Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Charming.
I always wanted to like this more than I actually did. It's pleasant enough though.
Dry white toast. Unenthusiastic OTPHJ. Unlike many albums on this list that give you some hope that it will pick up, this one just didn’t.
lovende start 3
Kinda reminds me of the 60s and 70s female singer-songwriters. It's a nice little throwback even if it's not always interesting. I don't like the jazzy songs very much
Really good.
First impressions really strong, even better on round two. It's going to be a repeat listen for me! 4/5
It's been a long time since I have heard this. We had the CD back around 2000 and put it on all the time. Still sounds good: quiet folky soul: slow, poignant, and Orton's voice has that edgy little crack. Stolen Car is amazing, and I like the techno-dance version of the title track. Good stuff.
I own this album but hadn’t listened to it for at least twenty years. Orton’s voice is remarkable, and the album creates an evocative moodscape, dreamy but grounded.
Singer songwriter in the tradition of Joni Mitchell and Natalie Merchant. My favorite kind. 4/5
There's nothing really wrong with this but it's just doesn't do anything for me. I can see why people do though
No lo conocía. Me gustó
Крутейший минималистичный полуфолк-полуэлектрик рок. Очень круто.
Nice enough album. A great voice. 4 star
Love this and never heard of it. Diving in now. 5 *
I didn’t hate any of it, but it all sounding like the exact same song kept me from liking any of it.
Very cozy. Very 90s
I remember seeing her face on the CD cover at the music shop I used to work at and being intrigued by the type of music she would play. I never got around to listening back in those days though. Which I’m perfectly ok about because I didn’t miss anything special.
Classic 90s sound
cool overall sound for sure, music itself could have been more interesting to me
great vibes
Damn.
Ok
Thoroughly enjoyed. 3.5
I really enjoyed it. I’d give it a 3.5 if I could.
Decent.
How did this mid-level album that sounds like every other Album get on this list. I only listened to the first two songs.
Good background music.
Definitely an album of all time.
This caught me at the right time- good voice and enjoyed parts. It was just too long and dour
It’s a was Ok. I really enjoy the first half of the record.
I enjoyed the first song and then realised the rest of the album had the same style. I struggle with folk but I can acknowledge that this was a very good example of its genre
I really like where this album starts off on- it’s such an interesting direction to take folk music. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really get any better from there. 3 stars.
It’s good but not my type of music
Different and nice
I liked #2 I think. By track 6 I was like well at least I haven’t turned it off yet and then by 8 Live Laugh Love I had had enough
Reminds me of Natalie Merchant
This one was pretty interesting. I saw talk of trip hop in the descriptoon and collaborations with The Chemical Brothers, and then it's a folk album. Some of the early songs here were actually really awesome, with my favorite being Pass In Time. Stolen Car and Couldn't Cause Me Harm were also really good. I didn't really like the back half though, pretty much anythi g after Stars All Seem to Weep.
Throughout the album there are many beautiful chord progressions that truly made me want to take out my guitar and learn them. I enjoyed the emotional vocals that can help anyone experience the pain that she may have faced. My 3 highlight tracks off the album are Couldn’t Cause Me Harm, Central Reservation (The Then Again Version), Stars All Seem To Weep, Honorable Mention Stolen Car.
Folktronica? Sure. But this album is also very much the descendant of the corner of 120 Minutes populated by Sophie B Hawkins, The Sundays, Mazzy Star, and even Dolores O’Riordan. And like those acts, the vocals are doing the heavy lifting, so much so that on the more ethereal tracks the atmosphere fades into emptiness. Put another way, some of these tracks don’t need to be 7+ minute songs. But, either way, a great revisit of an album that is somewhere in my crate of CDs.
Wow yes. I love this. I kept waiting for a song to pop up where I would say "Oh she sings this very popular grocery store music song" but it never came. This is just 11 really good songs, but nothing truly great. Best Song: Stolen Car Rating: 7.5/10 Stars: 4
Some pretty decent songs. I liked it, but it's not mind-blowing either.
No
Basically just a Joni Mitchell tribute band.
hmmmm. cute. fall vibes
Não ouvi tudo não
Traff meg ikkje
Beth is an English singer, so as is tradition, she gets added to this list by default. The album is pretty decent, and Orton has a fairly unique voice. Vocal style seems to be a throwback to Joni Mitchell.
I'm only familiar with Bess's more recent work which I do enjoy, so it was a real treat to find this today. Lovely album for a fall morning. 4.5/5
I agree with most of the popular sentiments here: fine voice but very beige-sounding. Some of the tracks are just devoid of any valuable substance and don't need to run that long.
Best songs: Stolen Car, Central Reservation, Blood River Overall a solid and consistent album, would have defined it as pop folk as folk is certainly the main genre of the album, while the electronic influence did not really feel evident in the album (except for the closing track). There are no lows, but also no staggering highs.
meh
This is beautiful in parts but it really drags on and sounds similar to… couldn’t really love the album but a few tracks are added
Bueno
Did not receive much from this (mentally)
vid fjärde låten trodde jag att jag redan hade lyssnat om albumet.. men nej det var bara så generiskt att det lät likadant..
Was never a big Fan of her but this was good probably enough to listen to more of her.
Nah.
Just fine, pleasant enough but no standout tracks for me. As others have said, quite beige.
Pleasant background music
go girl! give us nothing
I fell asleep at my desk :(
I can’t focus on this long enough to form a solid opinion…. It’s not bad? I don’t feel like I hate it?
