Beth Orton: Classic or Dud?

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I just love Beth, great melodies/harmonies, great guitar playing, nippy rhythms, consoling and uplifting lyrics.

AND! On top of all that she's just the most willowy elfin faced beauty in pop *swoons*.

I suppose you could call me a fan.

― Chris Sallis, Friday, 28 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Hey, were you the guy who told me to stop heckling her (opening for Beck) and snuck off like a coward when I called you out?

― dave q, Friday, 28 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

it's always puzzled me why i like her so much. she's not exactly orginal and the second album was much more trad singer songwritery stuff in the league of second division folky types like vashti bunyan, but i do like her a lot. i think 1. the fact she's gorgeous helps 2. she has a really strange voice, especially in this genre. i'm thinking of stuff like "touch me with your love" where the music is so shifting and her voice is so warm on it. it was a new sound to me and i guess i've forgiven her for a lot of derivative tosh since then. can't help but fear the curse of diminishing returns will continue if she keeps on a ryan adams bent though...

― commonswings, Friday, 28 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Dud. Saw her open for Beck on the "Midnite Vultures" tour, almost fell asleep.

― Daniel_Rf, Friday, 28 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Boooooooring!

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 28 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Wonderful. Really wonderful. Her version of 'I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine' is probably the greatest thing ever recorded.

Okay, not probably.

― DavidM, Saturday, 29 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Heh I also saw Orton supporting John Cale - she was incredibly boring and useless.

― Andrew L, Sunday, 30 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

No it wasn't me Dave. I haven't actually seen Beth live but I did capture Beck's set at Radiohead's South Park gig last summer.

He was pants.

― chris sallis, Sunday, 30 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

The following is shamelessly stolen from the new Rocking Vicar newsletter:

Parishioner David Quantick: "Mention of Terry Callier reminds me of his one -time collaborator, honking fake folkie Beth Orton, whose Loose Ends debut was marred, not by her cawing Nick Drakeisms, but by a spectacularly inept interview by Ned Sherrin, whose knowledge of Heavenly Records' recording artistes might be even slimmer than one suspects.

NED: Beth Orton ... come and join us, Beth.

BETH: Fanks.

NED: So ... you're a country and western singer, rather unusual for these times?

BETH: No. No, I'm not a country and western singer.

NED: I ... see. (angry look at researcher behind glass, rustle of papers). Now, your new album is influenced by a variety of other country and western singers, isn't it?

BETH: I'm not a country and western singer. I don't really like country and western.

NED: I see ... must have a word with my, ha ha ha, researchers ... (angrier look than before, long pause). So ... which country and western acts have been the biggest influence on you?

BETH: Er... I'm not a country and western singer...

― Andrew L, Wednesday, 3 July 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

i have been really liking the song "think about tomorrow"

― ron (ron), Thursday, 12 September 2002 05:08 (10 years ago) Permalink

pace Quantick - I love Beth's version of "Dolphins" with Terry C - the first thing she's done since "She Cries Your Name" that's really made me prick up my ears. She kinda personifies weedy beige folkpap nowadays tho doesn't she? If Coldplay were a girl...or something.

― Charlie (Charlie), Thursday, 12 September 2002 05:14 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Ronettes version of "I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine" is probably my favorite song of all time.

I've never actually heard Beth, but she's really cute.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Thursday, 12 September 2002 05:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

check out this photo, it's really wonderful:

― ron (ron), Thursday, 12 September 2002 05:22 (10 years ago) Permalink

Did she actually say she doesn't like country & western? Well fuck her.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 12 September 2002 06:54 (10 years ago) Permalink

I really love her second album. Yeah, not original, but has some great melodies and production touches, aphoristic-style lyrics that actually work. First one is pleasant but I'm not as into it, and I haven't been able get into the new one yet.

Although, I'm always gonna have a soft-spot because physically she reminds me of an old summer love. I think even her speaking voice/accent are similar to the gurl in question. (Not a wholly defensible take on her, I'll admit.)

― wl, Thursday, 12 September 2002 12:11 (10 years ago) Permalink

i have never heard her talk, but i would really like to. i got up this morning and listened to this song about 10 times in a row

― ron (ron), Thursday, 12 September 2002 13:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

I think she is a snoozefest. (And no, that was not a compliment.)

― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 12 September 2002 14:06 (10 years ago) Permalink

Classic but I'm a bit disappointed with the last album. I worry about the diminishing returns as well. The fandom is starting to get into unconditional love, though, so I've lost my objectivity. I've gotten to interview her and she is even more gorgeous and delightful in person. Oh, and she talked about how big of an Emmylou Harris fan she was, so I don't know what the not liking C&W comment was about.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 12 September 2002 14:21 (10 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

So, when will the Four Tet collaboration album be out?

This could be the big(ger) one...

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 19 March 2004 20:22 (9 years ago) Permalink

I love, love, love her. I even put her show here in Dallas two summers ago in my personal all-time Top 10 Shows. Wonderful voice and she's just absolutely gorgeous. This may be over the top, but I don't care.

Will you marry me, Beth?

― boldbury, Friday, 19 March 2004 21:34 (9 years ago) Permalink

I just sold her first record, it was a relief.

― The Rebukes of Hazard (mjt), Friday, 19 March 2004 21:37 (9 years ago) Permalink

is there really a four tet collab? I love her first two records, and think there are moments on Central Reservation that approach being the most perfect examples of melody of the past ten years; but her last record didn't do a whole lot for me, too slick and the songs didn't stick.

she has a terrible following in the US, her live show two years ago was populated by drunk blonde yippie yuppie women who talked through the whole thing.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 19 March 2004 22:18 (9 years ago) Permalink

did you see her in los angeles?

im excited if this four tet thing is legit. i tend to favor her folktronic songs (ugh I just said that) more than some of her straight up traditional kinda stuff.

