Serendipity Media

Nearly two years since the release of her sparkling multi-platinum debut, Michelle Branch returns with her sophomore album. While the songs from The Spirit Room were so irresistibly catchy and innocently upbeat that even the forlorn ones felt hopeful, this time around the final product is a set of songs that describe the anger of betrayal, struggle to move on and seclusion of being on the road alone. In fact, only a song or two would fit gracefully into the tapestry of her perky debut album. The mid-tempo "Find My Way Back" perhaps has the closest resemblance to Branch's earlier hits and is sure to strike a cord with her dedicated fan base, and the second single "Breathe" is a burst of much-needed positive energy. The emotional ballad "Tuesday Morning" closely examines difficult regrets, while the aggressive guitar and orchestra combination of "Empty Handed" beautifully support the sole track about something other than love. Both songs use simple symbolism to add further depth to their musical illustrations. Sure to spark much debate are the short instrumental pieces surrounding the songs. The album opens unexpectedly with a 12-second-long "Intro," a happy tune that sounds like it was pulled from a silent film. The closing ballad "It's You" concludes with a haunting version of the church hymn "He Lifted Me," and though its words speak of being uplifted by the love of Jesus, the old and creaky music appears to signal the loss of innocence. It's accompanied by the rhythmic drone of a clock ticking, conjuring up an image of being alone in a dark hotel room, listening to time pass you by with nothing but your dashed hopes and loneliness sitting beside you. Hotel Paper is a conscientious attempt to mature as an artist, and the album's despondent atmosphere is certainly a shift in sound, but Branch's writing is still too simple to allow her to make much of a mark as a songwriter. Though it's perfectly pleasant to listen to, and is a slight improvement over The Spirit Room, it quite comfortably fits the bill as quintessential background music.