I wish Everybody would make up its mind. The fourth album from the darling of East Coast indie, Ingrid Michaelson, seems to be in two minds about whether it really wants to be a folk album or a middle-of-the-road indie-pop record. The off-beat percussion, echoing vocals and mournful violins of “Soldier” sound like Death Cab with a soprano, but there’s a country twang and earthy vocal sound on “Everybody” that aspire to a folksier tradition.
Whatever genre it wants to settle in, Everybody is an incredibly polished record. The production is first-class, and Michaelson’s voice sounds excellent. This vocal prowess reaches dazzling heights on “The Chain”; Michaelson’s voice layered over and harmonising perfectly with itself, building to a beautiful, orchestral crescendo. “Mountain and the Sea” ups the tempo with its note-perfect refrain (you can move me / if you want to / you can move the mountains / you can move everything) and foot-tapping percussion.
The problem with Everybody is that it’s a patchwork: there are four or five excellent songs, but that’s not enough to carry a twelve-track album. Beyond those, everything else is vaguely forgettable. It’s troubling, because there’s potential for Michaelson to make an honest-to-god great album one of these days. Unfortunately, between its stylistic schizophrenia and a few too many uninspiring tracks, Everybody isn’t that album.
Our Verdict:
Marcus Kernohan is the founding editor of Stereokill. 
