I'd Be With You (Curb, 1997)

Oddly enough, Kippi Brannon's debut label release "I'd Be With You" is not really a debut at all. Brannon's recording career began at age 12, and she had charting singles by age 16 before dropping out of the business. But despite her maturity, top-notch session players and a dandy packaging job, this album is dullsville raised to the ninth power. Recent memory fails to bring to mind a less distinguished selection of songs or a less inspiring set of vocal performances.

The album begins with title cut, which starts interestingly enough with a bluesy kind of fiddle intro. But by the time chorus comes it's clear that this song was intended to be a clone of "Any Man Of Mine." From the generic pop feel of "The Greatest Love I've Ever Known" to the driving beat of "Two More To Drive Away," there is literally nothing memorable.

Brannon's voice is pure jingle-quality middle-of-the-road pop, and the songs seem like they were picked at random during a 20-minute cruise through nether outskirts of Music Row.