Last night, watching Beth Orton join the marvellous Sam Amidon1 for a duet or two, my mate S turned to me and said “You know, I really like Beth Orton but I don’t really like her albums”. Now, in certain circles, this may well get you in all sorts of trouble, or at least frowned upon in a distinctly passive-aggressive manner, but I totally understand the point she was making. Beth’s written some great songs, but she’s never delivered a whole album of greatness.
Then again, not many people have, have they?
So it was lovely to hear her sing again, her lovely fragile yet tough voice, always on the edge of breaking yet with that heart of steeliness and a pure human soul that’d get Dusty herself worried in an Appalachian sing-off. And so here is “Stolen Car”, probably my favourite song of hers.
As for me, and the quietness around here? Oh, you know. Busy.
1 Oh yes, review tomorrow/Sunday/next week/next year (Delete as applicable)
Loft And Lost 