DON'T LOOK NOW, but there's this new 18-year-old trying to make a big splash on the pop music scene. She's female, but she comes across more as a folksy Everygirl than some glamour-girl wannabe. Branch may be on
"The Spirit Room"
road to success
Michelle Branch (Maverick)
Review by Gary C.W. Chun
gchun@starbulletin.comHer name is Michelle Branch, and it's no coincidence that she's on the same label as Alanis Morissette. As the Canadian became a pop phenom with the studio help of producer Glen Ballard on her breakthrough debut "Jagged Little Pill," Branch's acoustic guitar-based tunes get the full treatment from her producer John Shanks, with three of the songs getting the full sonic treatment that corporate rock radio demands from such a recognized "doctor" as Chris Lord-Alge.
Her first single, "Everywhere," is just that. The by-the-numbers sensitive lyrics/loud-rockin' chorus song is moving up MTV's "Total Request Live" playchart, as well as being one of the songs featured on the "American Pie 2" soundtrack and the music behind the current promo campaign for the WB's female-friendly "Gilmore Girls." Branch also did "The Regis & Kelly Show" just this morning. She's being promoted as Gen Y's answer to Alanis.
But if her talent is any indication, there may be a solid career for Branch ahead of her, although she's very much a work in progress. Her heart-on-sleeve songs are well constructed, although Shanks' glossy studio touches threaten to overwhelm much of Branch's budding strength in her writing and young singing voice (i.e., "Something to Sleep To).
FROM THE OPENING punch of "Everywhere," through her next three songs ("You Get Me," "All You Wanted" and "You Set Me Free"), all are compact little numbers with no extraneous filler. One interesting note about "You Get Me" is that one of the three co-writers of the song is Abra Moore, a former Hawaii resident who later moved to Austin, Texas, as one of the members of Poi Dog Pondering, Frank Orrall's ragtag troupe of musicians. Moore did a couple of fine, overlooked albums when she left Poi Dog to go solo, and the songwriting with Branch makes one wonder if Branch is from around the Austin area.
The remainder of the album is at its best when live instruments are featured, rather than all the Pro Tools programming that is the trend of the day. With excellent drummers like Kenny Aronoff and Vinnie Colaiuta laying down the bass, "Here with Me" and "I'd Rather Be in Love" are better songs for their contributions.
Branch's best vocal is saved for the last track, "Drop in the Ocean." She wraps her voice around the yearning lyrics with as much emotion as her 18 years can allow. Shanks' ambient touches on the song abruptly break into an exultant trip-hop feel. Production techniques like this show how a neophyte musician like Branch can be "persuaded" by an all-powerful producer that au courant dance beats are "necessary" to make a song more commercially appealing.
It'll be interesting to see where she goes from here. Her next album should show whether she can assert herself more as an artist. But having a couple of more hits off of this album could only help -- or maybe hinder -- her career.
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