Album Review | ‘Slow The Rain’ by Ingrid Michaelson
Michaelson’s debut album displays her knack for singer/songwriter music and the promise of what’s to come.
Ingrid Michaelson’s story is one of diligence. The New York native took to social media to promote her music during its infancy. Her ingenuity got her 2006 single “The Way I Am” the ear of the powers that be at Grey’s Anatomy. Ingrid’s true debut was released independently a year prior on her label Cabin 24 Records. Michaelson has gone on record to state that she was rather unhappy with this debut album:
“I don’t like talking about why I dislike it bc it hurts people’s feelings. Let’s just say that I really really hate it!” — Ingrid Michaelson via Reddit (2014)
This probably accounts for why it continues to remain absent on all streaming services. I think it’s a lovely introduction to the sparkle that is her brand of pop. The focus centers more on her and her piano, in the way Regina Spektor’s 11:11 and Songs are.
Insecurities abound in the opener “Let Go.” Michaelson places us in the shoes of a woman desperate to express her feelings but too afraid to escape her shell, “Hey don’t you know what it means when I say/ Hey see it in my face I’m breaking/ I waited for so long just to know/ That you’d wrap yourself around me if you could let go/ I never know what to do with my love/ I never know what to do with my hands/ So I’ll put them behind my back.” There’s a melancholic innocence to her melody that easily places you in the body of this timid woman. I could easily hear this song on her subsequent releases.
“Around You” rolls sullenly downhill along Michaelson’s descending melody. Conflict now floods her mind. She’s alit by the high of affection yet haunted by the specter of anxiety that her feelings may not be returned, “I call you my friend/ And that’s all that I do/ Why do I have to pretend/ To find ways to be around you?… And I think I’m losing my mind/ Maybe I’ve been hopelessly blind to your beauty/ And you have a sweet sinful smile/ I’m in trouble/ ’Cause you turn me upside down and around and around.” Ingrid brings out a lounge quality reminiscent of fellow singer/songwriter Sara Barellies’ jazzy debut. I love how the drama of her sound compliments her ever-present sense of desperation.
We travel back in time in “Charlie” to the throws of childhood. Ingrid’s heart breaks watching this boy being ostracized by his classmates. Here she reaches out to him with the assurance that someone cares for him, “Charlie don’t let the girls hurt your heart/ Don’t let the angry boys tear you apart/ I know you’re tired of not fittin’ in/ But its not fitting in that will help to begin to show you your beauty… Lunch was the happiest 45 minutes of the day/ For the red-headed angel would glide your way and say/ ‘Hello, hello, Charlie hello.’” You can hear Michaelson’s history in musical theater in the spritely nature of her production. Her chorus lifts us out of the doldrums and into a sense of safety.
We shift back into a gloomy space on “Porcelain Fists.” Michaelson’s words attempt to pull us from the mire we’re sinking in. Her imagery shows a woman with a sadness that cracks through her porcelain veneer, “old tiles beneath your knees/ Your body broke your fall/ Spitting into your own reflection gazing back/ Inside your porcelain fists, your palms begin to crack/ So take my hand, you’re treading water/ And I feel sand slipping underneath my toes/ Nobody knows/ Where is it she goes?” The ghost of the strings makes the piece feel that much more fragile. While quite a bit more somber than her subsequent albums, her piano melody still carries that trademark lightness throughout her work today.
Michaelson moves into a sweeter place on “Morning Lullaby.” She’s in awe of her lover’s beauty while deep in slumber, “The sun had painted/ Patterns on your face/ As you breathed Sunday air/ You rolled onto/ My open arm/ I became your pillow.” She hopes to nurture her partner into a sense of ease as he drifts off to sleep. Her melody takes on an almost holy quality. Still, a sense of flair shines through that harkens back to her time in theater. I wish her sound had a bit more variety, as its repetition becomes a bit too stagnant over time.
“Empty Bottle” is Ingrid’s mantra to use her sorrow as a tool to grow. Compared to the prior songs, the piece has the most clumsy lyrics, “Look at yourself/ Are you sad?/ Are you sad?/ Don’t be afraid/ It’s not bad to be sad/ Dust off your hands/ And reach into foreign lands/ Of your mind/ Don’t be kind ’cause we’re all fools/ Each others tools.” I understand the sentiment of wanting to shed the husk of her depressive state to bring out a brighter side of yourself. Her simplistic rhyme scheme doesn’t give enough grit for her listeners to stick to.
“Mosquito” is an odd metaphor for a toxic relationship. On the surface level, it seems like Michaelson’s ode to the parasitic insect, but I can also read this as someone who is far too possessive to handle, “Now we are lying and/ counting the leaves/ Underneath our tree/ How can I truly be angry with you?/ All you want is to be part of me/ You love like no human could/ You love like no human should.” The flutter of drums and the haunting cry of voices that rain down upon the chorus give a sense of panic to the track.
Michaelson releases her lover to the world in “A Bird’s Song.” For her lover to thrive, she must cut him free of her vines. She reassures us that there is always an open door in case things get too difficult to bare, “You know we’re not so far away/ Get on a boat, get on a train/And if you ever think you’re drowning/ I’ll try to slow the rain/ In two years or so/ Drop me a line/ Write me a letter/ I hope to find you’re doing better, better than today, better everyday.” Ingrid keeps this moment very intimate. Only her voice and the gentle pluck of an acoustic guitar accompany her words. Though I think her piano would make for a more evocative experience, I think the piece fits much better alongside her wider-known works.
Her final song is a cover of the 1920s jazz standard “I’ll See You In My Dreams.” Joan Moore’s accompanying ukelele and harmonies make for a very soothing experience. Michaelson gives the track the subtle crackle of an old 45, making the song feel more authentic. It reminds me of the jazz standards Nellie Mckay has covered in her discography. Ingrid’s comforting timbre marries beautifully with Joan’s richer voice. It feels on brand for her to include this in her catalog, and it is a lovely way to end the project.
My journey through Michaelson’s debut album showed me the talent she has for writing meaningful pop tunes. A good majority of the record gives its listener glimpses of where her sound will go in the future. I liked the mixture of upbeat and solemn tunes across this short project. It is a shame that Ingrid doesn’t look back fondly on this start. I can understand where some of the writing and production have become; she has grown since this release. Songs like “Empty Bottle” and “Charlie” are cute but may seem too green to her now-seasoned ear. I still believe it’s a fun listen for any fan of her work. Unfortunately, the only access I have seen to the album is on YouTube, so if you are interested in listening to the album, visit the links attached to each song.
My overall thoughts on Slow the Rain:
Loved it: “Let Go,” “Around You,” “Porcelain Fists,” & “I’ll See You In My Dreams”
Liked it: “Charlie,” “Mosquito” & “A Bird’s Song”
Disliked it: “Morning Lullaby” & “Empty Bottle”
My overall rating: 6.0 out of 10.
