Central Reservation

British folktronica, huh? You know, on paper, I should have disliked this, but I didn't. I didn't really LIKE it either. I just... experienced it. It would be very hard to hate this album. It's just so inoffensive. But that's, to some degree, why it's hard to love it too. It has no sharp edges, pushes no boundaries, and doesn't ask anything of the listener. It just... exists quietly in the corner out of everyone's way. Every track lingers just a little too long and Beth spends just a little too much time singing wordless nothings for no reason. Her voice is excellent. I just wish she was singing something interesting.

If the color beige was an album.

At the expense of noodling, this album is exceptional, especially considering I've never heard of the artist let alone the album. Throughout the album we get a series of emotionally charged tracks with generally gentle and simple arrangements. Orton's voice is gentle and breezy, but on occasion tastes metallic due to the heaviness and tumultuousness of some of the lyrics. Examples would include some of the last few songs on the album, which are in spite of being on an album with no bad songs, probably my favourite part of the record. The album is generally described as a ''folktronica'' work, but I really didn't see a lot of that. With the exception of a few songs like Stars All Seem To Weep and the last track of the album, which is basically the title track remixed. The overarching genre here is folk and to an extent alternative folk. Most songs on the release are longer than 5 minutes, but they all just seem to breeze by since another one the album's major features is its sheer diversity in scope and structure of the songs at hand. You never feel like a song has been rehashed (last track aside) or repeated. The arrangements are always simple but more is less here. Undeniably one of the most underrated singer/songwriter albums of the 90s. In a world of musicians and singers like Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, Sinead O'Connor, Tori Amos and PJ Harvey, this gem seemed to have slipped under the radar. Let's change that. 10/10

Another album that I can't even remember listening to. Dull.

Unnnngh big nostalgia bump for this album - takes me straight back to uni. I think I'd still give it 5 stars even without the familiarity, but who can say? Fave track - "Stolen Car" - such a fantastic album opener. The title track is great too...

This album feels like going out for the day with your mom for a day when you are 7, and while you've long since forgotten what you did, you remember what it felt like. Being softly cradled and warmed by some soft and immutable force that you'll never be able to articulate, but one we've all felt. Beautiful use of Orton's soft, slight and occasionally wailing voice. The arrangements are never dense, but soft and ones that lull and lightly pull you to keep listening. Like soft pirouettes in a slowly dying house. Beth Orton gives us rest in the quiet in-betweens of life. These simple memories that we are forgetting, but somehow it feels comforting to do so. Childhood ended, we've moved on, but that deep yearning never will. (7/10, may end up as an 8 if I keep listening)

Can see why it was called Modern Sounds, the big band feel, makes it bright, sharp and punchy. None of these tracks sound like Country and Western songs, so I'm assuming they are standards/classics in C&W which makes Charles reinterpretation of them so striking, he's placing a big band aesthetic over them, making them feel new and impactful. Charles has great phrasing, he can stretch and hold a note so well. Not many words in some of the lyrics, but he lets them float over the music. He also hold and bend notes so well, to fit to fill the phrasing and tempo of each song. More a fan of the uptempo numbers, but the slower ones show off the versatility of Ray’s voice/tone.

So glad I got this recommendation today firstly because it’s a good album but also I’ve had a run of sub-par music from female artists on here and was feeling sexist. Bad bits: sometimes veers off into quite poor trip-hop production, and that near-shout middle part of her voice wears a bit after a while. That’s it though, the rest l like a lot. It definitely wanders as an album, and in this case I like that, it meanders gently. When singing softly her voice is beautiful and in few places she stretches her vocals quite powerfully. Most of the songs are thoughtful and atmospheric and in “Pass in time” really quite moving.

This was interesting. I wasn't really feeling it for the most part until I took a nap in the corner of an empty classroom in between classes, and then it hit different. Do with that information what you will.