This was great. What a voice!
Franchement c'est pas mal en fond
høfligt nej tak
Har kun hørt hendes nyeste plade. Det her var ret lækkert!
I liked most songs, but not the r'n'b thing in the middle. She has a nice and cosy voice.
this was pretty cool for the first 15 minutes. then it never really changed and got a little tiresome. tough distinction between a low 3 and a high 2 but i think it deserves more than 2 so we’ll go low 3
It’s nice but it’s coffee shop music.
nice
Excellent.
Felt like it cut right to me.
Huggulegir tónar
Næs í eyrun. Á milli 3 og 4 stjarna. Myndi örugglega aldrei hlusta sjálfur á þetta, en gaman að heyra svona tónlist frá aldamótum.
not for me.
It was just okay. Nothing really stands out to me
This is an ok pop album with some folk mixed in. The voice is good, but it's rather unremarkable. Nothing here is that good, but it's not bad.
The rest of the album sounds nothing like the opening song.
I thought it started off strong with “Stolen Car,” but the rest of the album failed to keep up. It feels kind of generic in a weirdly specific way - 90s downtempo pop with a female vocalist. Still, there were some other tracks that were pretty good. Stolen Car, Blood Red River, Devil Song
Fin stemme og solid sing and songwrite. Ikke noget i mig som gipper efter at lytte igen.
Lidt Portis Head, Lidt Everything But The Girl og rigtig meget 90er alternativ singer/songwriter. Alle sammen elementer jeg kan li’, men det her fanger mig aldrig helt.
a great instantly forgettable album. wish I could remember anything about it but its been a couple of hours since I listened
The wiki page mentioned the influence of John Martyn, which I didn’t hear initially, but now I’m aware of it it’s very noticeable. A fusion of American pop/rock singer-songwriters like Alanis Morrisette and the British jazz/folk of John Martyn, and sometimes the lush orchestration of Nick Drake. And the very British electronic dance music tilt. A lovely album in itself, but extra credit for bringing these different elements together so well. Also, the lines 'The smile on your lips was the deadest thing, alive enough to have strength to die' are taken from Thomas Hardy's poem Neutral Tones, and I really like it when artists reveal that they read stuff. Orton is around the same age as me, maybe she also studied the poem for her A Levels. 5/5 for just using the quote to be honest.
Stolen Car
Finished listening only to realise I already had a track from this saved. Testament to how completely forgettable this was. It's quite nice, perfectly pleasant, but left no real lasting impression.
Kinda nice
Es tranqui, agradable, pero se torna aburrido y no es realmente la gran cosa.
Not bad. I’d listen to more.
Spet grem v popolno neznano. So far, I like it. Začetek zelo of the time, "Sweetest Decline" je pa bolj miren, lep komad. (Ta vibe sledi v sledečih komadih.) Beth ma zelo prijeten vokal. Muska je simpl, ampak lepa. Se pa kinda vse blenda skup. Chill, ampak mogoče mal nezapomljivo. Uf, kr naenkrat pa tak mal trip hop komad ("Stars All Seem to Weep"), ampak not good. In gremo nazaj v mirne vode. Album je totalno nasprotje trenutnemu stanju zunaj, kjer se pripravlja na nevihto. Človek bi si komot ta album dal predvajat, ko se odpravlja spat. Predzadnji, "Feel to Believe" je kul. Prou pričara ti sliko Beth na odru, na stolčku, s kitaro v rokah, kako se dere v mikrofon. Zadnji je pa iz nekega razloga remix naslovnega komada, ki se sicr pojavi nekje na sredi albuma. (To mam mal v spominu, da je bil a thing tisti cajt v popularni muski.) Wikipedia pravi, da je bla njena muska v cel kup late 90s - early 2000s serijah, kar ima totalen smisel. Zveni tako. Verjetn ne bom več poslušala, sam ni mi blo pa slabo. Ne tok zame, načeloma redko navigiram k tok umirjeni muski.
This was fine. It wasn't exceptional to me, but it was better than a lot of other albums on here.
Literally nothing in this album even registered my attention until Stars Seem to Weep. And that was solely due to the change in backing track
Sensational lyrics on this one! Heavy subject matter.
This was pretty good. The lyrics were great. She has a nice voice. She reminded me of Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant, and Dido vocally. She's a little pitchy at times.
A good voice but the lyrics are hard to understand when she sings which is a little frustrating. 3 stars or C.
Beautiful voice and smooth songs with a lot of feeling to them. Really good music to relax with at home.
this strikes me as a bunch of songs by Fiona Apple, Norah Jones and Jewel that never made it to their albums so Beth said "I got this." Real coffee shop vibes here which I am a sucker for, but I think her peers just clear her easy. Great voice though!
Mom can we get Jewel? We have Jewel at home…
Stolen Car // Sweetest Decline // Pass in Time //
Kind of another one of those albums that starts off with a great song and the rest is kinda inferior. The sounds are nice but it's mostly some sleepy folk rock fusion. I do like Stars All Seem to Weep with its Trip Hop prpduction tho.
I enjoy it very much. The sounds are very enjoyable. I can see myself listening to this on a long walk in a park.
Im sure with repeat listens the sombre lyrics would get better and better but too long and repetitive on first listen
Good singer but the album was a bit boring for my taste.
