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Michelle
Branch - Beginning
with the acoustic based self-released
Broken Bracelet in 2000, Michelle Branch
has always been a young woman in a big
hurry. The release of Michelle Branch's
major label debut The Spirit Room in 2001
ushered in an entirely new movement in pop
music, busting open the door for the new
crop of females who write and play their
own songs, after all--there was no other
female artist on the charts who wrote and
performed all the songs on her record, and
her music was distinctively driven by
guitars and lyrics as opposed to loops and
dance oriented videos. And the results
spoke for themselves: over 2.5 million
records sold, a Grammy Award, an MTV
Viewer's Choice Award on the basis of 4
top 10 hits and sold out tours with Sheryl
Crow, a smash duet with Carlos Santana and
an invitation from the Dixie Chicks to
tour arenas this summer. Amazed by her
abilities, the press used phrases like
"old soul" and "wise beyond her years" to
explain her skills. "I never wanted to be
the 'young female' artist- I always looked
at myself simply as a 'female' artist."
Other artists saw what she saw. "When I
worked with Sheryl Crow and Carlos
Santana, both said something to me that I
will never forget—'You're the real deal.'
And when artists of that caliber say
things like that, it helps me to remain
focused on the songs and not my age."
Branch's new record, release on June 24,
entitled Hotel Paper will undoubtedly
create new opinions and deeper
appreciation for her artistry from both
critics and fans alike. "I never asked for
comparisons to other artists nor did I
expect outstanding reviews. I did,
however, demand a fair and honest critique
of my work and that simply never happened.
Hotel Paper guarantees that my growth as
an artist will overshadow non-related
questions that followed me last time
around. Don't ask: I'm 20 years old now!"
Owning the longest running Billboard Top
100 record of the last 18 months (82
weeks) with The Spirit Room, Branch segued
from her own record to a Grammy Award
winning collaboration with Carlos Santana
prior to beginning work on her latest
release. "I spent the last 2 years of my
life traveling so when it was time to
begin work on a new record, I realized
that the record had already been written
in hotel rooms around the world, hence the
name Hotel Paper." And those 2 years on
the road brought maturity, experience, and
confidence to a songwriter who already
owned a sense of melody that generated
several top 10 hits.
The first single, "Are You Happy Now?" is
an aggressive statement about a personal
relationship that took a surprising turn.
Branch painfully comments, "Anyone who has
been stomped on can relate." What is
equally apparent is that the single
sonically represents the strength of
emotion that speaks directly to the man
who is the source of her pain. And radio
agrees; the track has connected with
audiences nationwide. Other tracks on the
record with longtime producer John Shanks
yielded deeper and more complex outcomes,
including "Empty Handed," which called
upon famed string arranger David Campbell
(Beck's father) to deliver the 22-piece
orchestra into the mix. Other strong
tracks with Shanks include possible
singles "Breathe" and "Find Your Way
Back," as well as the rootsy duet with
Sheryl Crow entitled "Love Me Like That."
"It sounds too good to be true, but John
and I had the song and felt that it needed
another voice. We picked up the phone,
called Sheryl, and she came down an hour
later."
Branch felt compelled to explore her
acoustic beginnings with Grammy Award
winner Jon Levinthal (Shawn Colvin,
Roseanne Cash) to create the title track
"Hotel Paper," and risked the safe road by
working with massive rock producer Josh
Abraham (Staind, Korn) on a ballad no
less-- that tested both of them. "We
didn't set out to create a ballad but part
of being creative includes being open to
running with new ideas when they hit. This
was one of those moments."
The record is full of those moments;
timeless and bold music which makes the
listener appreciate a body of work in lieu
of labeling Branch's accomplishments and
talent by pages of a calendar. And her
persona has lent itself to that: Her
history and success is celebrated for
achieving popularity without succumbing to
prefabricated pop. But the challenge
continues.
"Comparisons are always going to be made,
and no one can change that. But just
because other young females release
records after mine does not create a
movement. I'm happy to be included in a
movement. Just start with Stevie Nicks,
throw in Sheryl Crow, and put me somewhere
at the bottom of that." |
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