― bill stevens (bscrubbins), Friday, 19 March 2004 22:32 (9 years ago) Permalink

san francisco. I think a radio station gave away lots of tickets, hence the inattentive crowd.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 19 March 2004 22:40 (9 years ago) Permalink

8 years pass...

i think something new is supposed to come out on ANTI- this year. i hope so. i've been listening to the last one a lot lately (comfort of strangers) which is really so good. just heartbreakingly beautiful at times.

― Mordy, Thursday, 31 May 2012 02:32 (11 months ago) Permalink

like i don't know how comfort of strangers was missed on ilx when it came out? maybe ppl talked about it on another thread... idk

― Mordy, Thursday, 31 May 2012 02:34 (11 months ago) Permalink

Time moves so sure
Runs rings around the trees

― Mordy, Thursday, 31 May 2012 02:35 (11 months ago) Permalink

Glad to learn this revive did not mean she was dead.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 31 May 2012 02:50 (11 months ago) Permalink

oh my god that would been terrible

― Mordy, Thursday, 31 May 2012 02:51 (11 months ago) Permalink

i like beth, but i wonder whether she'll ever top "she cries your name" -- nothing else I've heard really comes close, but I should probably listen to comfort of strangers again.

― tylerw, Thursday, 31 May 2012 03:52 (11 months ago) Permalink

I don't think she's ever been better than on Water From A Vine Leaf.

― brotherlovesdub, Thursday, 31 May 2012 04:33 (11 months ago) Permalink

it's been a long time...

― Mark G, Thursday, 31 May 2012 06:59 (11 months ago) Permalink

She did 'dig it' on a Mojo 'tribute to Let It Be' album, 'rocking out' actually suits her she should do it more often..

― Mark G, Thursday, 31 May 2012 07:12 (11 months ago) Permalink

listening to central reservation tnite. pretty great.

― Mordy, Saturday, 2 June 2012 02:32 (11 months ago) Permalink

8 years pass...

― andrew m., Saturday, 2 June 2012 04:35 (11 months ago) Permalink

folk...tronica

― andrew m., Saturday, 2 June 2012 04:36 (11 months ago) Permalink

"central reservation" was great. it really captures that moment

― teledyldonix, Saturday, 2 June 2012 23:26 (11 months ago) Permalink

i just heard/found out about this for the first time like two weeks ago:

― yorba linda carlisle (donna rouge), Saturday, 2 June 2012 23:38 (11 months ago) Permalink

She popped up at a Sam Amidon concert I went to a couple of months ago.

Still not singing her own songs though.

― Moon Fuxx (Jill), Saturday, 2 June 2012 23:56 (11 months ago) Permalink

Well, I knew the track but I never knew about that video for the "Spill" track!

― Mark G, Tuesday, 5 June 2012 23:14 (11 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

― Mark G, Wednesday, 18 July 2012 12:58 (10 months ago) Permalink

is there a date?

― Mordy, Wednesday, 18 July 2012 13:15 (10 months ago) Permalink

UK=1st Sept, USA=2nd sept.

― Mark G, Wednesday, 18 July 2012 13:52 (10 months ago) Permalink

'Magpie'
'Dawn Chorus'
'Candles'
'Something More Beautiful'
'Call Me The Breeze'
'Poison Tree'
'See Through Blue'
'Last Leaves of Autumn'
'State of Grace'
'Mystery'

― Mark G, Wednesday, 18 July 2012 14:49 (10 months ago) Permalink

i'm excited!

― Mordy, Wednesday, 18 July 2012 14:55 (10 months ago) Permalink

Yaaaay beautiful Beth

― Ówen P., Wednesday, 18 July 2012 16:13 (10 months ago) Permalink

New single, "Something More Beautiful". Nice late-summer vibe, but nothing amazing. Still...

http://youtu.be/028lDfUo5MQ

― DavidM, Wednesday, 25 July 2012 15:12 (9 months ago) Permalink

3 weeks pass...

― DavidM, Thursday, 16 August 2012 20:28 (9 months ago) Permalink

pretty good! john martyn-y.

― tylerw, Thursday, 16 August 2012 20:49 (9 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

http://www.npr.org/2012/09/23/161272941/first-listen-beth-orton-sugaring-season

― DavidM, Monday, 24 September 2012 18:18 (7 months ago) Permalink

YAY

― Mordy, Monday, 24 September 2012 18:18 (7 months ago) Permalink

pic from that link:

she looks really great + healthy!

― Mordy, Monday, 24 September 2012 18:19 (7 months ago) Permalink

ah, I know that look.

― Mark G, Monday, 24 September 2012 21:08 (7 months ago) Permalink

listening to it now on npr - it's beautiful

― Mordy, Monday, 24 September 2012 21:25 (7 months ago) Permalink

she's playing philly tmmrw nite. only one thing could stop me from going + that is yom kippur. :(

― Mordy, Monday, 24 September 2012 21:26 (7 months ago) Permalink

What a stunning album this is. Loving it.

― DavidM, Tuesday, 25 September 2012 14:15 (7 months ago) Permalink

too short! <- my only complaint

― Mordy, Tuesday, 25 September 2012 14:21 (7 months ago) Permalink

she's 5ft 10

― Mark G, Tuesday, 25 September 2012 15:00 (7 months ago) Permalink

this is excellent. i haven't paid attention to her since central reservation--is there stuff worth checking out? or does "8 years pass..." tell the whole story?

― adam, Tuesday, 25 September 2012 17:16 (7 months ago) Permalink

No! Comfort of Strangers is amazing!

― Mordy, Tuesday, 25 September 2012 17:18 (7 months ago) Permalink

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