Beth Orton Crafts Lush Sounds On Central Reservation
Singer/songwriter parts from acoustic/electronic spareness of debut for
warmer tones.
Staff Writer Chris Nelson reports:
When people -- and critics in particular -- pinpoint you as the
epicenter of an innovative sound, it can be difficult to try
something new, according to singer/songwriter Beth Orton.
But for her sophomore album, Central Reservation, Orton said
she had to push aside the spare pairing of folk acoustics and
modern electronica that defined her acclaimed debut, Trailer
Park (1997).
"A lot of people were saying I should make another Trailer
Park, but I didn't want to make another one," the 29-year-old
Brit, and upcoming Lilith Fair participant, said during a recent
SonicNet/Yahoo chat. "I think the people were into it. There
was a vibe captured there and it was very special."
For Central Reservation, released in March, Orton
pursued a much warmer -- at times even lush -- sound, on
such songs as "Sweetest Decline" (RealAudio excerpt).
To help her realize that vision, she enlisted, song by song, a
team's worth of collaborators more respected for their
musicianship than for the potential to sell more CDs:
folkie Ben Harper, New Orleans pianist Dr. John, guitarist David
Robox of neo-psychedelics Mazzy Star and even John
Wood, the original producer for '60s and '70s cult musician Nick
Drake.
While Orton concedes the songs on her album are born of
her own experiences, she skips the chance to explicate them,
preferring to leave the songs' depths up to the imaginations of
listeners. Nonetheless, she does offer some guideposts to the
direction of a song, including the album-opening "Stolen Car".
"It's about breaking the chain, breaking the pattern, the
discontinuation of old habits -- or not, as the case may be,"
Orton said.
"Every line speaks the language of love/ But never held the
meaning I was thinking of," she sings atop a busy,
multitextured mix, before a buzzing electric guitar wedges
itself into the foreground.
Although Orton can't be classified as a traditional folk singer,
she writes on acoustic guitar. Still, it wasn't that guitar sound
that first brought her notice, but rather her vocals on the
Chemical Brothers' electronica cut "Alive Alone." She later
worked with William Orbit -- who crafted Madonna's
electronica makeover -- on Trailer Park and its
acoustic/electronic meldings, including the seductive "She
Cries Your Name."
The Chemical Brothers' Ed Simons has since become a fan of
the singer he and partner Ed Simons helped launch. "I like
[Central Reservation]," he said recently. "It's a grower."
While Central Reservation was written almost entirely in the
studio without demos or rehearsing, Orton said the creative
process doesn't stop there, but continues onstage. She's
found this especially true of the lilting "Sweetest Decline."
"It's still the same song, but you never sing the same song
twice," she said. "It opens up in a new way every night; that's
the great thing about touring."
On Saturday (June 19), Orton will perform at the Boston stop
of the outdoor Fleadh Fest, wrapping up two weeks of a U.S.
club tour.
Orton will return to U.S. venues in July, when she plays the
second stage on the opening eight dates of the Lilith Fair, July
8-17. As a veteran of the female-centered tour -- she also
played on the outing's inaugural run in '97 -- Orton said the
bonds created have the potential to grow profoundly.
"There was a special energy there and it made me quite
emotional to be there," she said. "My big bond was with
[country singer] Emmylou Harris, she was just so sweet. She
plants a good seed wherever she goes. No pretenses. When
you do what you love to do, then you're just happy."
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