve her craft and refine her sound I can’t imagine how amazing future albums will be. 

Buy the album and see her live when she comes to your town!

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Album Review: American Authors' Oh What a Life

Zac Barnett, Dave Rublin, Matt Sanchez and James Shelley make up the band the American Authors. They hail from Brooklyn, NY and have paid their dues on the path to musical success before being signed by Island Def Jam Records.  You’ve probably heard of them, or seen them on your TV, and you’ve definitely heard their hit song “Best Day of My Life”! Their single has been climbing the charts and has found success on the airwaves, partially because of placement in multiple movie trailers. 

The band’s debut album, Oh What a Life, dropped on March 3, 2014 and is filled with the familiar folk-based pop sound.  The majority of their songs have a pop sound, but with other musical elements thrown in creating a common thread throughout the album.  “Trouble” and “Luck” are prime examples of the folk-pop sound the band has become known for.  It’s a unique sound, but something you could see yourself easily singing along to and listening to on the radio.  The album encompasses a large range of emotions and expresses them through more sentimental songs and rocky more synth-based tracks.

The more rocky and upbeat tracks on the album include “Think About It”, “Hit It”, and “Best Day of My Life.” These songs are lively and kicking.  They have a richness to them that shows that the band believes what they are singing.  “Home” has a similar feel and is a song that is both sentimental and slow at times, but then picks up into a more powerful sound.  A few of these songs, “Home” and “Oh What a Life” among others, have an almost Celtic rock sound to them. 

There is a common theme throughout the album of life, and one’s past.  The songs really speak to the band’s journey and their take on life.  There aren’t any filler songs or songs that appear to be written to be strategic singles or airway ploys.  It can be easily seen that the band took their time and collected songs that represented them and developed an album they could take pride in.

Their music is enjoyable and mainstream.  This is a solid first album, there’s a versatility of sound, but you might find yourself asking if these songs belong to other familiar bands until you are more familiar with them.  They have a sound that has the potential to grow into something really amazing and being signed with Island Def Jam they have a real shot at nurturing their sound and being successful, even wildly so.  They’re four cool guys who are passionate about what they do, and they deserve nothing but the best.

Buy their album on iTunes and be sure to catch them on tour in a city near you! 
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