Maverick
Pop Rock, 2001
Michelle Branch sounds eeriely like a prepubescent Alanis Morissette, back when Ms Morissette makes accessible rock/pop. Ms Branch isn’t that angry though. Her lyrics are more like a teenage girl’s confessionals.
The trouble is, Alanis Morissette is so 1997. But maybe legions of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans will get this CD for the song Goodbye to You, you know, the song that played while Giles leave Buffy in a most inept scene written by Mutant Enemy. But that Buffy rant is another thing altogether. Back to The Spirit Room.
It’s not bad, the songs. They are listenable, tuneful, and they are great for singalongs too. My favorite is All You Wanted, Sweet Misery, and of course Goodbye to You (bye Giles, bye-eee!). But these songs neither break new grounds nor even attempt to. It’s safe, pretty, and predictable pop masquerading as something heavy. Not exactly a bad thing in my book of philistine music tastes, but still, Alanis Morissette is so 1997. Hmm.
