Beth Orton - "The Comfort of Strangers" (Astralwerks)

BUY THIS CD: Comfort of Strangers

On her latest release The Comfort of Strangers, Beth Orton has managed to present listeners with the most intimate, soulful album of her career. Always able to sonically channel enigmatic '70's songwriters like NICK DRAKE and SANDY DENNY, this new album harkens the ghosts of those artists like never before. Deftly produced by JIM O'ROURKE (who's lately been a part of SONIC YOUTH), Orton composed all thirteen of these new tracks, including a songwriting collaboration with O'Rourke and M. WARD on the title cut.

Orton possesses an amazing voice, and she is once again in fine form on this new album. Her strong songwriting skills are improving album by album, and on The Comfort Of Strangers she once again displays her ability to convey sometimes diffficult emotions and sentiments with a beautiful simplicity that few artists are able to utilize. Musically, it's going to please all of the Orton fans out there. O'Rourke's use of percussion is always tasteful, and always serves to compliment the songs.

Standout tracks include the first single "Concieved" (as heard on XPN), "Shopping Trolley" and the aforementioned title track. The Comfort Of Strangers captures a very cool and talented singer and songwriter who - quite possibly - still hasn't reached her peak.

Written by Dan Reed

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