1. Two Lone Swordsmen Remix
2. Two Lone Swordsmen Instrumental
3. Adrian Sherwood Off Me Rocker Mix
4. Adrian Sherwood Off Me Head Cut Mix
5. Photek Remix

If I'm not wrong, Anywhere could very likely be release as a 2 part singles with the 2 Two Lone Swordsmen mixes sharing the first part and the 2 Adrian Sherwood Off Me mixes as the second part. The Photek mix could easily fit into one of the singles.  And if you are a big Beth's collector, you might like to check out the auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=903306027

Jeremy of Somebody's Pages also spoke to Pru Harris (from RoughTrade) about the release of Anywhere. Pru confirmed the release to be either 21st or 28th Oct 2002 but most likely to be 21st. So everyone keep a look out!

I have tried to look everywhere, Amazon.co.uk, NME, Dotmusic, online music stores, official sites.... and finally found a listing on CDNow. CDNow listed a October 21 release for Anywhere as an import title from England, EMI. To view this item, please click:

BETH ORTON'S ANYWHERE

By the way, those of you who are big fans of Ryan Adams can also pre-order his next album, Demolition out on Sept 24 at Cdnow. The vinyl version of the album is only US$8.99, very cheap I think:

SEE RYAN ADAMS' DEMOLITION

So if you have any information on the next single, please email me at webmaster@bethlehem.com

I have already posted this info on my discography page a few weeks ago so please check out my discography section if you need more info.

http://marketplace.woxy.com/cgi-bin/auction.cgi?ProductID=1000000000079892&action=BuyerViewProductDetail

As at 2002/08/27 23:37:07 EST, the bid price is at US$24.00 and the auction is still running for another 16 days.

Beth Orton is a six-foot singer/songwriter from Norfolk. She has done two previous albums, Trailer Park (1996) and Central Reservation (1999), both of which received much critical acclaim. In '96 she scored her first Top 40 single with "She Cries Your Name," and did a sell-out tour of the UK to celebrate a Mercury Music Prize nomination for Album of the Year. Her follow-up Central Reservation made her an indie favorite in the US.

It's been three years in the wait for the new Astralwerks album Daybreaker. In the meantime Beth has done some DJing and appearered as a guest vocalist on several projects. The past five years have been fruitful for Beth. She recorded with a personal hero, folk-jazz legend Terry Callier, worked with the Chemical Brothers on Dig Your Own Hole, toured America with Sheryl Crow and Emmylou Harris as part of the Lilith Fair, and performed in a packed-out tent to a crowd of 10,000 muddy Glastonbury-goers.

At six foot tall and disarmingly sharp, Beth Orton is not exactly what you'd expect. Despite an ability to reduce people to tears with her songs, Beth is more likely to steal your last cigarette than cry on your shoulder. Born in Norfolk, England in 1970, Beth moved to London with her mother at the age of fourteen and settled in Dalston. Since her older brothers had already gone the punk rock route, she felt the most rebellious thing she could do was "get into folk." She spent her late teen years immersed in everything from Nick Drake, to The Stone Roses and Rickie Lee Jones, before toying with the idea of acting and a drama course.

After a couple of years in fringe theater she hooked up with dance producer William Orbit for her first musical project, a cover of John Maryn's "Don't Wanna Know About Evil." Having worked with Orbit for two years she co-wrote the first two Red Snapper singles and teamed up with the (little known at the time) Chemical Brothers on "Alive: Alone," the haunting final track from the Brothers' ace debut album. The Brothers invited her back on their most recent album after a noticeable absence.

Now years after first hearing her first solo album, Beth Orton seems like a major artist with a wide range. Her new album should be worth the wait. It will be out in July. I got to talk to her backstage at one of her shows in Hollywood recently. It was brief, but I look forward to hearing her records in the future.

______________________________________________________________

AL:You have done a bunch of collaborations in the past with people like The Chemical Brothers. All while maintaining a band of your own. When you go into a studio what do you hope these friends and band members can bring to the album?

Beth: I think that when you work with the same people for a long time you create a relationship. It's with the band as well. We have built a certain level of trust over the years. It's a comfort in a way. But I wouldn't call it comfort necessarily. It's a lack of self-consciousness around one another. We have an open relationship where now on this record it can be real special.