I really liked this a lot. Great voice, great instrumentation, my favorite type of vibe. Everything was thoughtfully done and good. I'll definitely listen to this more.
Lovely. I am not totally fan of her voice, but I do like the songs and the arrangements.
this just didn’t work for me today. it’s so long and so slow and “boring”. the first song is an absolute banger tho, but it isn’t enough to save the 2 star rating. if it had stayed at about 35 mins i would’ve probably had more patience with it but at an hour long i just can’t manage this. the last half of the album is painfully slow. ⭐️⭐️
Kinda good; a different jam.
Its alright. Kind of Joni Mitchell-esque in quite a few places which made me wonder why i should just be listening to Joni Mitchell.
Pretty dull
Eh.
Is this the only album to feature both Dr. Robert and Dr. John? What other pop culture doctor could have made it a hat-trick? I'm voting for Dr. Miriam Margolis gently intoning advice on thrush for all those come down clubbers that loved this record back in the day.
Standard singer songwriter fare. There was a time in my life I was far more into this type of music. That time isn't now. 2/5
Gorgeous in places, for me starts to run a bit too long and lacks variety
The first track is an absolute banger. Really hooked me in. The following tracks so far are a bit bland. Very sad moments in Buffy
Nice, easy listening that made for good background music. Can't say this is something I'll come back to, but it certainly was good for what it was. Solid 3.
Not something I could see myself seeking out directly, but this made for a reasonably enjoyable listen this Monday morning. Her vocals feel familiar -- perhaps its just a common sound from the 90s. Either way, I found them to be calm, but confident and the songs themselves were solid. Appreciated the variation throughout with two of my favorites being the more "up beat" and trip-hop-ish Stars All Seem to Weep, and almost stripped bare Blood Red River. Also liked the writing on Couldn't Cause Me Harm even if the bell sounds feel particularly dated. This is somewhere on a high 3 / low 4 divide. Going low side because, while this is nice, I don't see myself running back.
Singer-songwriter stuff is similar to punk for me where it's just not really my vibe. That said, I did enjoy this one a fair bit more than most singer-songwriter stuff we have had so far. On the SS scale it would be a 4, but because we are on a regular scale it'll have to settle for a 3. Nothing exciting, but she's got a good voice.
On the more enjoyable side of 90s pop/folk. Sounded like a lot of other singers that came out around that time. Had a few really good songs on here though so it'll get a nudge to low 4
Kinda has a Joni Mitchell vibe to her on some songs. Some sounded cool but I also got bored by a few. Solid 3.
Honestly this site should be called A Load of Solid 3s, Nothing Special, Barely Moving the Needle, with the Occasional Banger Triggering Happy Memories and Pile of Steaming Shite Just Triggering, You Know, to Keep You Interested. This wasn't one of those Solid 3s...
Started strong, but the trip-hop elements sucked the score down from a four to a three. By the end, I was getting a little bored with the sameness.
Wasn't familiar with Beth's music, and I thought it was okay, it's calm, it's about experiences and how life moves through everything, how you carry yourself and being alive. Something different at least.
Beautiful voice. 90s feel and instrumentation
It's ok. But if I am going to listen to this type of music give me PJ Harvey or Fiona Apple
Started strong and fizzled.
Upon listening I said: "Hmm...this is some Lillith Fair stuff...or maybe soundtrack to WB shows from the 90s". Turns out it was both those things.
"Stolen Car" is a killer opening number for this album... a good song is a good song... and if this is folk/electronica, then the opening track is a prime example... "Sweetest Decline" is a smooth R&B tinged slow jam... Beth Orton is a great singer... she has a clear tone... and can yodel a bit, but only tastefully... she doesn't beat you over the head with that technique... her vocal on this song is top notch... "Couldn't Cause Me Harm" gets the congas goin'... another good song... her voice reminds me a bit of Natalie Merchant on it... but smoother... "So Much More" and the epic "Pass In Time"... wow... her musical ideas remind me of Neil Young in a way... and it keeps on going... the title track, as well as "Stars All Seem To Weep" and the organ driven gem, "Love Like Laughter"... the hauntingly beautiful "Blood Red River"... "Feel To Believe" picks up the mood at the end... and the album closes with a bad ass version of the title track reprise... FIVE STARS... i gotta give it up... love it."
Good to be back in the somewhat-present once again. I'm sure I've never heard of Beth Orton before, but knowing how all of these 90s singer/songwriter albums pan out I'm expecting to be jumpscared by a song I recognise within the hour. Yeah, it ain't bad. I've been struggling with keeping on top of this list lately, so I appreciate being given something which is just pretty alright. For whatever reason I've had Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill stuck in the back of my head lately, especially "You Oughta Know" and "Hand in My Pocket". This album scratches that same itch for me, albeit with a more subdued and less horrifically dated production. Orton's vocal performance is the obvious highlight. She has a pretty great singing voice which is set to some dynamic songwriting and impressive instrumentals. "Sweetest Decline" has some great strings, and I quite like the oscillating tone in Orton's vocals. "Couldn't Cause Me Harm" is in the same ballpark. A pretty clean song from start to end. There's some excellent vocals during the chorus, and I quite like the noir-esque instrumental. The soft synth in the background during the outro of the song is very pleasing, and the gravelly guitar gives the track a surprising bit of kick. In a bit of a hot streak for this album, "So Much More" is also a good track. The dreamy ambience is pretty superb - especially the delicate guitarwork and the intricate piano performance down the middle of the track. "Pass in Time" may err on the side of being a bit too long, but it features Orton's best vocal performance and some beautiful lyrics. I'm also a fan of the intimacy that comes from having a predominantly-acoustic instrumental. Yeah. I like all of these songs and have nearly the exact same things to say about them. A pleasing, restful sound. Great vocals. Some interesting musical embellishments. An impressive display of variety. "Stars All Seem to Weep" is the most noteworthy of the remaining tracks, where some heavy trip-hop percussion is paired with a great cosmic sound. Trip-hop and "cosmic" music are two of my favourite musical niches, so the song is firmly up my alley. Checking the book entry for this album. Nothing much in there of note. Wikipedia reveals that this album won two awards and was well-received by critics. Yeah, this could probably do with a snub from the must-hear album list, but I'm on this album's side. There's something healing about this music which really struck a chord with me. I shall jubilantly turn a blind eye to this entry.
