Hotel Paper is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Michelle Branch which was released on June 24, 2003.

Some of the major themes on Hotel Paper are leaving things behind, constantly being on the move, independence, the mysteries of bus stations and spirituality.Sheffield, Rob. . Rolling Stone. RS 926, July 10, 2003. The album's cover is a photograph of Branch by Sheryl Nields.

Hotel Paper debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling 157,000 copies in its first week—it was Branch's highest sales week and surpassed the peak position of her previous major label album, The Spirit Room (2001).Martens, Todd. . Billboard. July 2, 2003. By December 2003, Hotel Paper was certified platinum by the RIAA.. Recording Industry Association of America. The album had sold 1,116,000 copies in the U.S. as of March 2009. Hotel Paper was certified gold in Canada for shipment of 50,000 copies.. Canadian Recording Industry Association.

"Are You Happy Now?", the album's first single, peaked at number sixteen on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, Branch's third nomination. The second single was "Breathe", which reached number thirty-six on the Hot 100 and became a top five club hit. A third single, "'Til I Get over You", was released with no music video and failed to chart.

Singles

*"Are You Happy Now?" May 20, 2003

*"Breathe" December 9, 2003

*"'Til I Get Over You"

Personnel

*Michelle Branch — acoustic guitar, guitar, percussion, vocals

*Josh Abraham — keyboards

*Kenny Aronoff — drums

*Paul Bushnell — bass

*Chris Chaney — bass

*Luis Conte — percussion

*Sheryl Crow — vocals on "Love Me like That"

*Rick DePofi — percussion

*Mike Elizondo — bass

*John Leventhal — bass, guitar, keyboards

*Brian McCleod — drums

*Jamie Muhoberac — keyboards

*Dave Navarro — guitar

*Shawn Pelton — drums

*Dan Rothchild — bass

*John Shanks — bass, guitar

*Stuart Smith — mandolin

*Patrick Warren — keyboards

*Greg Wells — organ, bass, guitar, piano, Wurlitzer

*Jessica Harp — backing vocals on "Desperately"

Production

*Producers: Josh Abraham, Rick DePofi, John Leventhal, John Shanks, Greg Wells

*Engineers: Daniel Chase, Rick DePofi, Marc DeSisto, Lars Fox, Chris Reynolds, Jeff Rothschild, Brian Scheuble, Ryan Williams

*Assistant engineers: Chris Holmes, Brian Humphrey, Eric Reichers, Mark Valentine

*Mixing: Josh Abraham, assistant: Jesse Gorman, Chris Lord-Alge, Roger Moutenot, Jim Scott

*Mastering: Brian Gardner

*A&R: Danny Strick

*Assistant: Jorge Velez

*Production coordination: Jill Dell'Abate

*Programming: Josh Abraham

*String arrangements: David Campbell

*Photography: Sheryl Nields

Charts

Album

Certifications

Singles

References

Category:2003 albums

Category:Albums produced by Josh Abraham

Category:Maverick Records albums

Category:Michelle Branch albums

Category:Albums produced by John Shanks

Category:Albums produced by John Leventhal

Category:Albums produced by Greg Wells

Category:Albums certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan

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Artist/Band Information

Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch Landau (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. During the early 2000s, she released two top-selling albums, The Spirit Room and Hotel Paper, and was subsequently nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2003. In 2005, she formed the country music duo The Wreckers with friend and fellow musician Jessica Harp, and produced the Grammy-nominated single "Leave the Pieces". However, The Wreckers disbanded in 2007 to pursue their respective solo careers. She has had several commercially successful songs, although her most notable achievement is the Grammy-winning song "The Game of Love", in collaboration with Santana.

Life and career

1983–2000: Early life & Broken Bracelet

Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch was born on July 2, 1983, in Sedona, Arizona, to David and Peggy Branch, six months after they were married. Her father is of Irish descent, and her mother is of Dutch Indonesian and French descent. Her siblings include an older half-brother named David and a younger sister named Nicole.