I remember on one song I went over to Ted's house (a band member) and he started playing a riff. It was winter and we were sitting in his room. Ted had just told me a story about a girl that he met, wondering if he would ever meet her again. When he started playing I just started singing along straight away. The melody and the words came out at once. It's so exciting. It's like peeling away an onion. You can have all sorts of relationships, but there's something with musicians working together where you can have relationship that can just continue to grow in a beautiful way. Then you get your William Orbit's and your Chemical Brothers and that's just like icing on the cake really.

AL: What was it like working with Johnny Marr?

Beth: I did some writing with him. I had a song called "Concrete Sky" knocking around for ages. I met him and I played it to him and he said "Oh, I love that song. I got chords." He got all these chords out of the cupboard and he was putting in all these little things. He got involved. I was happy with it but he just added this other dimension. With me I have a lot of beginnings and Ted has a lot of ends. With Johnny he has a lot of bits and pieces and these things that take it to another level all the time.

AL: You invited Ryan Adams to work on this album too. Can you tell us how that turned out?

Beth: I did. I heard Heartbreaker which is his first solo album. There's a record shop in London called Rough Trade Records and often I go down there on a Saturdays with some friends and buy some records. We look through the racks and they all suggest things. Oh I got this and this. All my DJ friends are all across the board. One week they'll say "Oh, I got this Ryan Adams and you have to get it." Oh, cool. Thought it was some old bloke. Went home and put it on. It was a great record. I was surprised that there was someone in my generation who was like this.

I also like Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, and Dolly Parton. They just move me. Well, Johnny Marr sang backup vocals on "Concrete Sky" on the demo but he was on tour with someone else by the time it came to record it. We called up Ryan Adams and he was up for it and it was brilliant. He came over and we went into the studio. He put the vocal down and then he put some guitar and piano down and that was great. Then he played me some song that he had and it just blew me away. He wrote the song about some girl. And I could relate because I was in a similar situation.

I learned it and then I was like "I have to record that song!" We did one take and that take is on the album. We met and our voices go beautifully together. It's called "What You Want" and it's going to be on the album. It's very beautiful and very magical.

AL: Since you worked with so many different people, does "Daybreaker" have the feel of one continuous album?

Beth: Yeah. What is surprising sometimes is what you leave off. We recorded 25 songs in two weeks with the whole band. Then there's the stuff I did with Johnny. There's stuff all over the place. And these are the ten songs that ended up being on the record because for me they encapsulate the mood best of the time we are recording the album. It took about six months altogether. That's not too bad. It was probably actually a year because I was looking for someone to do the mixing and things weren't working out.

AL: Who is a great producer? You have worked with William Orbit and Ben Watt....

Beth: Ben Watt is incredible. He took the record into Technicolor. We had this beautiful record and he came along and he just got it. I wanted it to be really classy. I wanted it to be lush and beautiful. I don't want any of your Lazy Dog stuff. He said "Okay cool." He came in and mixed "Paris Train" and it was just incredible.

AL: You are doing a small tour now and the record comes out in July?

Beth: Yeah. I am playing a few acoustic shows. Then Daybreaker comes out. I'll be back in August with a full band for a longer tour.

I've just created a page on the film on everything basic you need to know about it. Click here to view it under the Archive section. 

If you guys have any information about the film, please feel free to email me.

Those looking for streaming live audio and videos of Beth Orton, can proceed to the Multimedia section.

Those dying to read all the past articles and reviews, can proceed to Articles + Reviews section.

Those who have a good hand at playing the guitar can check out Dee's Tabs Page. Dee has worked out most of Beth Orton's songs into tabs from her 3 albums and is now working on Best Bit EP.

And those who have too much money and no idea where to spend it on, can go to my Shop page and check out the best deals in town.

That's all and I hope you enjoy what I've put up. I also did some changes to the layouts of most pages, if you don't see anything, reload or refresh your pages. I update this site regularly so it's good you reload the pages if you come in here often.

Let me know what else I can include in these pages and I will do my best!

If you missed the live simulcast and the reboardcast, don't dispair, you can now catch Beth Orton's guest DJ spot on KCRW anytime you want at:

http://kcrw.com/cgi-bin/ram_wrap.cgi?/mb/mb020823Beth_Orton

I just finished listeining to Beth Orton's guest DJ at KCRW and typed up the setlist (with the help of Dierk Schlie).