What a voice, what a singer, what a record. And what a concept – break her out of full trip-hop constraints and watch the music soar in charming and humane directions. The light-touch production throughout is a major plus, allowing the mix of acoustic instruments and electronica/chill touches its full effect. The upbeat songs are playful, even frolicsome, and the ballads fully affecting and almost touching at times. "Sweetest Decline" is perfectly lovely, both title cuts are richly melancholic and "Pass In Time" utterly inspirational. The album lags late, it must be admitted but the peaks are too good for the overall effect to be much diminished. One admits a deep engagement with this and her other early records upon their release and during a particularly meaningful (certainly changeful) and mostly happy time of one's life – maybe even the best and most meaningful. That counts of course, but the music retains nearly all its warmth and many merits. Few artists had a better run than Beth O during those millennial-straddling years and her record of just a year or two ago suggest her ongoing power.

I normally love this type of music. But I kept losing interested. There are splashes of stuff I really dig, but then it would be back to various vocalizations and “vibes” I wasn’t vibing to. 2.5/5

I really love Beth Orton's voice and delivery. Stolen Car is an absolutely amazing song, her voice carries a great melancholy and passion. Central Reservation and Stars All Seem to Weep really stand out as well. Much of the rest does have a samey feel, but the vibe is great.

90s coffee shop realness

“Beth Orton is a name that’s been on my radar over the years,” I thought earlier today, before listening to Central Reservation. If you’ve read enough music magazines over the course of the last 25 years, there are a lot of names that might end up on your radar, so it wasn’t really a surprising thought for me to have. “Oh wait…did Beth Orton sing on “All I Need” and “You Make it Easy” from Air’s Moon Safari?” I thought while listening to the first few tracks on my drive home. “I’ll have to Google that when I get to the house”. “Nope, that was Beth Hirsch, you dummy,” I said to myself as I was proven wrong by Google and came to the realization that I have no idea about Beth Orton at all. Right about now, I’m sure you’re like, “Wow, what an interesting story, dumbass.” …and you’re right, it’s not interesting. Point is, maybe I come off as a know-it-all sometimes, but really I’m just a “don’t-really-know-anything-at-all” most of the time and I’m willing to bet some of you suffer from that affliction too. So when I tell you that this is a great record, with beautiful instrumentation to match Beth Orton’s beautiful voice, even if it feels a little dated in a few spots, you should trust that I know what I’m talking about. Or, maybe I don’t. …why is this record making me have an existential crisis right now? I gotta go….I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

Solid mildly pleasant folk pop. 5/10

Gorgeous.

"Central Reservation," Beth Orton's sophomore album, beautifully melds folk and electronic elements, creating a sound that resonates with the essence of Joni Mitchell while infusing a modern accessibility that defined the late 1990s. Orton's introspective lyrics and ethereal vocals echo Mitchell's poetic storytelling, yet her incorporation of contemporary production techniques and understated beats makes the album feel fresh and relatable for a new generation. This balance of timelessness and modernity invites listeners to connect deeply with the music, showcasing Orton's ability to bridge the gap between classic folk influences and a more current aesthetic.

Exquisite voice

Wow. I’d heard vaguely good things about this album before but never checked it out until now. This was absolutely beautiful, quite minimalist folky arrangements with Orton’s stellar voice shining through

This is an absolutely top-tier singer-songwriter album in my eyes. Real feeling an emotion behind the vocals, simple but beautiful hooks, and and evokes calm with some tracks and raw vulnerability with others. I'd never heard of Beth Orton before this, but this record makes me want to research her discography much deeper. Notable Tracks: - Stolen Car - Couldn't Cause Me Harm - Pass in Time - Central Reservation - incredible song - Feel to Believe 9/10

One of my all time favorite artists and one of her best albums. I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I do.

Extremely soft, it's rich with smooth and nice melodies. Most songs take their time but almost all of them reward with substantial dividends. There's an icy, mournful and timeless quality to Orton's voice, particularly when the tracks are more natural sounding. I don't think there was a weak moment, save for my opinion of the ending of "Devil Song" being slightly unfulfilling. Beth fits my tastes, and I blame my ignorance for letting her early efforts pass me by.

Vulnerable but strong.

some songs were misses for me but the ones I liked, I really liked!!! will be revisiting this album in the future, it might grow more on me. stars all seem to weep is my favorite!!!

