Author: Clyde Lee Dennis
Beth Orton has released her most recent CD entitled Comfort of
Strangers.
The most striking thing about this, her fourth release, is the
range of emotions Orton goes through in the course of delivering
the 14 songs in this collection. As an indication of this range
the title track, Worms is soothing enough to please fans of
Norah Jones, while Heartland Truckstop is as edgy as Patti Smith.
As usual Orton's songs give voice to the sort of knotty, prickly
emotions that are as hard to define as they are deeply felt.
That said I find her music extremely mellow and easy to follow.
As for style, the CD is full of pop melodies and tales of lost
love, with tinges of blues and soul sprinkled in.
Overall Comfort of Strangers is excellent from beginning to end.
One of those CDs that after a few listens the songs are just
etched into your memory.
While this entire CD is outstanding the truly standout tunes are
Comfort Of Strangers [track 3], And Safe In Your Arms [track 6],
and A Place Aside [track 11]. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the
one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 2,
Conceived. Very nice!
Release Notes:
Beth Orton originally released Comfort of Strangers on February
7, 2006 on the Astralwerks record label.
CD track list follows:
1. Worms
2. Conceived
3. Comfort Of Strangers
4. Heartland Truckstop
5. Shadow Of A Doubt
6. Safe In Your Arms
7. Countenance
8. Rectify
9. Feral Children
10. Shopping Trolley
11. A Place Aside
12. Absinthe
13. Heart Of Soul
14. Pieces Of Sky
To listen to samples of each song on Comfort of Strangers by
Beth Orton go to: Beth Orton CD - Comfort of Strangers MP3 Samples