Here's what I have:

1. "If You Want me To Stay" - Sly & the Family Stone
2. "Stoney End" - Laura Nero
3. "Ali Baba" - John Holt
4. "You're Going to Make Me Lonesome When You Go" - Bob Dylan
5. "Heart of Glass" - Blondie
6. "Waterfall" - Stone Roses
7. "Ribbon Bow" - Karen Dalton
8. "Oh, You Pretty Things" - David Bowie

She sounded a little tired when talking, but it was nice to hear her banter with the host and she talked a bit about each song before it was played.

You can still listen to the reboardcast at: http://www.kcrwmusic.com

Aimee set list:
The Moth, Calling it Quits, Choice in the Matter, Lost in Space, Humpty Dumpty, Susan, Fourth of July,
Wise Up, Red Vines, Save Me, That's Just What You Are, Pavlov's Bell, Long Shot, encore: Deathly

Coldplay's Chris Martin w/ Mos Def:
Lovely Day, Simple Twist of Fate, Don't Worry

Beth set list:
Paris Train, Daybreaker, Mt. Washington, Someone's Daughter, Carmella, Pass In Time, God Song, Concrete Sky, She Cries Your Name, Stolen Car, Central Reservation, Blood Red River

Wow, what a night. And to think I was hesitant to go. (I'm not much of a concert person as it's hard for a song to live up to the album version when it's performed live, and I hate giving money to Ticketmaster.) Anyway, it was fun fun fun!

A brief A.I. video started at 7:45, followed by Nic Harcourt of KCRW, who was the MC for the night. He
told us that Aimee would open, then Chris & Johnny of Coldplay would be there, then Beth would close. Bill Schultz of Amnesty International provided us with a couple of impassioned appearances throughout the night. Mr. Schultz informed us that the focus of the night would be the case of a Nigerian woman who will be stoned to death in 28 days for the crime of adultery.

Aimee took the stage after Mr. Schultz. She wore blue jeans, a red jacket, and a yellow blouse that may have been adorned with a red tie. (Ryan and I didn't have the best seats in the house, but there really weren't any *bad* ones.) She opened with "The Moth", then "Calling It Quits", during which she changed the end a bit (around the "Judy Garland storylines" part). After that song ended she started her comments about the lighting, saying how she could see the audience a little too well and that she doesn't need the pressure. :-) After "Choice in the Matter", she complained again about the lights. When adjustments were made she told the audience, "See the power I have?" The she joked with the band about the atmosphere and vibe, adopting a bit of a surfer tone. Too funny. :-) After "Lost in Space" she did her part in promoting her new album ("I have a new record coming out next week. That's as much banter I have for that.")... Before "Pavlov's Bell", Aimee spoke of her charisma problem - she decided she doesn't have any and she doesn't even think she likes people who have it. With those comments, she proceeded to her band intro, which consisted of introducing Michael Lockwood and no one else. :-P They closed with "Long Shot", but a hearty response brought them all back for "Deathly", despite Aimee's concern that they would be running over into someone else's time slot. Like we care! :-)

A brief interlude followed, then Nic Harcourt was back and spoke a little about Chris from Coldplay and how goofy he is. Chris proved it a few minutes later when he demonstrated how he sounds like shit by doing an opening line or 2 from a Coldplay song in a cracking falsetto. With that excuse, he brought out Mos Def, and proceeded to introduce the world to "cheesy white boy rock and hip-hop" by playing "Lovely Day", "Simple Twist of Fate" and "Don't Worry". Chris joked that they are the new Ike & Tina Turner of pop, and Mos Def said "but I don't beat him." LOL! Chris had me dying of laughter a few minutes later when he commented that he was getting horny during Aimee's set because he and
his girlfriend used to make out to the "Magnolia" soundtrack. I wonder what Aimee thought of that
revelation. ;-)

Another intermission followed that 15-minute set, and there was another A.I. video, followed by Nic
Harcourt's lovely intro for Beth, saying how when A.I. was first putting together the show, Beth was the first one who showed interest in participating.

