comforting sounds
Female British music has a bit of a bad air about it. Let’s face it, we’ve hardly been inundated with the fine talents that our solo males or groups can produce with ease. It is thus with great pleasure that Comfort of Strangers heralds the much anticipated return of the finest female singer-songwriter that these shores have to offer. From the first piano chord of the charming Worms to lingering strains of Pieces Of Sky, this album reaches a plateau that other artistes can only dream of.
What’s so special about Beth Orton and this album? It’s partly the songwriting: the simple chord structures wrap around tender lyrics and perfect instrumentation to create memorable and bloody good songs.
The title track layers a beautiful piano figure over a light syncopated percussion to create a wistful image, which Orton’s lyrics complement: “Say what you mean, don’t tell it like it could be, I’m not sure, should I say it out loud?” When the texture at times is sparse, with the solo guitar of Safe In Your Arms reminiscent of mourning songs as This One’s Gonna Bruise, what carries the song is Orton’s voice.
And what a voice she has: distinctive, brusque, and with the ability to send a chill down your spine. The bluesy rasping of, “There’s no words for the infinity of ghosts,” in Feral Children has the same effect that She Cries Your Name had ten years ago. But what mostly makes Orton special is her attitude: the finger up to the convention that dictates that you have to write about cycling in Beijing or refusing to stick flags on your door to gain airplay and sales.
Like her previous albums, this one juxtaposes simple, yearning love songs next to happier material with aplomb. The lead single Conceived provides a perfect example of the latter. Orton sings “I didn’t ask to be conceived, in a loveless embrace” over lilting strings, petting a green furry monster whilst toy mice play a marimba.
It’s those strange touches which pepper the entire album, from the very first lyric, “Worms don’t dance, they haven’t the balls,” to the lively drum-bashing Shopping Trolley. This album is truly special. Since her third album Daybreaker and the subsequent four years’ break there has been a gap in British music, and this more than plugs that hole; indeed, it’s the finest work of its genre since her debut Trailer Park. Welcome back.
9th Feb 2006