Beginning to sing at the age of three, Branch enrolled in voice lessons at Northern Arizona University when she was eight, and received her first guitar for her fourteenth birthday. After teaching herself chords, she composed her first song "Fallen" within a week of receiving her guitar. She initially attended Sedona Red Rock High School, but finished the last two years of her high school education through home schooling so that she could focus on her music career. To support Branch's interests, her parents helped her book local gigs in Sedona, AZ, and later financed her independent album Broken Bracelet. Her set list at these gigs included covers by Sheryl Crow, Lisa Loeb, Jewel, and Fleetwood Mac.

In June 1998, Branch self-produced Broken Bracelet, a compilation of songs she wrote when she was 14 and 15; the album was later released on the independent record label Twin Dragon Records in June 2000. Its title was inspired from a bracelet made by pop singer Jewel, given to Branch by musician Steve Poltz at a Lisa Loeb concert she attended. Poltz told Branch that "when it breaks, you'll be famous." The Broken Bracelet recordings were destroyed in the Nashville floods in May of 2010.

In December 1999, she posted two of her songs on the Rolling Stone website, which caught the attention of both pop rock band Hanson and former Rolling Stone writer and Los Angeles record producer Jeff Rabhan, eventually leading to two gigs opening for Hanson in 2000.

2001–04: The Spirit Room

In 2001, Branch signed a recording deal with Maverick Records, where she began working with John Shanks to produce her first album and major-label debut. The album, The Spirit Room, was released in August 2001, producing the hit single "Everywhere." The single was a commercial success, winning the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards Viewer's Choice Award. "Everywhere" was later followed by singles "All You Wanted" and "Goodbye to You." In August 2001, she appeared on Total Request Live after "Everywhere" reached No. 4 on their charts. Due to the mainstream success of those released singles, The Spirit Room was certified Platinum by the RIAA for selling over a million copies. By 2003, The Spirit Room had sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

Branch met Justincase before her debut on Maverick Records, becoming friends over the Internet before meeting in Las Vegas for a music convention in 2000.Singer, Kristi (October 25, 2002). "Three siblings ready to rock", The Star-News, p. 12. Justincase was signed to Maverick Records in late 2001 with the help of Branch.McCartney, Kelly. "", Allmusic. Retrieved on 2009-07-29.(November 26, 2002). "Early family lifestyle influences rock band: Although the teen group justincase can cite many musical influences on their career, one of the strongest is from their tight family and the music they heard at home", Charlottetown Guardian, p. C6.Campbell, Chuck (November 15, 2002). "justincase: justincase", Knoxville News Sentinel, p. 18. A self-titled debut album on October 29, 2002 which included several collaborations with Michelle Branch — including the lead single, "Don't Cry for Us" — who promoted the album on MTV's Total Request Live.Menconi, David (March 1, 2003). "North Carolina boasts a host of artists, labels and studios that have gained national attention and hope to attract more", Billboard 115 (9): 17–18.

In 2002, she teamed up with Santana to produce the song "The Game of Love," which went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. She also earned a Grammy nomination in 2003 for Best New Artist, but was edged out by Norah Jones.

Hotel Paper

Her second album Hotel Paper was released in 2003, and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 charts and matched the commercial success of her debut album earning a Platinum certification by the RIAA for selling over a million copies. However, the album was met with mixed reviews. The lead single "Are You Happy Now?" was a chart success, earning her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, though she was ultimately edged out by Pink's "Trouble." The following singles, however, "Breathe" and "'Til I Get over You," did not match the first single's success. Branching out into television, she appeared in several shows, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, American Dreams, and Charmed. In June 2004, she hosted MTV's "Faking the Video" alongside Nick Lachey and JC Chasez. She also appeared in the Rob Schneider film The Hot Chick. Branch married her bass player Teddy Landau in Mexico on May 23, 2004, and gave birth to a baby girl named Owen Isabelle on August 3, 2005. Prior to meeting her husband she dated guitarist Sean Woolstenhulme of Lifehouse and The Calling.

