Beth Orton
Comfort of Strangers

Astralwerks
2006
A-
Reviewed by: Todd Hutlock
Reviewed on: 2006-02-09



Posted 02/09/2006 - 03:49:38 PM by cwperry:
 My somewhat cynical opinion after one spin (a notoriously bad time to opine) is that this record seems to be the beneficiary of a great marketing campaign. I agree that it could be considered "merely excellent," as Mr. Hutlock writes. It didn't, however, strike me as any more captivating than Orton's previous efforts, nor did it seem to me to be the showcase for Orton's distinctive voice that seems to be the promise of the hype surrounding this release.
 
Posted 02/09/2006 - 07:45:57 PM by hutlock:
 Give it some time -- your initial reaction was very much like mine (I got this album as a VERY advance promo last November and was pretty underwhelmed -- I'd say I only really started to love it about a week ago, and that was after letting it sit for a few weeks). Once the tunes get their hooks in you, it gets much better.
 
Posted 03/15/2006 - 01:26:02 PM by cwperry:
 Okay, I\'ve given it some time, and come to my conclusion that this sounds less like a leap forward for Orton than it does half-baked Martha Wainwright outtakes.
 
Posted 03/16/2006 - 02:18:52 PM by noahsark:
 much much better than jenny lewis.