Beth and her band took the stage to hapy applause and opened with "Paris Train." The sound guys didn't get the balance right till "Mt. Washington", the 3rd song in the set, which was absolutely beautiful. Beth's vocals came through loud on clear on that song, wow! She's mentioned before the song that she wasn't going to talk much that night because she's nervous and shy, but she cracked one of her trademark corny jokes (about asking for cotton balls at a chemist's) after "Carmella", which really rocked, as did "Someone's Daughter." When people who've seen her live before mentioned that her live renditions varied a lot from the album versions, I couldn't see how it would be possible, but damn, she sure rocked out on some songs that I never woulda thunk to be anything but mellow and pleasant. I loved it! And I have to admit to a bit of a crush on the double bass (stand-up bass?) player because he sure knows how to groove. He was *really* into his playing, it was quite admirable. :-)

A total of 75 albums make up the "Long List" from which the finalists for the second annual Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music will be chosen. Chosen by a celebrity-packed panel of musicians, filmmakers, and others, the Long List reflects a diverse mix of music -- from U.K. soul/electronica act Zero 7's "Simple Things" (Palm Pictures) and the shredding rock of "Source Tags & Codes" (Interscope) by ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead to rap veteran Masta Ace's "Disposable Arts" (JCOR) and the darkly perverse "Blood Money" (Anti) by the inimitable Tom Waits.

The full Long List is printed below, and is accessible on the Shortlist Web site. The site also features streaming versions of full-length songs from the many of the nominated albums.

"Think of the Long List as your adventurous CD shopping list," Shortlist Music Project co-founder Greg Spotts said in a statement. "There is something on the Long List for everyone, and each album was hand-picked by a well-known artist, producer, or journalist."

As previously reported, the Shortlist panel is made up of 23 individuals, including the recently added Alanis Morissette and U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. Others artists involved include Iggy Pop, India.Arie, Beck, Mos Def, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, Paul Oakenfold, Jill Scott, and Metallica's Lars Ulrich. Film directors Baz Luhrmann ("Moulin Rouge") and Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich") are also on the panel.

Each "listmaker" nominated five albums for the Long List. Titles had to be released in the U.S. between July 2001 and August 2002 and have sold fewer than 500,000 copies at the time of nomination. Panel members will now pare the list down by selecting 10 albums each, with the top vote-getters becoming Shortlist finalists. The winner will be selected by the listmakers at an Oct. 29 awards ceremony and concert at Los Angeles' Knitting Factory.

Interestingly, albums by two members of the panel are also on the Long List. Sonic Youth's "Murray Street" (DGC) and "In Search Of..." (Virgin) by N.E.R.D., which is made up of members of the production team the Neptunes, were both nominated by the committee.

Among the individual artists picks, India.Arie nominated Cee-Lo's "Cee-Lo Green And His Perfect Imperfections" (Arista), and Jonze had the Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" (Warner Bros.) among his choices. Morissette named another female singer songwriter, Beth Orton ("Daybreaker," Astralwerks) to her list, while the Roots' Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson nominated electronic act Jazzanova ("In Between," Ropeadope).

Ryan Adams is the only artist to have made the long list for both years of the Shortlist competition. This year, his Lost Highway album "Gold" follows last year's nomination of "Heartbreaker" (Bloodshot).

Last year's inaugural event saw listmakers that included Beck, Macy Gray, Aimee Mann, Mos Def, and Thompson choose Icelandic rock act Sigur Ros' "Agaetis Byrjun" (Fat Cat) as the first Shortlist Music Prize honoree. The group received $10,000 and a $10,000 donation in its name to a Sept. 11th relief charity of its choice. Sigur Ros and fellow finalists Talib Kweli, Dandy Warhols, and Nikka Costa performed during the ceremony.

Here is the complete Long List for the 2002 Shortlist Prize:

