Ingrid Michaelson achieved major success when her 2007 debut album Boys And Girls sold over 400,000 copies on her own label. That was fueled by 1.5 million sales of the single The Way I Am following it's exposure in an Old Navy commercial, and the song Keep Breathing being used on the fade out for the final episode of the 2007 series of Grey's Anatomy (watched by 25 million).

She's already performed on these shores - supporting Jason Mraz - but now the 29 year old New Yorker is looking to 'break' the UK with her second album Everybody.

It opens with Soldier - a big slice of gentle pop that sounds like Avril Lavigne without the rock guitars. Everybody - the lead single - is a lovely jangly piece of indie folk pop, and the album as a whole has a quirky, rootsy feel. Think Kate Nash, Nerina Pallot and Tori Amos. No question, it's a grower - full of subtleties that only reveal themselves with repeated plays. And it's nicely under produced providing an innocent aura.

But it's competitive marketplace out there, and female singer songwriters are two-a-penny. But there's enough quality here to suggest that the future could be bright for Ingrid Michaelson. One suspects in a niche, rather than mainstream sort of way. But then, Everybody gives the impression that she'd be happy with that.

***

Review by Pete Whalley