A real nostalgia listen - I love Central Reservation

Lovely voice. It feels very contemplative and peaceful.

Beth Orton nouus offre un superbe album qui fait du bien après la daube country offerte par Emmylou juste avant. Il est bon de rapeller que tout cela n'aurait pu arriver sans l'intervention de ce bon vieux William Orbit. Ce dernier a en effet vite abandonné la musique après son exécrable album entrevu il y a quelques mois de cela, pour se reconvertir dans la contrebande de cigarettes. A cette occasion, il rencontrera une Beth Orton des plus dévergondée dans une soirée de bas-étage londonienne, et finira par la lancer dans la musique. Le succès ne vint pas immédiatement pour Beth, les productions techno d'Orbit venant ruiner sa superbe voix, mais après quelques années et une séparation des plus attendues, Beth pu nous offrir ce superbe album non entâchée de la présence du parasite Orbit.

Beth Orton once described Van's Astral Weeks as album 'that has been willed into being' which I thought was a lovely turn of phrase. She draws upon a similiar poetic sensibility to deliver this fantastic album (Sweetest Decline is a song straight out of the Van playbook)

- at times beautiful, at times pedestrian but always sincere. 3.5 but leaning towards 4 ...... -

Nice laid back atmosphere here. Nice folk/singer-song with an indie twist

It’s okay, not too good. Very folky and electronic, her vocals are a bit annoying in some parts, not very soothing. Some songs are fun to listen to, I think I would recommend listening to it because it is an enjoyable experience. 6.9/10.

I liked her wistful way of singing, perhaps for one song at a time. I don't love a whole album of her voice. Her songs are pretty but aside from "Stolen Car," nothing really stands out to me.

Beth Orton creates a very playful, warm, delicate and pleasant sounding record with Central Reservation. The production is stellar, the lyrics are touching and Beth's voice is incredible. If there are things to criticise, it has to do with the editing process, non-lexical vocals, and very sparingly, a lack of energy or focus. Some tracks went on for too long. This was especially noticible on So Much More and Pass In Time, with the last two minutes dragging on and introducing nothing new. While most of the record is extremely well produced, Feel To Believe is not up to standard. Lastly, I am not a great fan of the jazzy "la la la" or "da da da", as they are the greatest reason for some tracks not elevating themselves to more than being background, chamber pop. Bonus points for the futuristic elements on Stars All Seem To Weep, which reminds me of Portishead's best. A solid 3/5, just shy of reaching 4/5.

High-quality beige wave is my after-one-minute review. This passed through my evening with the apologetic air of a vicar’s fart, but it did awaken a lost craving: I time for some Butthole Siurfers.

Dull. I even listened to this in a hipster coffee shop and felt nothing

im in the central reservation eating bugs and shit

This album didn't grab me after the first listen but I could tell there was something special about it and I needed to sink my ears into this one. This is an album worth marinating your ears in. Beth's poetry is deep & complex. Her groove is deceptively relaxed & chill but she starts the album off by stealing a car so buckle up, it's going to be that kind of ride. Great songwriting on Stolen Car. Powerful groove. Love the harmonies. Couldn't Cause Me Harm is a slow sensual groove with... xylophone? I like the beat on Stars All Seem to Weep & has more of a pop electro groove compared to Pass In Time which is rooted more in her acoustic folk sound. It's cool how she mixes it up and blends those styles. Love Like Laughter has a melody that makes me swoon. So at this point I'm at a 4 with the album but then we get to Feel to Believe. This is one those songs that really gets me right in the heart and makes it a 5 for me. That song gives me chills. It's so powerful. It's just her and her guitar speaking her truth. She's like... oh yeah we're at the end of the album and me & my guitar got something else to say. And then she's like oh yeah... one more thing, here's that one song from earlier but it's like the dancing club mix version. YES! awesome album.

I’m so annoyed that my draft didn’t save. But pretty much I’m glad this was finally a female artist. It’s been like 17 albums and this is the first one. Actually except the gogos but I wasn’t a fan of that. She sounds a lot like dido at times but plus some twang. Quality music.