It's a 4, but that first song is a 6/5
Beautiful album. She has an amazing voice
I liked it, relaxing, nice vocals. Favourite track was Couldn't Cause me Harm.
Meh just not my style, weird vibes
didnt like her voice enough for the songwriting to shine
Very sleepy and a similar sound to several other female 90s artists, but not as good.
Pretty bland a flavorless.
This is the soundtrack to a John Cusack 90’s rom-com
Another really good find. Nicely played reminds me of Edie B, Joni M, Natalie M. Just about as good as it gets. 8.0
I enjoyed this but it seemed too long. Probably worth checking out again another day, but I don't think it needed to be an hour.
She can’t sing very well. It reminded me of Dido
She sounds like she laughs in the middle of singing her lyrics. Example: the second song has a line “sweetest decline”, her version is pronounced “sweetest declihihahine”. This persistent throughout the whole album. 4/10
beth orton has got a super haunting yet beautiful voice that feels a lot like Joni Mitchell or Kate Bush. Google calls it a "witchy" sound, and i'm a big fan of that descriptor. It's a mix of high energy and smooth shuffle as far as the songs go, and i'm quite the fan.
I listened to this yesterday, but I can’t even really remember anything that stood out. It’s about as vanilla as one can get. First track was the “best,” but it was all downhill from there.
Sarah Cracknell was the true Come Down Queen. This is the new hill I have chosen to die on.
Talented singer songwriter…that’s all I got.
I was introduced to Beth Orton through an ex. He was really into British bands - kind of straddling the line between folk and electronic - and her music fit right into that space. We were together when Central Reservation came out, and it sat comfortably alongside The Chemical Brothers and Air, both of which were on heavy rotation for us in the late ’90s and early 2000s. That era felt a bit overrun by pop music, so I probably connected more with the British stuff - it felt layered, moodier, more textured. Beth Orton’s music had this grown-up quality to it. She was expressing things I hadn’t quite experienced yet, but I understood on some level. Her songs had depth, even if I wasn’t fully there emotionally at the time. Listening again all these years later, I actually appreciate her more. I still don’t play her often, but I wasn’t mad at the listen and it felt good to reconnect. She’s an exceptional artist.
I first heard Beth Orton when she provided vocals for The Chemical Brothers' "Where Do I Begin?" She has a singular phrasing and tone that does have echoes of Sinéad O'Connor, which is no small compliment. Beth Orton has a great voice, yes, but on too many tracks here the music sounds like what you'd hear inside a Starbucks at the turn of the century. This record is mostly a venti cup full of medium-roasted generic singer/songwriter boredom. We open with a sprawling and evocative road song, but the road kinda just stretches out without a lot of scenery. We're on I-5 south of Buttonwillow suddenly. There are some highlights, however: I remember "Stars All Seem To Weep", which is the total standout track here. The thermin-esque keyboard tag that runs throughout the trip-hoppy rhythms gives this a massive sense of what the last days of the millenium sounded like. "So Much More" offers an opportunity for Orton to wail out and stretch her vocal chords a bit in more instrumental ways, and the arrangement is less formulaic and little looser and more experimental than most of the other pieces. "Blood Red River" contains a gravitas and structure that sounds very compelling, rooted, and real. (Of course I gravitate towards the melancholy stuff as the strongest). Same goes for "Devil Song", which lends a sort of cinematic denouement feeling. Otherwise this is just background folksy/corporate barista-core. There are pieces that almost get there, but then just fall short. "Pass In Time" has a little more energy and picks it up a little, but still comes across as kinda stale. Overall, there are a few really good songs here, which is less a classic album and more a single or EP. Orton's unique voice grates on the tracks that don't work and soars on the tracks that do. It's an exercise in taking it or leaving it, and I'm pretty indifferent to doing either, really. The album art is pretty standard minimalist late 90s early 00s lo-fi design fare that kinda calls out to a cinematic presentation with the black bars suited for a digipak and jewel case release, but doesn't really do anything special. Feels rushed and unconsidered. Yawn. Where's the coffee?
A little weird but not bad. Only got through first half or so
p844. 1999. 2 stars. Lovely voice, but bland material. Not essential listening.
I like the feel of the album, but I went through it twice without it making a dent. Willing to try again, though.
I didn't like this one too much, it's a bit too bland for my taste. It's a mix of folk with some sort of stripped down trip-hop/electronica, but it never really got going for me. It's also a bit overlong at almost 1 hour. I felt like the second half was better as there's more of a folk vibe that works well. I feel like Orton has a good voice and isn't a bad songwriter, but the album never really clicked for me. Not to be that guy, but it feels similar to Dido, only less catchy. "Pass In Time" and "Love Like Laughter" were pretty nice. Many songs felt very similar to each other though.
