Michelle Branch
The Spirit Room

THE REVIEW

First successful album for the young American rocker, for many, Michelle Branch's debut album. It contains the most famous hit, "Everywhere", perhaps the most rock song on the album, known in Italy for a famous advertisement of a well-known telephone company, catchy and rhythmically just right. The girl might want to seem like an already seasoned artist, in the album photos and in the stories on her site, recounting an early passion for music, with the first pieces written when she was just a child; the genre she pursues is certainly commercial rock, but some pieces show decisively pop turns, with lyrics of the same imprint for all the tracks, and sometimes the voice may seem too childish, but certain notes are reached excellently and especially in harmony with each other. She sings and plays her own songs, the new Alanis Morrisette, as predicted by some journalists from her homeland, demonstrating a certain talent also in playing the guitar, which she seems to care a lot about. Another single "All You Wanted", a small success with a decent arpeggio well arranged, but overall nothing so exciting. It can be listened to, but at times it reveals ordinary immaturity, even in the lyrics, yet the search for sound is constant.

The tracks, eleven for forty-three minutes, vary from slow and sad to more rhythmic and cheerful, denoting the distinct commercial orientation that the artist takes, shaped according to market needs by managers and producers, while in the air there is a desire for alternativity, hidden among the lines and chords but never made explicit. "Goodbye To You" appeared in acoustic version in the soundtrack of the TV show "Buffy", and is another acceptable track, followed by "If Only She Knew" and "I'd Rather Be In Love", qualitatively good near-rock songs, while among the ballads "Here With Me", "Sweet Misery" find their place in the ensemble but not success as singles, better "Drop In The Ocean". Many songs in this album exist in an acoustic live version, decently performed by the singer, alone with a guitar, who proves she can handle well even live, not leaving us disappointed.

She wants to create a new kind of character, a sort of "Bad Girl" of pop, with this album released in 2001, in a period that precedes the arrival of another rising rock star, Avril Lavigne, who will push Michelle out of the charts, perhaps not up to it because she is too little flashy compared to her Canadian friend. In fact, a video circulating on the internet shows Michelle during an interview introducing Avril to the cameras, who will be the true "Bad Girl". Miracles (or oddities) of show business; however, "Everywhere" will remain in memory, which will hardly be associated with the author's image.

Electronics, synthesizers, pianos and violins in the background, but also pure guitar parts, with the peculiarity of that original voice, "hers", intrigue the listener, but perhaps being eighteen years old does not bring Michelle the desired and undeserved credibility. It leaves us waiting for new work to understand if it's worth it.