Country Universe – A Country Music Blog

Michelle Branch, “Sooner Or Later”

Friday, July 24th, 2009

…Or as I’m going to call it, “Michelle Branch Copying Taylor Swift Copying Michelle Branch.”

For real, though. I didn’t sit in when this was made or anything, but it sounds like it passed through so many levels of self-consciousness that most of the personality just got rubbed out of the mix at some point, leaving behind a flimsy song and a recycled production.

It’s not unpleasant listening, but it’s difficult to avoid comparing to Swift’s similar (and superior) “You Belong With Me,” and even harder to enjoy in the context of Branch’s own body of work, which has seen both pop and pop-country with much more passion, maturity and distinction.

Remind me why we can’t have The Wreckers again?

Grade: C-

Listen: Sooner Or Later

Say What? – Michelle Branch

Saturday, January 24th, 2009

Michelle Branch on her upcoming album, from last week’s issue of Billboard:

It’s more singer/songwriter than, I would say, country, but I think the term ‘country’ is all relative now.  There’s really no room for singer/songwriters anymore at radio, so I think this is a natural step.

The album will be marketed as country by Warner Bros. Nashville and features a duet with Dwight Yoakam.

Thoughts?