Central Reservation is solemn and sacred through every element of its creation. Orton’s hazy singing and soft dictation, her lonely and emotional lyrics, and her gentle guitar weeping coated in an electronic glaze all comes together to form the most gentle and yet profound work of art I have discovered so far along this musical journey. Also this is album is pretty much exactly my taste in music so there is a significant amount of bias in reviewing this. But that’s the point in preferences soooo.

Not my cup of tea. An extra star for use of bongos.

I really liked it! Reminds me of Everything but the Girl, but not as electronic. Also the girl on the album cover looks like Nora

I really liked it and usually not the biggest fan of this style. I’ll definitely be coming back to this one in the future Rating: 4.6

Omg bass

Brings me back to San Francisco 1999 Golden Gate Park

Musically it reminds Bruce Springsteen a bit. Generally very beautiful and interesting album, I ended up listening to it the whole week😁

I loved this album when it first came out, and still love it now. Full of emotion, desperation... just a brilliant album altogether. Orton's voice is fantastic and the whole album just sits together beautifully.

Really great. I had previously known her only for her collaboration with Beck on No Expectations.

Totally new to me. Rather enjoyed it!

Love Beth Orton❣️🤩 9 1/2 out of 10!!!

brilliant

This was a very, very good album! I especially liked the “Feel to Believe” track but every other song was equally amazing! 9-10/10

Folktronica! Who knew that was a thing??? Well I do know. This album feels like Joni Mitchell meets some 90s electronic music. The biggest difference is that the songs here don’t rely on Beth’s voice too much. Her voice is really good, but there are many layers supporting it. This is one of those that make doing the 1001 worth it…the unexpected discovery.

Very relaxing. Not quite as much trip-hop and electronica as I was hoping for, but still an excellent listen. I had heard of her before but had never listened to any of her material. 5/5.

Fantastic! What a surprise. I don’t know who she is or how I missed listening to her in the past.

This album had constant rotation for years and that only stopped when it was stolen.

Went back and forth with my opinion on this one for a while, but then the album shed the -tronica part (with it, as a genre, there was and is much more exciting stuff around) and it became a Five. Reminded me of listening to Suzanne Vega's '85 debut (album #9), a 15 years younger 90ies version of it, just without the great sensation of discovery, but I can't hold this against the music. Which is lovely.

Strong opening track, this is my kind of music

This has been a special album to me since my first listen. The haunting sounds simply captivate me on all levels. A true classic.

Just beautiful.

Excellent album for the morning or relaxing. 1/27/24

Really good album. Reminded me a little of Sharon Van Etten. Would listen to again.

Enjoyed a lot

Really liked this. Never heard of her before, will listen to more.

absolute HEAT! - 10/10

This really surprised me. It's not my normal fare, but I found myself captivated. Best new discovery so far, just over 200 albums in!

This is just such a gorgeous thing. Even today, almost 25 years since I first heard it, 'Sweetest Decline' and 'Central Reservation' can still send shivers down my back and move me to tears

This one was a big surprise, since I never heard of this artists before. Definitely listening to the whole thing again.

I LOVE

Amazing album

Beautiful vocals - missed most of the lyrics and definitely a second listen required. Great mix of electronic/folk in the first half of the album, then dropping down to just simple guitar and vocals.

completely new artist to me, and a real revelation. i love the folk-electronic anachronism of the whole thing, and combined with a lovely singing tone and really beautifully bleak lyrics, this was just great.

I found this album to be an absolute delight. Gorgeous. Now, on the first listen there was a window of two or three tracks that started to drag on me just a little...I think it seemed like too much melancholy or something. On the second and third listen, I didn't have the same reaction, so I guess it was my changing mood.

Thank you random number generator for steering away from the hateful gangster rap I'm still trying to forget and providing this welcome change of pace. I was immediately in love with that opening track, and then it was mostly songs to love and a few to like unfolding before me. What a lovely, jazzy way to spend the afternoon.

