Hometown: Norwich, England
First Recordings: early 1990s

Personnel:
Beth Orton -vocals, guitar
Ted Barnes -guitar, mandolin
Ali Friend -bass
Will Blanchard -drums
Lee Spencer -keyboards
Keith Tenniswood -guitar, keyboards
David Boulter -harmonium, Hammond organ
Sean Read -Hammond organ, piano

Related Artists:
Ben Harper, Everything But The Girl, William Orbit, Red Snapper, Terry Callier, The Chemical Brothers

Notes:
Once Beth Orton decided to work with William Orbit as the duo, Spill, on a cover of John Martyn's "Don't' Wanna Know About Evil", she decided to ditch her pursuit of an acting career and immerse herself in music. She continued to work with Orbit on his 1993 release Strange Cargo 3 and then worked with Red Snapper. In 1995, Orton contributed her vocals to the Chemical Brothers' "Alive: Alone" for their debut LP and soon found herself signed to Heavenly records. In 1996, she released her first EP, She Cries Your Name, which was followed by her remarkable debut LP, Trailer Park, and her fusion of acoustic folk and other worldly electronic music caught the attention of all types of music fans. Her 1997 release Best Bit EP previewed the more natural and soulful sounds that would appear on her brilliant second full length album, Central Reservation.

I think I want to be Beth Orton when I grow up. She has a quietly strong demeanor through which she gently and modestly bestows her calm, comforting wisdom. Considering that Trailer Park is her debut, the level of awareness on display here is definitely amazing.

Trailer Park is positively radiant, glittering with warm acoustic arrangements and heavenly, floating wisps of jazz and electronic music. Add Orton's heart-crushing melodies and her lyrical sincerity, and the music becomes absolutely breathtaking. The exotic, mystical spaciness of "Galaxy of Emptiness" and "She Cries Your Name" is thoroughly alluring. Sounding like an old blues song, "Sugar Boy" is sad and immensely beautiful, and that same tinge of country and blues that can make her songs both so painful and endearing runs through "How Far" and "Whenever." Orton even goes and pours her melancholy grace all over the Ronnettes' "I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine".

For all of its sorrow, though, Trailer Park still beams with hope and tenderness. Orton's optimism is wonderfully clear on "Live As You Dream," and hearing her sing "I'm no one's daughter/ I belong to the sun/ Gonna ease your pain till the morning comes" on "Someone's Daughter" sends you soaring. "Don't Need A Reason," however, is the most powerfully emotional track on the album. The slow, weeping strings are horribly touching, and when Orton claims, "So I've been calling angels down to earth/ And I don't need a reason/ Calling angels down to earth/ Cos I believe we need them" your stomach will clench, your throat will close, your eyes will tear, and your heart will swell. And if Beth Orton can do all of that on her first album, you can be sure that all that follows Trailer Park is just as important to hold on to.

If you like Beth Orton, check out:
Beth Orton Central Reservation
The Beatles Rubber Soul
June Tabor A Quiet Eye
The Beatles Revolver
Björk Post
Elliott Smith XO
Portishead Dummy
George Harrison All Things Must Pass
Dot Allison Afterglow

-- Lori Latimer

Ink Blot Home
about | archives | contact | links

---

Copyright © 1997-2002 Ink Blot Magazine. All rights reserved.