Old friend Beth Orton. I listened the crap out of this album when I came out.
It starts out strong and then just kind of plods along.
I've had this CD for years, and always kind of enjoyed it but never really connected with it fully. I was introduced to Beth Orton, like many people I imagine, through her features on Chemical Brothers tracks. I think she has a great voice, and really appreciate the blend of genres, but there's something missing for me. Some great standout tracks though, particularly Stolen Car, Pass in Time, and the title track.
She sounded fine and the album itself was fine. Reminded me a lot of stuff like Alanis Morissette and stuff like that. Just got a bit boring towards the end.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Nice instrumentation and vocals, but boring. Would not listen to this album again. Might be nice background shopping music or something.
Boring as shit. Not BAD, so not one star, according to my scoring. But boring as shit. I would never listen to this again. It is wallpaper.
My first impression of Central Reservation is that Beth Orton has a lovely voice — warm, natural, and easy to listen to. The album itself sits firmly in that late-90s wave of singer-songwriters experimenting with an electronic-folk blend. It’s pleasant enough, but never rises above that. There are a few nice moments scattered throughout, but equally as many forgettable ones. Overall, it feels safe, inoffensive, and firmly middle-of-the-road — nothing really grabs your attention or makes you stop and think wow. The biggest issue is that the songs often overstay their welcome. They meander on without a strong sense of direction or resolution, which makes parts of the album drag. Favourite track: Stolen Car and Pass in Time are genuinely nice listens. Least favourite track: Much of the record is too average to stand out, but the title track Central Reservation in particular feels like it doesn’t go anywhere. Album artwork: A standard cover that doesn’t leave much of an impression.
What, how is this good or notable?
stolen car- 4 or 5 sweetest decline- 4 couldnt cause me harm- 5. the chorus is good so much more- 4 pass in time- 3 central reservation- 3 or 4 stars all seem to weep- 4 im bored
Pretty interesting need to give it a few more listens
Didn’t care for this one at all, proper samey all the way. Not a big fan of most singer-songwriter
If the whole album was like the first song, that would be a new favorite for me. Alas, the other songs are very different and it did get boring by the end. Also I'd say it's a bit too long. She has a nice voice and that first song is truly amazing, so I'll check her other albums out.
This was not my jam but it was good. I felt like it had a Joni Mitchell feel. I probably need to spend more time listening to the lyrics and songwriting.
dragut sincer. nu e pop pe care il ascult sincer si de asta ma incanta cat de cat
Immediately, stolen car the first song in the album took my breath away. It’s a mixture of rock, folk/country and gives almost Elle McDonald vibes with the almost Irish twang that she adds to her songs. So far one of the best albums I’ve listened to in a while. Amazing vocals and cool guitar solos Sweetest Decline is automatically more mellow but still just as beautiful
Meh
This was really nice. I think I've heard her name, but don't know her music. Looking at my last.fm history, I've scrobbled one track prior to today, back in 2023. It has not stuck with me. I enjoyed this from the get go - very Knopfleresque guitar work on 'Stolen Car', definitely a highlight. Her vocals are very engaging without being overpowering. More of this, please!
I really like this one, great voice and lyricism intertwined with simple yet also complex instrumentation (in some aspects), mostly folk but with definite trip-hop elements most notable in songs like ‘Stars all seem to weep” and the last song (a remix of an already established song previously on the album), both of which feel slightly out of place but culminate in what are probably my favourite songs of the album as they really seperate thus album from other folk ones. It also bas a great, catchy intro song which is always a good thing to immediately hook you to the album, followed by less energetic folk songs with some really nice acoustic guitar and strings, there was actually quite a few instruments i noticed in each of the different songs which definitely added some variety. Also, once again the lyrics throughout were really nice and quite deep. Favourites: the first three, stars all seem to weep, love like laughter and the last three. Overall, 8/10.
its a cool blend of folk pop and downtempo but it def drags a bit
Mellow
Decent album. It felt more like background music.
C’est le style d’album qui me fait penser à la crème caramel… C’est pas mauvais, mais aucun wow!
Me laisse plutôt indifférent.
C'est assez monotone du Dido
Pas mauvais quoique pas mal anémique et soporifique. La chanson titre, ainsi que Stolen Car, sont pas mal. Stars all seem to weep avec son petit son electro très 90’s aussi. Mais au final un peu de pep n’aurait pas fait de tort!
This feels like the onslaught of artists similar to Natalie Merchant, Jewel, Joan Osborne and to a lesser extent the Cranberries. There is a bit more polished feel to this album with the strings, slide guitar and the Fender Rhodes keyboard.
Didn’t vibe with this one as much. I enjoyed the song Pass in Time but nothing else really captivated me.
took me like half the album to actually get into the mood for the album i was listening to, which u would think would doom the whole thing but im willing to believe that the whole album Is as good as the chunk that hit me the hardest and my brain was just being stupid. wonderfully watercolor singer-songwriter stuff w/ trip hop and folktronica being used to break down the fences that mark out the Obvious way these songs "should" be done. creative and precise but still lots of air and nothing overly flashy...and rly rly beautiful once i was able to fully give myself over to it instead of just letting it drift by. which is v easy to do ofc, but u get out what u put in yk!
