Track Listing

1. Worms
2. Countenance
3. Heartland Truckstop
4. Rectify
5. Comfort Of Strangers
6. Shadow Of A Doubt
7. Conceived
8. Absinthe
9. A Place Aside
10. Safe In Your Arms
11. Shopping Trolley
12. Feral Children
13. Heart Of Soul
14. Pieces Of Sky

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20346 in Music
• Released on: 2006-02-13
• Number of discs: 1

CD Description
Cult Brit indie-folk songstress follows up 2002's 'Daybreak' with this fourth album. Recorded in just two weeks with indie-rock guru Jim O'Rourke (Gastr Del Sol, Sonic Youth, Wilco) at the helm, it continues Orton's move away from the electronica elements that adorned her earlier work to a more traditional, folky style, which sports a stark directness and authenticity. Includes the single 'Conceived'.

Customer Reviews

One of the best albums she has done so far
Pop music has been blessed by numerous female folk minstrels of immense talent: Joan Baez, Janis Ian, Eva Cassidy, Sandy Denny… and of course, Beth Orton, one of the best female singer-songwriters to have emerged from Britain in the last twenty years.

It has been a long time coming- four years since Daybreaker- but on the evidence of Comfort of Strangers, it would appear that the time has been well spent.

The trip-hop, Massive Attack-esque influences first exhibited on 1996’s Trailer Park are less in evidence here, with her moving towards a straight folk direction. However, songs such as “Worms”, “Comfort of Strangers”, “Conceived” and “Heartland Truckstop” are beautiful in their purity, with her trademark downbeat, world-weary vocals very much in good health and her lyrics as intelligent and introspective as ever. It just feels authentic, as if she is singing from the depths of her soul.

In all, Comfort of Strangers is of a calibre that few will be able to match, with her intimate, stark simplicity demonstrating perfectly that substance will always triumph over style. Although the folk/indie/electronica fusion has been replaced by rootsy folk, this is as good as Trailer Park and 1999’s Central Reservation. Definitely worth buying.

EMI spyware
Bought this CD from Amazon not realising it came with EMI's copy protection system, which means I can't play it on my PC without installing the EMI software which comes on the disc. Based on what I have heard in the media about the problems caused by these programmes, this is not something I am willing to do. Very disappointed that Amazon did not indicate that this CD was a copy-protected / limited use disc on the item description page.

at last no more dance remixes
Having been an avid fan of ms orton since hearing touch me with your love on the radio way back in 1996 i have enjoyed both the trailer park and central reservation albums but have always cringed a little when the dance remixes are applied. Then daybreaker came along which broke my heart as it for me just didnt work. The new album is something else and really is Beth back to her best great lyrics catchy hum along tunes not a sniff of a dance track.If you like this look out for her best bits ep as they are of the same vain. Definatly try this album out for size