Michelle Branch emerged from 2001's 'The Spirit Room' baptism of fire and the global Santana smash - 'The Game Of Love' - with both her integrity and mental health in check. Which, for a spotlight-blinded 17-year-old, is no small achievement. Battling wildly inaccurate labels encompassing everything from manufactured Britney pop to angsty Alanis rock chick, Branch constantly strove for credibility, an admirable trait that again drives her on with 'Hotel Paper'.
Beating her contemporaries to the follow-up album punch - Vanessa Carlton in particular - nothing much has changed here. Predictable maybe, but understandable given that first time round she enjoyed enough success to believe in what she was doing, she's left the rest up to nature. One thing guaranteed for a star her age is that you grow up quickly. No longer a teenager, Branch has three years worth of baggage to draw on and that fall out is littered throughout the songs, and album title, of 'Hotel Paper'.
Her business isn't a risky one as she steers each track firmly down the middle of the road. As she told this writer recently: "I was criticised for writing commercial music at the age of 14. I thought it was pretty cool." It is pretty cool but it also means every composition - including over half solely penned by Branch - is tempered just enough for radio consumption. Sadly for such weighty themes of trust, betrayal, loneliness, living out of a suitcase and long distance relationships, the lack of true darkness amongst the sweetness and light is a little frustrating.
After the Avril Lavigne-like opener of 'Are You Happy Now?', fans of 'The Spirit Room' will relish the familiarly of 'Find Your Way Back' and strength of 'Empty Handed', where Branch's voice immediately conveys a lived-in maturity. The chorus' of 'Tuesday Morning' and 'Breathe' will make for great driving music, while the standout track, 'Love Me Like That', with Sheryl Crow is pure 'Rumours' era Fleetwood Mac.
As a progression, 'Hotel Paper' is everything you could have hoped for at this stage. Next time, she just needs to remember that not everyone wants to hear about the downsides of fame (Kelly Jones take note) meaning the latter half of the album tends to merge into one. As a young songwriter Branch has a long way to go, a point she'd probably concur with.
However, her style is evolving and there's plenty here to suggest her quest for respectability will only be bolstered by 'Hotel Paper'. She's a natural successor to Sheryl Crow but a little more Joni Mitchell and a touch extra Stevie Nicks could make this aspiring great into something very special. She'll just need to dig a bit deeper, be hurt a bit more and truly suffer for her art.