2005–07: The Wreckers

The Wreckers on stage.jpgthumbright2p0x0Michelle Branch (center) during a June 2007 concert with Jessica Harp (right) as The Wreckers.

In July 2005, Branch began collaborating with her backup singer and longtime friend Jessica Harp. They were initially known as "The Cass County Homewreckers" as a joke by Branch's husband, but they trimmed it down to The Wreckers. Their album attempted to combine their respective genres—pop rock and country. It was originally slated for release in June 2005 but was delayed because of reasons surrounding Branch's pregnancy. The duo's first single "Leave the Pieces" was released in February, 2006, while their album Stand Still, Look Pretty was released in May.

During this period, they contributed to Santana's album All That I Am, with the song "I'm Feeling You," appearing on the American teen television drama One Tree Hill, and joined country music stars Rascal Flatts on a U.S. tour. They initially toured with Gavin DeGraw, Tyler Hilton and Bethany Joy Galeotti which was also written into the show during the second season. The group was nominated for the 2006 CMA Awards Vocal Duo of the Year and for a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song "Leave the Pieces" in December, 2006. Stand Still, Look Pretty was certified Gold by the RIAA with sales of 851,000 copies as of March 2009. The Wreckers split in 2007.

Branch sold her Calabasas home and moved to Nashville.

2008–2010: Everything Comes and Goes

Immediately thereafter, Branch wrote an unreleased song for Mandy Moore's 2007 album Wild Hope, and also wrote "Together" for the soundtrack of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2; it was also featured as the final song ever played on the CBS TV soap opera, Guiding Light. In October 2007, she announced that she was working on a new solo album and later reported the title would be Everything Comes and Goes. In June 2008, she played several live shows in preparation for the album's release with her sister Nicole singing backing vocals.

In early 2009, she sang the song "I Lose My Heart" in a duet with Chris Isaak on his new album Mr. Lucky. A video was released for a The first single from the album "Sooner Or Later" was released on July 28, 2009. Also in 2009, she recorded "A Case of You" (originally by Joni Mitchell) for the compilation Covered, A Revolution in Sound which commemorated Warner Bros. Records 50th anniversary. A video was made for the song "This Way" and uploaded to Branch's official YouTube account in October 2009, but it was not released as a single and did not chart. (The video was included on a limited edition DVD entitled The Video Anthology available on michellebranch.com.) Everything Comes and Goes was finally released as a six-track extended play on July 16, 2010, via Michelle's website and would be available at all retailers one month later. In 2010, Branch and R&B/hip-hop producer Timbaland collaborated on a pop/R&B song entitled "Getaway" and released a video.

2011 onwards: Third studio album

In December 2010, it was announced by Branch that she would be returning to her Pop/Rock roots for her new album. Much like her first major label album, The Spirit Room, her new album will once again feature production duties from John Shanks. Branch has since left her label Warner Bros. Records, the label she has been with for years and the album is scheduled to be released on Branch's own vanity label Sticks n' Stones Recordings Ltd and distributed through Reprise Records. In January 2011, Branch confirmed in an interview with Katie Krause from Hollywire.com that the album is yet to be titled but would be released in June of this year.http

Musical style and influence

She states that her music has been influenced by The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Aerosmith, Lisa Loeb, Joni Mitchell, Queen, Alanis Morissette, Jewel, Fleetwood Mac and Cat Stevens. classical music and older country music. Rolling Stone magazine, 6/17/03 Retrieved on 02-24-08 Branch mainly uses a Gibson Hummingbird after retiring her blue Taylor 614ce.

Discography

Studio albums

*Broken Bracelet (2000)

*The Spirit Room (2001)

*Hotel Paper (2003)

EPs

*Everything Comes and Goes (2010)

Filmography

Awards

References