Lilith Fair-core. I don’t say that disparagingly. I first encountered Beth Orton when she replaced Liz Phair as the support on Alanis Morrisette’s recent world tour which I found a huge disappointment. I now put that down to her not being an artist well suited to massive venues. This album is a masterpiece. Listened to it walking through Glasgow Green and noticing the trees were all finally coming back. Pure bliss.

Very good

Lost touch with Beth Orton after her early success but on this record I should have stuck with her. Really enjoyable, thoughtful and tuneful stuff. Best song Stolen Car.

Fajne

This album is gorgeous. Beth Orton’s voice is incredibly versatile and can break through anything making the listener hang onto every word. She is known as a folktronica artist, but I found this album to be solidly in the folk category except for a few songs on the back half of the album. I can see how this influences later artists in the 2000s and 2010s when folktronica really came into its own.

Great album, I really enjoyed this. My first listen was at the beginning of the day and it was nice to drift in and out of sleep with. The second listen was just as good, but awake.

I listened to it twice, then I let it roll on the background for a while to keep me company.

A big fan of Beth Orton and as soon as Stolen Car started playing it was like a big warm welcome home. I was a bit dissapointed to learn that Central Reservation was about drugs but hey, all music (art) is open to interpretation. Faves: it's all good but special call out for Stolen Car and Central Reservation.

I fell for Beth Orton the first time I heard She Cries Your Name in '96. Seen her live so many times, Acoustic Stage at Glastonbury '97, Union Chapel, Shepherds Bush Empire, an upstairs room in some random London pub, some venue near Southbank with Johnny Marr on guitar that was cut short when some wanker set off the fire alarm, and a church in Auckland. She never disappoints. All hail the Queen of Comedown!

What a beautiful record

idk yet

really beautiful, great songwriting too!

Das ist das perfekte Album um ein einem Anruf das nicht regnet den Tag bei ein paar Sachen spazieren zu gehen melancholisch und doch optimistisch. Kurz gesagt einfach gut ich überlege fünf Sterne zu geben. Inkl. Bonus für die Überraschung

Really liked this - need to listen again

This Lilith fair headliner is my favorite.

Liked it a lot

I really enjoyed this album overall, my only complaint is that it is all really the same tempo. A little variety would have improved this album a lot for me.

Another day, another artist I've never heard of but delighted to have found! Beth is a masterful lyricist, I love her beautiful reflections on life and love, and the emotions she evokes. Despite the overall gentle nature of this album, a lot of songs feel very empowering and fierce. She sings of accepting pains of the past and how fleeting it all is, living for now yet yearning for more, and in being a butterfly you can't pin down (love that line). This was a near 5 for me, I was wishing for a little more variety in the tempo though. For instance, I really enjoyed the more dancy Central Reservation Then Again Version. Would've been cool if a few more of the songs were treated that way. Still an amazing find! "You're here just a while. You might as well smile." I love simple universal truths like this, and it reminded me of another of my fave lyrics - "Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think."

4/5

This sounds like a soundtrack to a Rom-Com in the best possible way. There’s depth to the songs, the vocals sound great. “Pass in Time” is a truly amazing song. Good stuff!

Love her voice and love the range of sounds here.

I really liked this album.

Really enjoyed the varied musical styles here incorporating both folk and trip hop. Very mellow and perfect for winding down to after a busy day.

She has made folktronica, this particular fusion of folk and electronica, all her own, though this particular record leans much more into to a pop folk sensibility. Her voice has strong shades of an English folk version of Joni Mitchell. So Much More feels like a tribute, which I mean as a compliment because it’s still totally Beth Orton. There’s a beautifully understated intimacy to the lyrics, kitchen sink poetry, though there’s nothing homespun about the production which is competent and occasionally rich without being obtrusive. Stars Seem To Weep is the track here which justifies the folktronica label. Credit for the ultimate songwriters’ lyric on Love Like Laughter: ‘Some of the worst wrongs get righted on three chords.’ How true!

Just by looking at the cover I thought this is going to be good. Did not dissapoint.

I honestly like this more than I would have expected, I am surprised it doesn't have more accolades.

Stolen Car shows up on my playlists with some regularity, but I don’t think I’ve sat through the whole record before. I enjoyed it.