"Labor Days," Aesop Rock (Definitive Jux)
"Source Tags & Codes," ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead (Interscope)
"I Get Wet," Andrew W.K. (Island)
"Arrythmia," Anti-Pop Consortium (Warp)
"Drukqs," Aphex Twin (Warp/Sire)
"Storytelling," Belle & Sebastian (Matador)
"Daybreaker," Beth Orton (Astralwerks)
"Vespertine," Bjork (Elektra)
"Blazing Arrow," Blackalicious (MCA)
"Ancient Melodies of the Future," Built To Spill (Warner Bros.)
"A Good Tip For A Good Time," Cato Salsa Experience (Emperor Norton)
"Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections," Cee-Lo (Arista)
"Walking With Thee," Clinic (Domino)
"New American Language," Dan Bern (Messenger)
"Zap the World," Death By Chocolate (Jetset)
"Zen," DJ Krush (Red Ink)
"Under Tha Influence," DJ Quik (Ark 21)
"The Private Press," DJ Shadow (MCA)
"The Last Broadcast," Doves (Capitol)
"Southern Rock Opera," Drive-By Truckers (Lost Highway)
"Fantastic Damage," El-P (Definitive Jux)
"El-P Presents Cannibal Ox Oxstrumentals," El-P & Cannibal Ox (Definitive Jux)
"Other Animals," Erase Errata (Troubleman Unlimited)
"Kittenz and Thee Glitz," Felix Da Housecat (Emperor Norton)
"Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots," Flaming Lips (Warner Bros.)
"Universal Truths and Cycles," Guided By Voices (Matador)
"Something Wicked This Way Comes," Herbaliser (Ninja Tune)
"Burn It Black," Injected (Island)
"Denials, Delusions, and Decisions," Jaguar Wright (MCA)
"In Between," Jazzanova (Ropeadope)
"JJ72," JJ72 (Columbia)
"All of the Above," J-Live (Coup D'Etat)
"Star Kitty's Revenge," Joi (Universal)
"Concrete Love," Julia Fordham (Atlantic)
"Kinky," Kinky (Nettwerk)
"Nuevo," Kronos Quartet (Elektra/Asylum)
"Life on a String," Laurie Anderson (Atlantic)
"Feminist Sweepstakes," Le Tigre (Mr. Lady)
"Feeling Orange Sometimes Blue: The Jazz Singer Limited Edition," Ledisi (Lesun Music)
"The Golden Dove," Mary Timony (Matador)
"Disposable Arts," Masta Ace (JCOR)
"Cookie: The Anthropological Mix Tape," MeShell Ndegeocello (Maverick
"The Moldy Peaches," the Moldy Peaches (Sanctuary)
"In Search Of...," N.E.R.D. (Virgin)
"Tunin' Up and Cosignin'," N'Dambi (Cheeky I)
"Emigrante," Orishas (Surco)
"1,000 Kisses," Patty Griffin (ATO)
"Princess Superstar Is," Princess Superstar (K7/Rapster)
"Mortal Mirror," Quix*o*tic (Kill Rock Stars)
"And the Surrounding Mountains," Radar Brothers (Merge)
"Instant Vintage," Raphael Saadiq (Universal)
"The Way I Feel," Remy Shand (Universal)
"Dead Ringer," RJD2 (Definitive Jux)
"Gold," Ryan Adams (Lost Highway)
"Murray Street," Sonic Youth (DGC/Geffen)
"It's a Wonderful Life," Sparklehorse (Capitol)
"Musique Automatique," Stereo Total (Bobsled)
"Rings Around the World," Super Furry Animals (XL/Beggars Group)
"Genetic World," Telepopmusik (Capitol)
"Since I Left You," the Avalanches (Sire)
"Souljacker," Eels (DreamWorks)
"Danse Macabre," the Faint (Saddle Creek)
"Veni Vidi Vicious," the Hives (Burning Heart/Epitaph/Warner Bros.)
"I Can See Your House From Here," the Scooters (Aeronaut)
"Highly Evolved," the Vines (Capitol)
"Loud," Timo Maas (Kinetic)
"Blood Money," Tom Waits (Anti)
"Tomahawk," Tomahawk (Ipecac)
"Twinemen," Twinemen (High N Dry)
"Sharpen Your Teeth," Ugly Casanova (Sub Pop)
"Yankee Hotel Foxtrot," Wilco (Nonesuch)
"Lost Change," Will.I.Am (Beat Generation)
"Built From Scratch," X-ecutioners (Loud)
"Simple Things," Zero 7 (Palm Pictures)

Nic Harcourt and KCRW will have Beth Orton as guest DJ (!) on Harcourt's show tomorrow at 11 AM PST on 23 August 2002. KCRW is in Los Angeles, but you can hear an internet simulcast at:

http://www.kcrw.org/grid

It'll be very interesting to hear Beth's favorite music. And if you miss the live simulcast, you can catch the rebroadcast as Morning Becomes Eclectic is rebroadcast at 4:30PM PST every day. That means Beth should be on at 6:30PM PST. The URL is at:

http://www.kcrwmusic.com

Beth Orton will appear on the Late Night Show with Craig Kilborn on 23 August 2002, Friday on America's CBS. Ted Barnes and Beth Orton will perform the first single, Concrete Sky together. For more information, please see http://www.cbs.com/latenight/latelate/index.shtml

