Ingrid Michaelson and her quirky lyrics are back in her latest album, Human Again (released Jan. 24).

The song “Fire” provides the album with a great first impression. The fast-paced chorus explodes just 30 seconds into the song. Michaelson sings, “Now I’m walking in, walking in a fire / I’m walking in a fire with you / I’m walking in, walking in a fire / when I walk into you.”

Michaelson continues with the dominating tune and lyrics in the next track on the album, “This Is War.” She claims, “I won’t surrender / I will fight back / you lock me out and knock me down / and I will find my way around.”

There is not a song on the album that does not impress lyrically, instrumentally and vocally.

She tones down the instrumentals in track four, “I’m Through.” Soft piano accompanies her voice as she sings, “But I would rather feel the sting / than never to have felt a thing / I’ll always know you were the one / to rip me from the ground.” She continues after the verses by reaching higher in her vocal range with each word of the chorus: “It’s all because of you that I’m through.”

In “Blood Brothers,” she sings the truth with, “ ‘Cause we’re all the same / under a different name / we’re all blood, we’re all blood, blood brothers.”

“How We Love” slows the album down once more. Michaelson sings for the chorus, softly, “We hate the rain when it fills up our shoes / but how we love when it washes our cars.” Anybody can relate to lyrics like that.

If you want more upbeat, you’ll enjoy “Black and Blue,” “Ribbons,” “Palm Of Your Hand” and “In The Sea.” More serious songs are “Ghost,” “Keep Warm” and “End of the World.”

Michaelson is impressive all around in Human Again. It is the kind of album you’ll never tire of, should Michaelson’s chosen genre satisfy your taste.

(5 stars)

Originally published in The Buzzworthy (2/14/12).