A pretty plain, singer/songwriter album. Not horrible but shouldn't be on this list. 2.5/5 -> 3/5
This album is new to me and but for this list I would have been unaware of its existence. With that said this album is not great. It grew on me some but the lack of variety and maybe my bias against this style of music (folk/ electonica/ pop) leads me to give this a 2.
Bit disappointed to discover that Beth Orton is basically trendy 90s Dido. The sound is really nice and chilled but then it doesn't really go anywhere for an hour. So the album title feels quite appropriate. Her appearances on Chemical Brothers tracks are all comfortably better than everything here but it was pleasant enough listening.
Beth Orton's Central Reservation was a lovely surprise. She has a soft and calming voice that washes over you; it's a voice that's perfect for folk music. There's the slightest touch of electronic, which makes Central Reservation quite different. Orton stayed mainly with folk, but the slight electronic tones made this album stand out. I hear a lot of inspiration from other nineties women singer songwriters that came before Orton. A lot of recognition was in the lyrics and their style, but the pacing and content as well.
This was not a very exciting album, but it was peaceful and made for nice listening. The dabbling in electronic sounds was ever so subtle, not detracting from the folkiness of the album. I absolutely LOVE Beth Orton's voice, but I think the style of music kept me from loving the album. Still, her vocals are perfect here and her voice was a large part of what made the album so good.
Good variety of moods
It was an okay album, my highest praise goes to the variety of backing sound scapes behind Beth's vocals. However her vocal style became a little stale after a number of songs in a row, there wasn't a whole lot of variation between them
Like the singer voice, and the album it's a nice listening. Not really one of my favorites but an respectable album 2/5
3.5 07.25.2025
Good
Kind of surprised I liked this enough to give it a four. Heavy late 90's singer songwriter vibes, but very chill
Itsok
i mean its alright like
It's a good listen.
I actually quite liked this one. Has a sound a lot like Regina Spektor who I also like a lot.
Pretty good. Pleasant to listen to.
Decent enough chill album
a ratos peca de dosmilero
Beth Orton was and is one of the most underrated artists of her time. The voice, her beautiful songs, the quiet folksy instrumentals, it's a vibe. Highlights: Stolen Car, Central Reservation, Pass in Time
Beth Orton has such a beautiful voice. I have never heard her before and I am so glad I have now! Fav songs: Stolen Car, Central Reservation
There's more than a bit of Moon Safari hiding in this production, and with some excellent vocals on top this was just what I needed! 4*
I wasn't expecting much going into this album, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. This is pretty good! It's not spectacular, but I'd call this an album that was worthy of my time. I wasn't super interested upon generating the album. I thought "Folktronica? Were the TWO Goldfrapp albums not enough?" Turns out, I actually like this album more than the Goldfrapp albums! I actually didn't really think of her that much with this album. The outside artist I thought about most while listening to this was actually Joni Mitchell, which is not a bad thing seeing as I love what I've heard of Joni's music. This kind of reminds me of a blend of her stuff with a bit of Portishead thrown in on songs like "Stars All Seem to Weep." I like it. The instrumentation blends the softer acoustic stuff with electronic influences well. Beth Orton's singing is nice. Not my favorite singer named Beth. After all, I did already acknowledge Portishead in this review, so I might as well mention that I like Beth Gibbons more. However, I feel like comparisons to other artists aren't what I need to do for a review like this. I will say that I do have one specific problem with the album. It's a little long for my liking. Other than that, I feel somewhat positive about everything. The writing's alright, the vibes are nice, and the music's good. Nothing's phenomenal, but nearly everything in this album brings me some level of positive feelings. I like it. Light 4/5.
Kinda washed over me in a pleasant way. Liked the first couple of tracks a lot but then it petered away a bit. Good closing track too. She has a good voice for the folky stuff she's using it for. Inoffensive.
It was ok
I tried to get a sense of purpose from this. Who is it for? What's the motivation? Massively overblown. My opinion is that you really need to earn a symphony on your album, you can't just toss off... whatever, and create drama with the string section. This album checks a box on some record company's list in the late 90's: Post-grunge 4 piece heavy rock act (like Bush)? CHECK Spicy girl group? CHECK Whiny angst-addled indie rock act that forgot to tune up and the singer sounds drunk? CHECK R&B group, R&B female singer, R&B male singer, dance music, rap, and or all of the above at the same time: CHECK, CHECK, CHECK Female pop vocalist... " Hey, Bill, we don't have a female pop vocalist anywhere do we, I need to check a box on this Corporate Music Form™?" "Yeah, Bob, lemme look... hm, best I can do is that sort of monotone trip-hop act called Beth Orton." "I haven't heard it, have you?" "No, Bob I sure haven't!" "Works for me, Bill!" Both laugh hysterically and drive off in Bill's Porsche to golf.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Her vocals are good, and some of the instrumentation is too. It’s all a little too safe though. Towards the end it dwindled into acoustic guitar and vocal tracks which tested my patience. Good for what it is. Did not add.