I was lucky enough to see the show in Boulder last night. It was for a radio convention with two other acts (Wallflowers & Blind Boys of Alabama), so Beth only played for 45 minutes. She played Daybreaker acoustic with Ted on guitar and then brought the band out for a rocking set. I was able to meet her and the band, hang out for a couple of beers, etc. She was incredibly nice as was the band. Several of the band members even introduced themselves and started up a conversation. Very friendly. It was my second show as Beth came through Denver earlier in the year. What and incredible voice. Thanks to Beth and the band.

If you've attended Beth's gig at La Zona Rosa 2 days ago at Austin and have not taken any pictures, you're in luck... posted by eyeburn, the pictures for the gig can be seen at:

http://duende.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showgall&gid=105

There are tons of pics so enjoy!

The Dallas show was AMAZING!!! This was my first time to experience Beth live, and it was surely and unforgettable night. Every song was a stand out. Personal favorites were Mount Washington, Paris Train, Carmella, Sweetest Decline, Stolen Car, and of course (my favorite Beth song) Pass in Time. Her between-song banter was incredibly funny as well. She had a great sense of humor. She told a joke, then forgot the second one she was going to tell, and made a crack about the horrid movie "Bubble Boy". Her voice was in top form and her stage presence was enigmatic. I didn't want the show to end. Afterwards, she graciously signed my "Daybreaker" cd and took a picture. She was as sweet as could be! Truly an incredible performer, and so nice to her fans. I was directly infront of her during the show. Maybe 5 feet away. I was in heaven! This definitely goes on the top of my "Greatest Concerts I've Attended" list. Thanks for the great show, Beth! Come back to Dallas soon!

For more tour dates and reviews please see tour.

The alternate video for Concrete Sky can be found at:

http://artists.emidigitalmedia.com/beth_orton/main.html

There are 2 links you can click, the 'HI' link will bring you to the alternative video as shown in Australia. The 'LOW' link will show you the video of Beth walking through a forest to a beach.

The normal video as shown on most sites and in UK/US, is shot by Mike Mills at a lush forest
settings of the Pacific Northwest.

DATE: Sat Aug 17th
VENUS: The ALphabet Lounge
ADDRESS: 104 Ave C (at East 7th st) New York City
TEL: 212-780-0202
TIME: 9pm till....11pm

FREE GIANT POSTERS
Free CD's for Lucky winners
FREE ADMISSION
21 and over please
This is to celebrate the release of "DAYBREAKER"

Contains acoustic Daybreaker tracks and some insight into the making of the new album.

Real Audio link:
http://kcrw.com/cgi-bin/ram_wrap.cgi?/mb/mb020529Beth_Orton

Beth Orton Explores Mad, Bad And Sad Love On Daybreaker

Beth Orton's new album is so full of broken hearts and bitter ends you'd think the lanky British singer would have given up on falling in love at this point.

"I don't know that I've had bad luck in love," Orton, 31, said. "I think I've experienced some brilliant love, I just think that I have high expectations." Those lofty aspirations color all kinds of mad, bad and sad love on the folktronica chanteuse's recently released third album, Daybreaker.

The LP bears her signature mix of dusky folk arrangements imbued with everything from full string sections and bossa nova horns to electronic beatscapes courtesy of frequent collaborators the Chemical Brothers, with a fresh twist of Americana courtesy of such new friends as Ryan Adams and Emmylou Harris.

When you live your songs and your songs live you, as Orton put it, it's hard not to feel like your life is just a step on the way to becoming your art. Orton, whose speaking voice is more girlish and playful than the breathy, fragile one of her albums, said she's not into "experimenting" with the people she meets. "I think that's a dangerous road to go down," she said. "True songs come from true life's experience, not from orchestrating situations that will breed inspiration."

