As an artist ingrained in all of our teen conscience, Michelle Branch is an individual whose songs are able to elicit immediate nostalgia.

Known for hits like “Everywhere,” “All You Wanted” and “Breathe,” her songs captured what it was like to be a young woman falling in and out of love at that time — something that was different from all the candy-coated pop tunes coming out in the early 2000s.

She hit the road with her own solo material for the first time in fourteen years — and she gladly brought out the “Hopeless Romantic” in all of us.

Since her last records “The Spirit Room” and “Hotel Paper,” she’s gotten married, had a daughter (now 11), got divorced, fell in and out of love and learned how to be single for the first time since she was a teenager. She went through various Warner Brothers label presidents, all putting her music up and down. And with a decade’s worth of songs and a country duo project The Wreckers behind her, her relationship with The Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney inspired something new in her — she fell in love and felt encouraged and supported to get her music out in the way she wanted.

In April, she finally released “Hopeless Romantic” — an album that shows just how much she’s grown as a woman. It features more rock and synth pop elements as her vocals and moody lyrics about love and heartbreak still stem from her ability to write honest, confessional work.

Through a last minute decision and fortunate event, I was able to personally meet and see Michelle Branch live at the House of Blues, Anaheim last Sunday night. She interspersed her older material throughout her set religiously, definitely paying homage to her older material while still rocking out with new ones. She slowed a lot of them down, making them her own and highlighting the band in her performance.

Watch my full video review with clips of her performance below:

Set List:

“Best You Ever”
“You Get Me”
“Hopeless Romantic”
“All You Wanted”
“Heartbreak Now”
“Knock Yourself Out”
“Leave The Pieces” (The Wreckers Song)
“Game Of Love” (Santana Song)
“Living In A Lie”
“Not A Love Song”
“City”
“Breathe”
“Fault Line”
“Are You Happy Now”
“Goodbye To You” (Encore)
“Everywhere” (Solo)

Michelle Branch's new album "Hopeless Romantic" is available to purchase now. Be sure to keep up with Michelle and catch her on tour at michellebranch.com.