What a difference two years makes.
Difficult to believe Ingrid Michaelson’s much-lauded album “Girls and Boys” was released in 2006. Fans remember the album was full of tracks such as “Die Alone,” “Masochist” and “Breakable” — all great songs packed under a powerful, somber umbrella. Now along comes her most recent work, the just-released single “Parachute,” and other songs possibly for a new album planned for 2011.
“As soon as I came to [the word] ‘parachute,’ the chorus came out quickly,” Michaelson said, noting her producer Dan Romer helped complete it by speeding it up and adding synths and drumbeats. “It’s super-poppy but has this biting darkness. I love it.”
It’s just the type of raw, unguarded emotion set to lovingly constructed music that built Michaelson a rock-solid following while still an independent artist. Her music was so well-crafted that some songs became staples on television’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” and even on the 2009-10 season of “American Idol.”
But of course a musician — or any artist — can’t thrive in one spot. Although Michaelson is enchanted with the funky, urban feel of “Parachute,” she’s quick to acknowledge some of her fans are, well, less than fans of that sound.
“I’ve read their comments,” Michaelson said. “Some of my fans write ‘We want Ingrid at the piano, barefoot and playing love songs.’ Some of my fans hate it. … But while it’s different, it’s still me.”
It’s also not necessarily the direction Michaelson will go in with her next album, she said. In fact, she’s in the process of drawing up the game plan for her next album, which she said she hopes to release next year.
“It’s an important record for me,” said Michaelson, who is signed to Mom and Pop Records. “I don’t want to go into this lightly. I want it to be good and solid and smart and interesting. I just haven’t selected all the spices that will go into the soup. … The songs are there, but they still need to be dressed up, flavored, a bit.”
One way Michaelson selects the proper ingredients for her new album is to play some of the songs in her concerts. That not only helps her gauge reaction to them, but keeps her creatively intact, too.
“I just can’t keep doing the same thing,” she said, with a laugh. “I think the older I get, the more crazy, ridiculous Spinal Tap stuff I want to do on tour. Who knows? I might become this crazy woman onstage and my bandmates will be saying ‘What?’ But I like to be silly and light a spark in bellies.”