That inspiration seems to come from everywhere these days for Orton, who said she can often be found staring up into the sky while singing. The intimate connection she feels between emotion and
landscape finds her sitting on a train looking out the window ("Paris Train"), staring at the horizon ("Mount Washington") and worrying about the sky falling down on her head ("Concrete Sky").

On the latter, she collaborates with singer/songwriter Adams, who sings and plays on four songs on the album. But, as knocked out as Orton was by the ex-Whiskeytown singer's 2000 Heartbreaker album, their first meeting was less than auspicious.

"I thought he was an ass when I first met him," Orton admitted. "No offense, but I thought he was a cocky American. But then we got in the studio and he was wonderful. There is a beauty and wiseness
expressed in his voice ... I thought he must be about 40. I suppose I was really attracted to that and to the crack of his voice [on his album] ... I'm not saying I heard it with my mind, I heard it with my heart."

One of Adams' other contributions, the lush acoustic ballad "This One's Gonna Bruise," wasn't written specifically for Orton, but with its mix of regret and naturalistic imagery, it might as well have been. The wistful story of a galaxy-spanning love reduced to a stack of Polaroids in a cardboard box ends with Orton glumly admitting, "I'm as dead as you."

"I think he wrote it about another girl," she said haltingly, "But with me in mind to sing it." She deflected questions about a rumored romance with the scruffy singer by saying, "All anyone needs to worry
about or acknowledge is [what they hear] when they listen to the music. It was definitely a very strong musical connection, which is obvious when you hear the songs."

Orton's first meeting with another musical hero who chipped in on the album also got off to an awkward start, but ended up producing one of the record's most emotionally resonant songs, "Concrete Sky," another duet with Adams.

Orton met ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr backstage after one of her sets on the 1999 Lilith Fair. Introduced through a friend, Orton immediately struck up a conversation with the guitarist for the band
she had an intense love/hate relationship with as a teen in England.

"I was and I wasn't a fan," she said of the Smiths. "They were everywhere, you couldn't get away from them growing up in England, especially in a small town. [But] I really liked him as a person when
we met and we got on really well and we were talking, talking. Then I asked him, 'So, what do you do, anyway?' I didn't know who he was. [When I found out] I thought, 'Oh, f----ing hell!' "

Not the least bit slighted, Marr hooked up with Orton at their hotel that night and, with the help of several bottles of wine, began singing and playing their hearts out with a promise that they'd work together someday.

As confessional as her songs are, Orton is obviously a firm believer in privacy, especially when it comes to her personal relationships. While her liaisons are seemingly laid bare in her songs, the singer
said she's careful to phrase them in such a way that only she knows the true meaning of her starry-eyed lyrics.

"There was one boyfriend who used to go on about how they were all about him and he should have a writing credit," she laughed. "I told him to f--- off."

-Gil Kaufman

For collectors, there seems to be a promotional tape of Beth Orton titled Beth Orton: Winnebago Sampler. As we all know (well, some of us), Winnebago was originally the title of Trailer Park but due to copyright reasons (seems that Winnebago is a brand for trailer vans), it couldn't be use.

Back to the promo tape, it contains the following tracks:

1.She Cries Your Name
2.How Far
3.Live As You Dream
4.I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine
5.Tangent (Weatherall Mix)

Now... for track #5, I cannot confirm whether it is the same version of Tangent as found on Trailer Park but it is very likely the same because Weatherall too mixed Tangent on the album.

Also I have added more reviews for Daybreaker album.

To his surprise, the version shown on Rage have Beth Orton sitting on and walking around a white chair with some stairs in the background and neon lights on the steps. She's singing directly to camera and wearing some daring pink hotpants!

While the one that has been on Jeremy's Somebody's Pages site, it has Beth Orton walking through a forest to the beach.

Could they have been 2 different versions of the video? One each for different market? Let me know if you know anything about this! Email me!

In Canada, Daybreaker debuts at #34 on their Top 100 Albums Charts and a #13 on the Alternative Top 50 Chart.

Meanwhile, Daybreaker continues to sell well on Amazon.com. For the past week, Daybreaker has consistently stayed in the Top 10.

Global human rights organization Amnesty International is set to kick off a benefit concert series with an Aug. 21 show at Los Angeles' John Anson Ford Theatre featuring co-headliners Aimee Mann and Beth Orton. The series is expected to stretch through next spring in various U.S. cities, with Chicago and New York as possible locations.

