Singer/songwriter
Beth Orton combined the passionate beauty of the acoustic folk tradition with the electronic beats of trip-hop to create a fresh, distinct fusion of roots and rhythm. Born in Norwich, England in December 1970,
Orton debuted as one half of the duo
Spill, a one-off project with
William Orbit which released a cover of
John Martyn's "Don't Wanna Know About Evil." She continued working with
Orbit on his 1993 LP
Strange Cargo 3, co-writing and singing the track "Water From a Vine Leaf" before appearing with the group
Red Snapper on their first singles "Snapper" and "In Deep." In 1995
Orton teamed with
the Chemical Brothers for "Alive: Alone," the ultimate track on their
Exit Planet Dust LP. After assembling a backing band comprised of double bassist
Ali Friend, guitarist
Ted Barnes, keyboardist
Lee Spencer, and drummer
Wildcat Will, she finally issued her 1996 debut EP
She Cries Your Name; her stunning full-length bow
Trailer Park, produced in part by
Andrew Weatherall, followed later in the year. In 1997,
Orton released the superb
Best Bit EP, a move towards a more organic, soulful sound highlighted by a pair of duets with folk-jazz legend
Terry Callier; the full-length
Central Reservation followed in 1999. "Stolen Car" was a moderate hit among college radio and tours across the U.S. were also successful. Three years later,
Orton emerged refreshed with her third album
Daybreaker. This time around, she collaborated with ex-
Whiskeytown frontman
Ryan Adams and
the Chemical Brothers. In early 2006,
Orton released her fourth album,
Comfort of Strangers. The 14-song set was recorded in two weeks with producer
Jim O'Rourke. After a recording break of six long years,
Orton signed to Anti and released the Tucker Martine-produced Sugaring Season in the early fall of 2012.
–
Jason Ankeny, Rovi