Michelle Branch - Hotel Paper
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CD Details
Artist: Michelle BranchEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2003-06-24
Music Label: Maverick
Soundtracks:
- Intro
- Are You Happy Now?
- Find My Way Back
- Empty Handed
- Tuesday Morning
- One Of These Days
- Love Me Like That
- Desperatly
- Breathe
- Where are You Now?
- Hotel Paper
- Til I Get Over You
- It's You
Music reviews of Hotel Paper
Music Review: The maturity others can't accept.........
Rating: 5 Stars
I am never really into Michelle Branch until I purchased both her albums. I am more of a nessahoilc, yes I'm a fan of Vanessa Carlton. So, after buying this CD last 2003 together with The Spirit Room, I was impressed. I don't agree with people saying TSR is better than Hotel Paper, just because TSR is more of a mainstream sound, it doesn't mean it's better in quality.
I listened to The Spirit Room, and I was like, "okay, but not great, clearly she did not handle all the production of the songs the way Vanessa Carlton did (she asked for the accompaniment of a full orchestra in most of the BNN cd)." The songs are listenable and good, but quite forgettable, except for the singles.
When I turned on to the 2nd CD, I thought,"this'd better be good" so I listened to it and I was blown away! The songs are crafted with a more personal touch that made the record better.
You can clearly compare this release with Harmonium (Vanessa Carlton's sophomore slump album), not because they sound the same, but because there are darker songs in both cds, and gives you the right to feel mature and somber...
Though I agree with the other reviewers that some songs sound the same, a few more listens will let you tell them apart, for example:
Find Your Way Back:
At the climax of the song...
(Michelle almost whispering).."I used to get away with so much.......(a sudden silence, then, loud instrumentation and Michelle singing at the top of her voice)...I'm finding my way back to you...."
Next,
Tuesday Morning, at the same part as FYWB:
(Michelle almost whispering).."Tuesday Morning, in the dark........a sudden silence, then, loud instrumentation and Michelle singing at the top of her voice)...We were finding out, who we are...."
My version of the CD is at follows:
1. Intro- Just a 12 second clip. I'm not going to rate it.
2. Are You Happy Now- 5/5 Dark, and deeply mature. One of the highlighgts of the album. Gives you the chils. Even the video is scary. The chord progression is unique.
3. Find Your Way Back- 5/5 Breezy, moody, and thought-provoking. Has a single potential and could have been a hit. One of my personal favorite.
4. Empty Handed- 4/5 One of those I-like-it or I-hate-it type of songs. No one is in between this song once they heard it. And I happen to like it. The vocal arrangement is great.
5. Tuesday Morning- 5/5 A song reminiscent of track # 3. Breezy, and the sentimental bug bites you. The lyrics are personal, but you will like it anyway. One of the album highlights.
6. One of These Days- 5/5 The song different from the rest of the entire album. It is so amazing that this song is made up of only 4 chords (I figured out the song in 10 minutes) played from the piano. A pretty haunting ballad and a tear-jerker.
7. Love Me Like That- 4.5/5 The first song I heard sung by Michelle with a country sound,oh, I forgot Sheryl Crow. This song is catchy though a few more listens will start you getting bored with it.... great collaboration though.
8. Desperately- 3/5 I never really got into this song, though the lyrics are great. I believe this is one of the earlier songs written for the album. The lyrics starts getting teeanager-like again. Reminiscent of The Spirit Room.
9. Breathe- PERFECT! I'm not going to rate it anymore. Definitely more than 5000000000/5 This song is so catchy and every people in the world who listened to this song got hook with it. I think that in every 50 people, only one will not like this song. Even if you listen to genres far from that of Michelle's, you would still love this song. The lyrics are inspiring. It's the I'm-brokenhearted-today-and-I'll-be-crying-today-but-tomorrow-I'll-be-alright type of songs. Even good to those who are not broken hearted, this song gives you the reason on why we should wake up everyday. Why listen to those inspiring ballads like Hero when this song gives you confidence in a very good manner. Very enlightening.
10. Where Are You Now?- 3.5/5 Another song reminiscent of The Spirit Room. Though the musicasl stylings and background are those of Hotel Paper.
11. Hotel Paper- 5/5 Okay, I really happen to like this song and I don't think I'm mistaken by giving it 5 stars. Though I was disappointed when I thought this song would be more personal. The album got its name because during the Spirit Room tour, the whole second album was written in pieces of hotel papers, thus getting its name. So when the first line began
"I write mostly on hotel paper
knowing that my thoughts would never leave this room."
I thought, "wow" but I was disappointed because I did not see anything more personal in the song. The next lines and the whole song were made up of lyrics not connected to the 1st line. It's another broken hearted song, though unusual musically which made it great.
12.'Till I get Over You-5/5 Michelle's singing a bit of French here. This song is hauntingly beautiful, I would love to see a video for it though I doubt it on second thought, the song is dark and very radiounfriendly. Michelle's singing made this song one of its highlights.
13. (Bonus Track) Everywhere- 5/5 Yep, that's her first single, now don't get me wrong, this is a very strong single and song, though I totally feel this is used more of as a filler when packed together with the rest of the songs in Hotel Paper, because the lyrics are too young and innocent.
14. (Bonus Track)The Game of Love-5/5 It's very nice this song was included. A huge hit, and if you heard it you'll know why, the production was not crapped, they really spent their time in this production. Another highlight before the album ends.
15. It's You- 5/5 Most copies of the HP has this as the 13th and final track. I have a strong feeling that this song was not engineered that's why the vocals sounds raw, though, that's what made the song's beauty of Michelle and her guitar--no other accompaniments. A good album ender, a tear jerker, too. then after the last song, a few-second sound clip similar to the intro plays.
Then, the album ends....
Now I totally know what bugged the people who are disappointed with this cd. It is more of a somber type rather than a sunny sunshine type like that of Spirit Room, (well, except for the bonus tracks in the import edition The most popular copies have only 13 tracks on them). Hotel Paper is the right time to feel your sensitive side and maturity. A good album to feel somber.
Description of Hotel Paper
2003 follow-up to the platinum 2001 album, 'The Spirit Room', includes the featured track, 'Are You Happy Now?'. The CD is also enhanced with 6 videos - Making of Hotel Paper 'In The Studio', 'Are You Happy Now?', & 'One Of These Days' and Live Performance from Sessions @ AOL 'Find Your Way Back', 'Empty Handed' & 'Hotel paper' plus Michelle Branch photo gallery. Maverick.Alternative Rock CDs
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