Michelle Branch is Everywhere with Hopeless Romantic; says Goodbye to Warner & Is Happy Now, Rea
It has been radio silence for Michelle Branch since her last album, Hotel Paper, in 2003. The Pop/Rock artist was trapped in a contract with Warner Bros for 14 years where the major label shelved two of her projects. Once out of contract Michelle partnered with current boyfriend Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney; both ignored the new label’s president who also didn’t care for her new sound, in order to produce the album she really believed in. Thank goodness for that because her album Hopeless Romantic was met with wide open arms from her loyal fan base. The album dropped April 7th and that night the Marlin Room at Webster Hall was packed with an extremely eager crowd; standing on the edge of our toes more than ready for the new track list plus some true Michelle Branch classics.
The night went by way too fast, even for Michelle. She was taking it all in thinking she would never have gotten to perform or record again. And thankfully that is not the case because she was so happy to be back and to be completely herself. The energy was electric (the house music upstairs might of had the ceiling shaking, but Michelle rocked the stage, reaching every person in the crowd with her electric guitar and her new lyrics).
We heard the first single off the album Best You Ever: I want you to remember me every time you scream as the best you ever/I want you to remember me in a lucid dream as the best you ever and the title track Hopeless Romantic:You got me on my knees, you got me crawling/love is always better when you’re falling/everything is dangerous when it’s just the two of us. Also heard the closest thing Michelle says she will write to a disco song Temporary Feeling: it’s just a temporary feeling I’m gonna have to let you go/ I’m gonna love you, love you like i mean it then I need to take it slow. You’re Good: everybody tells me that you're not enough they don’t understand you like the way I do/ Will never change their minds because their not in love with you. My personal favorite Fault Line: I feel safe when we are standing in the wreckage/you start to pull me under when I try to keep my head above the water/we can’t rewrite all our mistakes/lovers on a fault line.
Michelle introduced the final track of the album City explaining how she’s happy now after her life experiences in her 20’s, from being dropped by her label to being divorced at 30. She eloquently proclaimed “F*ck your 20s, all you 20 somethings in the crowd you can have them” She went through her journey, but she is where she is now happier and stronger than ever. In love and in control of her art and her voice again. That’s what was so great about this crowd and this revival. You have the 30+ something year olds in the crowd and the current 20-somethings in the crowd side by side relating to different pieces of her. As a 9 year old Spirit Room got me through some personal losses, a time that only the lyrics of Goodbye To You and All You Wanted could only make sense of. As a teenager figuring out young love Everywhere, Breathe, and Are You Happy Now nailed that roller coaster head on.
Hopeless Romantic expresses the next stages of life. Maturing, falling in and out of love, embracing those nostalgic memories while moving on and taking ownership of your next move. You’d be hard pressed to not find a song you can relate to on some level. Which is what Michelle has perfected with her next chapter. She’s back and she’s not slowing down. The vinyl comes out this Friday May 5th along with tour dates starting in July! I believe because of the 14 year hurdle Michelle took to get to this next stage Hopeless Romantic represents more than just a new album. It represents not letting the past define you or stop you. Everyone has a voice and everyone has a story to create. Define your own life, embrace it, and make it work for you. Listen to this album and definitely go to a show this summer and you might just identify a missing piece to your own story.