I like the stripped-down feel of the songs, it reminded me a bit of PJ Harvey. but some of the songs did feel a bit same-y to me. Maybe I need to listen to it again, I dunno. Top tracks: "Pass In time," "Love Like Laughter"
I liked this album, I listened to it quite a few times. But that's partly because I didn't know what to say about it. Beth Orton's voice is wispy and beautiful and Ted Barnes' mostly acoustic accompaniment fits nicely alongside. But I felt like some of the songs felt the same; in the back half of the album I was asking myself if I already heard this. The album feels like it's somewhere around a 3.5, and not sure if it's a 4 because I had to think so hard about what songs I really liked. But when I stopped to think about each song, I chose a lot of good ones - Stolen Car, Sweetest Decline, Pass in Time, the title track, Blood Red River, Devil Song, and Feel to Believe. That's 7 out of 11, which feels like it's worth bumping up my rating.
This album is a snoozefest of generic, boring ballad after generic, boring ballad. Twangy singing style from an English "folktronica" singer, heavy on the folk. Sometimes I hear echoes of Joni Mitchell, but Joni Mitchell does it better. Overall, I'd say the album is inoffensive to listen to, but boring as hell. Tracks that didn't completely put me to sleep: Stolen Car (good guitar solo at the end), Stars All Seem to Weep (both were generic, but at least had a little energy).
Was not a fan of this, sounded a lot like some 70’s easy listening which was surprising given the release date.
I had high hopes going into this one. Especially seeing that a few tracks were produced by Ben Watt from Everything But The Girl. Man was I wrong. I really wanted to like this. I just couldn’t get past the vocal delivery and overall cheesy feel that seems quite dated now.
I put this on and my wife goes “oh babe, I didn’t know you’re a lesbian.” 😂 I look forward to seeing Beth at the next Lilith Fair. Wait, how do I know about Lilith Fair. Maybe I am a lesbian. 🤔
Adult contemporary BS. Dangerously close to Joni Mitchell vibes but doesn't go full Joni (ie her voice isn't fingernails on a chalkboard). That's about the only positive thing I can say about this album... 1.5/5
Beautiful Singer-Songwriter/Folk
Highly listenable and quality. Not anything I would normally reach for but impressive. “Sweetest Decline” is a great track. Natalie merchant sounding voice. Nice lyrics. Great instrumentation and production. Glad I was exposed to this.
A bit drawn out and slow, but calming and melodic. Reminds me a bit of Aurora.
Pleasant enough. Some standout moments.
I’d only ever half listened to this before but wow is it magical. Stolen Car has always been a classic but the whole album is just as wonderful.
Solid Natalie Merchant and Dolores O’Riordan vibes. Really enjoyed discovering this one.
Lovely
No está mal, las guitarras están bien, las letras son bastante buenas, buen álbum de cantautora, le pondría un 7, aunque puede sonar repetitivo
Beth Orton's second album (third if you include the highly collectable debut 'Superpinkymandy' from 1993 - an album that even Beth disowns). Compared to the previous album 'Trailer Park'; many of the electronics have been stripped back. This more rustic approach works perfectly in tracks like 'Couldn't Cause Me Harm' and the very gorgeous 'Central Reservation'; but it lends the album a very subdued feeling as a whole. Take 'Stars All Seem To Weep', for example, which incorporates trip-hop and elements of dub. It's a very muted affair that seems primed to break out into something truly special, something genre-bending, but it never quite gets there. Meandering and "playing it safe" aside; there are two very strong highlights on offer here. The first is 'Stolen Car', an ubiquitous piece of late 90s nostalgia where every instrument, every arrangement, hits in exactly the right way. The second is the Ben Watt (Everything But The Girl) mix of the title track 'Central Reservation' which transforms the original into a sugary sweet and catchy piece of dance pop. All being said; there really isn't too much to fault about this album. It's a very safe affair, but that also gives it it's own certain wonderous charm.
A few songs I enjoyed it just feels like she has not settled on a sound that feels right. Many of the songs last much longer that I like despite having some great lyrics.
Nice voice but very vanilla. I couldn't tell you how one song goes after just listening to it. It is very forgettable
pleasant music - brilliant voice - wow
Favorite Track: Pass in Time
it's not bad but bland
Some songs really interested me but most was just background music.
I feel like I've heard the opener Stolen Car. I dig Pass in Time! Not really my style overall but this was nice to listen to and she's got a beautiful voice!
This is like if Alanis Morrisette and Noah Kahan had an English baby. Her voice reminds me a little of Dolores O'Riordan. It was solid! Scratches my 90s itch.
This was a delight from start to finish. Beautiful vocals. Close to a five-star rating. Highlights were Stolen Car, So Much More, Pass in Time, Central Reservation, Blood Red River, and Feel to Believe.
Decent 90’s album. Poppy , Sarah McLaughlinish.
Sorta like the British Norah Jones.
Seems like a talented voice. Nothing really stood out for me, though.
Sin más, llegó un momento que me pareció un poco repetitivo.
Gran voz, buenas canciones y excelente grabación. No obtuvo el reconocimiento merecido.
Nice voice. Raw
Its pk a pop indie album woth good overall songs and production value. Not my thing
Enjoyed this a fair amount. Granted, I listened to it over like, 3 days, so I should give it another chance.
I thought this was pleasant
sorry but this was bullshit
It's okay. A little too folky for me.
Not bad. Definitely has the feel of the late 90s, and there are some excellent songs on here. I feel like almost every song could use some editing though, like a minute or more shorter for each track would have tightened up the album as a whole. “Stars all seem to Weep” was a highlight.
I think this one is fine but not my jam. I feel like giving it a 2 would be a disservice just because it's not for me. I feel like it is a well put together album so I'm going to give it a 3.
