Sugaring Season (Deluxe Edition)
On 2012’s *Sugaring Season*, Beth Orton returns from a six-year hiatus sounding more in control of her vision than ever. Gone are the electronic textures of her solo debut, replaced by a warm, gorgeous backing that’s part folk, part Americana. These are quietly gripping songs about doubt and perseverance: “Silence me and I won’t be here anymore,” she warns on “Magpie,” over ominous, seesawing violin. Meanwhile, both “Dawn Chorus” and “Mystery”—two of the loveliest songs in her entire catalog—capture the wonders of enduring love.
Beth Orton’s sixth full-length album, her first since 2006, finds her more at ease with the tag of singer-songwriter than ever before. There are no unexpected detours or tangents, just 10 songs delivered by a voice of seemingly effortless expression.
Beth Orton spent the first part of her career alternating between haunting electronic music and intimate folktronica, but started phasing out digital embellishments as she gained more confidence in her musical abilities. This move toward the organic felt effortless, and it led to some searing acoustic moments (“This…
Pop songs intelligent enough to understand the value of a hook, folk ballads that compete with the classics: a record loud in its understated, unpretentious quiet.
Beth Orton’s fans have been waiting for years for a record like Sugaring Season that makes good on the promise of her early…
Thank God Beth Orton has that voice. Now more than ever, it’s the most pronounced separation between her and the less cool plethora of Radio 2-favoured female “folkies” and, despite life having clearly changed her over the past six years, it’s still the central feature on Sugaring Season, working with both lyrics and music to transport her into the role of wise older sister.
ClashMusic: Read a review of Beth Orton's new album 'Sugaring Season' featuring songs 'Magpie', 'Candles', 'Something More Beautiful' and 'See Through Blue'.
Beth Orton's first album for six years has a quiet propulsiveness and beautifully spare instrumentation, writes <strong>Hermione Hoby</strong>
<p>A fresh, autumnal album that's unashamedly mature yet impressively free, writes <strong>Betty Clarke</strong></p>
Helen Brown and Mark Hudson review the rest of the week's music releases, including Van Morrison and No Doubt.
Doyenne of Nineties folktronica calls forth sweetness from sap. CD review by Lisa-Marie Ferla