The Amnesty International concerts will feature commentary by activists, artists, and celebrities in addition to the music. The organization also plans to use the shows as a forum to shed light on what it calls prisoners of conscience (POC): activists who are currently being held for charges relating to "non-violent expression of their beliefs." The organization will entreat concertgoers to petition the POCs' respective captors or governments for their release, providing form letters at the concerts.

"By working with popular artists, Amnesty International hopes to expand the grassroots movement that during our 40-year history has helped free 40,000 political prisoners," Amnesty International executive director Dr. William F. Schulz said in a statement. "The support of these artists will bolster Amnesty International's reach to young activists, who are critical to the movement for social change."

No artists save Mann and Orton have yet been confirmed for participation in the series. Orton's latest album, "Daybreaker" (Astralwerks), was released last week in North America and debuted at No. 8 on the U.K. album chart last month. Mann's fourth solo album, "Lost in Space" (SuperEgo), is due next Tuesday (Aug. 13). -- Troy Carpenter, N.Y.

Daybreaker is the week's 6th highest debut. Bruce Springsteen's The Rising debut at #1 with Linkin' Park remix album, Reanimation debuting at #2.

Finally, after all the hoo-ha, Beth-lehem has fortunately found a home in the
URL: http://www.beth-lehem.com

I hope that all everyone who love this site and Beth Orton can help me spread the word and let every Beth Orton fan know about the recent changes. Meanwhile, the site is still undergoing some major revamp but you still can have your daily dosage of Beth from the following cool sites:

Beth Orton official site at Astralwerks: http://www.bethorton.mu
Jez's Somebody Pages: http://www.beth-orton.co.uk

The 2 Rolling Stones' songs Beth Orton covered are:
1. No Expectations (with Beck)
2. Brown Sugar (with Ryan Adams)

Extravagantly sinister string arrangement aside, this unsentimental love song seems to have little to do with the Bobbie Gentry of "Ode To Billy Joe" fame. Tougher than anything on Orton's new "Daybreaker" album, and a memorable contrast because of it. (From "Concrete Sky EP", Heavenly U.K.) http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicAntihit/jul31_anti-can.html

This is not the first time Beth Orton appears on the charts. Beth Orton has 5 other chart appearances as well and even a #1 with Stolen Car.

Brown Sugar (with Ryan Adam) / ranked #10 http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicAntihit/dec19_anti-can.html

Whether the U.K. reports about these two being a couple are true or not, there's no doubt that they're simpatico in a musical sense. This radical reworking of the Stones classic -- presented as a stark ballad and sheared of not only its signature guitar riff but of all instrumentation save a lone piano -- takes some getting used to but soon transcends the status of mere novelty. (From "Gimme Shelter, Vol. 1", Uncut Magazine, January 2002)

Stolen Car / ranked #1 http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicAntihit/home_feb23.html

"I lost the line between right and wrong/I just wanna find the place where I belong ..." The lead track from the beautiful follow-up to 1996's "Trailer Park" is a quietly propulsive, minor-key rumination, and the perfect gateway to the starkly meditative songs that follow. Highly recommended. (From the "Stolen Car" U.K. single and the upcoming album "Central Reservation", Arista/BMG, out in Canada and the U.S. on March 9).

I Love How You Love Me / ranked #10 http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicAntihit/mar16_anti.html

This oddly touching, slightly gawky reading of the '60s ballad is evocative enough to conjure up the ghost of Dusty Springfield. High praise indeed. (From "Stolen Car, CD1", Heavenly)

Lean On Me (with Terry Callier) / ranked #2 http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicAntihit/home_jan13.html

Not the Bill Withers song, this Terry Callier original nonetheless has much the same feel and message, though the lyrics gently imply that the song is actually a message from God. Warm and beautiful and immmeasurably aided by Orton's incomparable vocals. (From the "Best Bit EP", Heavenly Recordings U.K.).

It's Not The Spotlight / ranked #5 http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicAntihit/sep14_anti.html

Previously available only as the B-side of 1997's "She Cries Your Name" U.K. single, this unspeakably wistful reading of the Bobby "Blue" Bland/Rod Stewart staple has been rescued from obscurity by (what else?) a movie soundtrack. Still, a better fate than it might otherwise have had. (From "Stir Of Echoes" soundtrack, Nettwerk)

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