Beth Orton, Central Reservation (BMG/Arista) 9
With her overrated but universally likable 1997 debut, Trailer Park, Beth Orton drew a lot of attention with the techno-lite production by William Orbit, who later revitalized Madonna's sagging career. This time around, Orton has shed her identity as an honorary Chemical Sister and made a lovely, tasteful folk record. Without the distraction of electronic beats, the influence of space-folksters like Nick Drake and Tim Buckley become even more apparent, along with her Joni Mitchell/Sandy Denny phrasing. The songs vary between lush string arrangements and spare acoustic accompaniment. While there are a couple standout songs ("Sweetest Decline" and "Feel to Believe"), most blend into each other, melancholy love songs that fall about you like dry Autumn leaves. The lyrics might evoke empathy with lovelorn college girls, but they remain content to be fairly mundane. That doesn't mean it's an album worth owning and hearing. Van Morrison got away with it on Tupelo Honey. But Ms. Orton has yet to create her own Astral Weeks.
