Music review: Ingrid Michaelson – 鈥楽tranger Songs鈥�
With her latest album, Ingrid Michaelson conveys her love for the series 鈥淪tranger Things.鈥�
The popular Netflix show recently unveiled its third season to enthusiastic fans eagerly wanting to find out what supernatural happenings await the young group of friends in their rural Indiana town.
With 鈥淪tranger Songs,鈥� Michaelson delivers 11 tracks that examine the show鈥檚 characters and reflect their current relationships while they navigate the innocence and awkwardness of teenage life as a variety of bizarre occurrences threaten their normal and boring community.
The new arrangements highlight universal themes of love and acceptance and possess a nostalgic feel of the 1980s through a delightful blending of sweet pop stylings and smooth electric synth, fronted by Michaelson鈥檚 dazzling voice.
鈥淔reak Show鈥� opens the album and sets the mood with a positive message for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or was treated differently from the others. The tune aptly describes how the show鈥檚 quirky friends look after one another and take pride in being unique from the rest of the pack.
鈥淵oung and in Love鈥� explores the budding romances materializing within the group as well as expands on the topics of inclusion and security found in the track opener as Michaelson sings, 鈥淲e鈥檙e never alone/If we got each other, we can save the world.鈥�
Once love is discovered, you always run the risk of heartbreak. 鈥淛ealous鈥� details the pain and ugly feelings that come to the surface when a relationship cracks. The loss of a first love is so dramatic. Michaelson spotlights the transition from joy to sorrow when she declares, 鈥淚 used to be so sweet/Now I see a change coming over me/You鈥檙e breaking my heart/I knew from the start that you鈥檇 be the end of me.鈥�
鈥淧retty鈥� addresses finding inner beauty as opposed to spending so much time and effort trying to perfect an outward appearance based on what society attempts to dictate to us disguised as the cultural norm.
A mother鈥檚 struggle to stay connected with her son is outlined on 鈥淐hristmas Lights.鈥� The tender number describes the promise of a parent wanting to make it right when things go wrong and to always be there no matter what the situation.
鈥淭ake Me Home鈥� is the lush closer that channels the warm feeling of recalling the wonderful memories of being young and the experiences that last a lifetime.
鈥淪tranger Songs鈥� is an enchanting companion piece to the series that inspired its creation.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.