Not for me
Definitely one of the albums of all time
Op zich mooie producties en lekker (misschien te) kalm. Een paar leuke uitschieters als Sweetest Decline en Central Reservation 'the Then Again Version' maar verder niet super boeiend op eerste listen.
Ik voelde m niet
Ik vond het eerste nummer heel nice, daarna kakte het vond ik behoorlijk in
Begin van het album vond ik wel cool maar de B-side interesteerde me niet echt.
Mwah niet zo bijzonder wat mij betreft, ook weinig tijd om te luisteren
2 - forgettable
Chill vibes from Beth, breathy ethereal vocals over lush arrangements is the order of the day. Loved this.
Not for me.
Unique voice. Wonderful lyrics
A sleepier version of Sheryl Crow? Definitely a miss for me.
Flawless album. Fantastic voice and surprisingly good musicianship for what seems like a little indie artist.
Listening to first track Stolen Car
Folksy Calming
Fun and folky.
Pleasant lyricist. Not sure the music matches the emotions of the lyrics though. Doesn't hit. Not entirely sure what makes this a must-listen album. Mid.
Central Reservation is an "okay" album. Nothing here shines too much, but it has a certain charm with all its melodic attempts and there is some heart in the compositions. As someone said here, this is what would be the result if the color beige became an album. -- Central Reservation é um álbum "okay". Nada aqui brilha muito, mas ele tem um certo charme com todas as tentativas melódicas e há algum coração nas composições. Como alguém disse aqui, esse seria o resultado se a cor bege fosse um álbum. -- 6,5/10
Really great album.. Kind a like a modern Astral Weeks in some ways.
Orton’s vocals caught my attention back when this record came out. I wasn’t sure I liked her voice but the more I listened the more she grew on me. I really like this album quite a lot: the music, the vibe (folk to trip hop), her vocals, and her lyrics. I played this a LOT when it came out. Side note: I never understood what the title referenced (and never bothered to try) until literally this year. I wasn’t sure watching a cycling race and the British commentator pointed out that the riders would have to split around the “central reservation” in the road. The median strip!
An ok folk album. Nothing really stuck out to me.
Hmm, this was perfectly fine for background music. I didn't really care though. It was totally fine.
This album definitely does exist, that's for sure.
Ewwwwwww snoozefest
Z z z
It never seemed to get going, just cruising along being bland
This is not my type of music but there’s a variation between folk pop and downtempo that is kinda nice, I guess. This is way too long though abd ultimately way too nice for me
This album will put you to sleep.
Very very very gentle and mellow folk pop that won't hurt anybody.
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Stolen Car, Stars All Seem To Weep, Devil Song It's okay. Some decent tracks and some unmemorable. Nothing particularly bad.
Her voice is like if Jewel and Dido had a baby- gorgeous! Really liked the album. 3.8 for me. Not quite sure I'd listen to it again.
Listened without any knowledge. Can literally not tell what era this is from. I hear the Carol King & Joni Mitchell influence.
3 Timing is everything with albums like this one. In 1999, we were overrun with bleeping loud, shiny, noisy Pop, Hip-Hop and Electronica. So, Orton's smooth Linda Thompson/Marianne Faithfull esque-voice was soothing. Even better was the British Folk/Seventies singer-songwriter production. 25 years later, those are de rigueur in Indie Rock - especially with female singer/songwriters. Points for setting up the template but not the groundbreaker it is purported to be.
Good album overall. Not my favorite genre, but her voice is amazing, the songwritting is excellent as well.
Not for me
Rock, Pop, soft, 1999 -> 3
A very comfy listen. Her voice is the best part of the album.
I was expecting to like this more.
A chance to reconnect with this artist. Bought a CD years ago when that was still common, Trailer Park. Beautiful voice, great arrangements. Pleasure to listen to
Bland
did not enjoy. DNF
Lovely
Pleasant singer-songwriter album with some interesting production touches.
Meh!
The 90s were a weird decade for music. Sort of a tamed down Alanis Morisette, it got pretty sleepy after 2-3 tracks. Honestly sounds a bit like elevator music. Maybe not a "bad" listen, but not something I'd go out of my way to listen to again.
Just kinda washes over you pleasantly...
I love this album and I love her voice. Some amazing songs here.
идея правильная но исполнение не вдохновило
This was full of great songs. Yet another example of a complete unknown (to me) artist that surprises me with an album full of great songs. Dang near 5 Star territory.
A good album, I liked Stolen Car, Central Reservation and Blood Red River the most.
Soft
I like Britpop. I like folk. I like electronica. It wasn't terrible, but I didn't really like this. This feels like something that people who listen to Ani DeFranco would like. I don't like Ani DeFranco.
Very boring except for Pass in Time which is the only real stand-out pick from the album.
Singer songwriter pop. Great soft and honest voice. Some tracks like «Stars All Seem to Weep» leaning towards trip hop - those I really liked a lot. The rest is also good, but a bit more boring.
I really like this -- I can see myself listening repeatedly to learn the lyrics. The music is interesting enough to hold my attention even on the first listen.
This was a decent singer/songwriter album. I found out that Ben Watt from Everything But The Girl produced a few tracks, which was interesting, but honestly, nothing really stood out as all that memorable. Still, like I said, it’s good for what it is.
Didn't get to this on Friday so listening now. okay I mean it's alright but it's a little depressing. only made it through 5 tracks. 3 Stars