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Avg: 4.0 (453 ratings)
- Date Released: October 14, 2008
- Genre: Rock/Pop
- Style: Pop
- Label: Cabin 24 Records / CD Baby
Singer-songwriter nails poignancy, and does perky even better
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We Say...
Staten Island singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson is great at poignant. She nails poignant. "I just wanna be ok, be ok, be ok, today," she sighs over and over again. And you feel for her, you really do. And her cover of "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" is so pristine, pretty and gut-wrenching, you actually pay attention to lyrics for the first time in years. But, her finest moments are these upbeat-ish little pop tunes, like "Giving Up" and "Lady in Spain," ones tireless enough to drag and drop onto your road-trip playlist. Be OK, with all its covers, rarities and live tracks — including a charming re-up of the 2007 hit-via-Old-Navy-commercial "The Way I Am" — was probably intended merely to stoke the fires until a proper follow-up to Girls and Boys could be conjured. But thanks to some memorable choruses and Michaelson's twinkling chandelier voice, Be OK (which benefits Stand Up to Cancer) manages to overcome its odds-and-ends origins to strive for something more essential."You And I," a catchy-as-cooties duet with producer Dan Romer is simple and sweet. "Maybe I think you're cute and funny," she croons over a polite ukulele."Maybe I wanna do what bunnies do/ with you." There are more poignant ways to say I love you (all over this album), but it's hot when the wallflower steps out onto the dance floor like that.
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They Say...
As the Hotel Café became a nationally recognized launching pad for songwriters in 2008, Ingrid Michaelson stood out amongst the venue's native artists, having already established her credibility through licensing deals and MySpace playbacks. Her second independent release, Girls and Boys, made waves one year prior when it toppled the iTunes charts, eventually selling over 740,000 digital copies of its lead single thanks to promotional help from Old Navy commercials and Grey's Anatomy episodes. Arriving in 2008, Be OK furthers her Norah Jones-gone-pop approach with 11 tracks. This isn't a proper studio effort -- rather, it's a benefit project (with proceeds going to cancer research) that takes its material from live performances, rarities, and several new tracks. Filled with handclaps and breezy guitar chords, "Be OK" is the album's flagship song as it bookends the set list with two different versions -- one filled with harmonies, keyboards, and percussion, and the other sticking close to the acoustic formula. Michaelson's voice is strong enough to carry such tracks alone, but her melodies sound strongest when flanked by buoyant harmonies, whether they're provided by the singer's own double-tracked voice or contributions from her touring bandmates. "The Chain," a longtime live favorite and perhaps the best song on this disc, even careens into an emotional three-person round, utilizing the harmony approach better than any Michaelson track since "The Way I Am." She leads the pack, advising her estranged lover to "glide away on soapy heels" while her melodies are echoed by Bess Rogers and Allie Moss. It's a simple song, but its passion and presentation make all the difference -- a telltale sign of a songwriter who knows how to breathe new life into a veteran genre.
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| 01. |  |
Be OK |
2:27 |
|
| 02. | |
Giving Up |
4:09 |
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| 03. | |
Over The Rainbow |
2:56 |
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| 04. | |
The Chain (Live from Webster Hall) |
3:13 |
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| 05. | |
Lady In Spain |
3:11 |
|
| 06. | |
Keep Breathing |
3:25 |
|
| 07. | |
Oh What A Day |
2:28 |
|
| 08. | |
The Way I Am (Recorded Live on WERS) |
2:03 |
|
| 09. | |
Can't Help Falling In Love (Recorded Live at Daytrotter) |
3:14 |
|
| 10. | |
You and I |
2:28 |
|
| 11. | |
Be OK (Acoustic) |
2:32 |
|
11 Total Tracks, 32:06 Total Length
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Credits
- Dave McNair - Mastering // Matt Powell - Engineer // Greg Collins - Mixing // Bill Lefler - Producer // Ingrid Michaelson - Producer // Stacy Jones - Producer // Colin Gallagher - Mixing // Deborah Lopez - Cover Photo // July Stolley - Engineer
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