Comfort Of Strangers
by Beth Orton
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 29 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 29
  3. Negative: 3 out of 29

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. katie,aprincess
    Feb 7, 2006
    4
    are you keeeding me? there are no legs on 90% of the songs on this album. not only did orton make a visit it snoozeville, but her songwriting sounds lazy. i don't need big melodies or trip-hop... i just want a reason to spin it. i have heard very few reasons in "comfort of strangers."
  2. DavidK.M
    Mar 8, 2006
    1
    Solid, long-time fan here. Without question the worst Orton album she's ever released. Maybe three decent cuts -- with the rest rambling, bambling, shrilling, sinking. Can someone explain to me the positive reviews listed above? Am I in some alternate reality where people have ears on the bottom of their feet? What a disappointment.
  3. JaniceN
    Feb 14, 2006
    9
    It took 4 years but well worth waiting for, beautiful song-writing, fantastically expressive voice and full of raw human emotion. Just been to see her live and the songs sounds even better. Excellent
  4. ta
    Apr 5, 2006
    10
    one of the best records of the year. beth is the most sexy musician
  5. MarkR
    Feb 17, 2006
    10
    This is her best album to date (and that's saying a lot!). Her voice, writing, and music have a perfect synergy...especially on "A Place Aside", "Shopping Trolley" and "Shadow of a Doubt". This record is a masterpiece.
  6. JohnB
    Feb 7, 2006
    8
    like a better version of cat power who can actually play live.
  7. Matt
    Feb 7, 2006
    6
    From Orton, I like the electro-folk pop sound of Daybreaker the most. On Comfort Of Strangers, her voice, which I'm already not crazy about, sounds unclear. On the positive side, some songs do sound fresh.
  8. Daniel,Natalie,JamieVarious
    Feb 7, 2006
    9
    We really like Beth Orton- so we kind of knew that we would like Comfort of Strangers. But we were all surprised at how excellent it was. Beth's lyrics are still honest, true- to- life, sometimes poetic- just like her voice. O Rourke's production is brilliant- Natalie heard someone on the radio say that he has 'special talents'- and this is so true. It's difficult We really like Beth Orton- so we kind of knew that we would like Comfort of Strangers. But we were all surprised at how excellent it was. Beth's lyrics are still honest, true- to- life, sometimes poetic- just like her voice. O Rourke's production is brilliant- Natalie heard someone on the radio say that he has 'special talents'- and this is so true. It's difficult to describe. Anyway, every song on here is quite stripped down, but not too spare- the richness is in the vocals and instrumentation- and Jim O' Rourke is a great bassist and Tim Barnes is a great drummer- so their additions become the harmonies in way, working with Beth Orton's vocals and weaving in and out to create texture- and if any more texture is needed, well deployed strings, piano and marimba are sown in.… Expand
  9. KeriH
    Feb 8, 2006
    9
    Her finest work yet. Very intimate and dirrect. This simpler acoustic sound suits her better.
  10. TomB
    Feb 8, 2006
    5
    I am predisposed to liking Ms. Orton, but I must agree with Katie's comments below. A snoozer of an album.
  11. IPC
    Feb 8, 2006
    9
    Her best record. Lazy? No way! If I reviewed Comfort after the first listen, I'd give in a 5. After listening to it a few more times it really started to grow on me and now its all I listen to.
  12. RichardR
    Feb 9, 2006
    10
    I don't really care about the arrangements and whether it's folky or jazzy or whatever; I just completely love her voice and her melodies. Along with Tracy Thorne, right, from EBTG? she has one of the most beautiful female voices in pop music today. Another cool thing is she looks just like she sounds. I've been waiting a long time for this album, and it's beautiful, I don't really care about the arrangements and whether it's folky or jazzy or whatever; I just completely love her voice and her melodies. Along with Tracy Thorne, right, from EBTG? she has one of the most beautiful female voices in pop music today. Another cool thing is she looks just like she sounds. I've been waiting a long time for this album, and it's beautiful, and so is she.… Expand
  13. MPFrank
    Mar 22, 2006
    10
    gets better with each and every listen - her best
  14. RaülJ
    Feb 14, 2006
    10
    A masterpiece. Stunning
  15. Zyurn
    Feb 17, 2006
    9
    Strong, genuine, heartfelt music with spare, tight accompaniment. Orton's best yet. I'd give it a 10, but 9 means there just a hint of rawness to it and I like that better. A wonderful gift from Orton. Thank you.
  16. ddjames
    Feb 17, 2006
    3
    I love Beth Orton. But this album is total bore.
  17. enrico
    Feb 28, 2006
    9
    I love this girl, andi lov her music too. I waited for her a long time, and now i can listen to this new fantastic album.
  18. StephenP
    Mar 18, 2006
    10
    This album is so beautiful, organic, lush, and heartfelt. I have found Orton to be "boring" in the past, and I cannot overstate how striking, pretty and engaging this album is. Highly recommended.
  19. [Anonymous]
    Oct 25, 2006
    9
    i've been listening to this album non-stop now for about a week. it gets better each time. although i have to say it would probably be a better album without 'worms'.
  20. EvanS
    Feb 21, 2006
    5
    I have Orton's album on a loop in my office and have found it nothing short of grating - her droning, wah-wah vocals and lackluster accompanimentmake "Comfort of Strangers" a ho-hum Jon Brion wanna-be effort.
  21. SteveS
    Feb 26, 2006
    3
    Her most boring CD so far. Very dull and uninspired. I'd pick up Central Reservation instead.
  22. susie
    May 28, 2006
    6
    The first few times I listened to this album I was so depressed because I though that Beth was going down the lame and boring route. With each additional listen the album has grown on me and I enjoy it now more than Daybreaker (but quite honestly that is not saying much). Overall I think that it is a worthwhile album but not amazing. The songs are interesting enough, but the main problem The first few times I listened to this album I was so depressed because I though that Beth was going down the lame and boring route. With each additional listen the album has grown on me and I enjoy it now more than Daybreaker (but quite honestly that is not saying much). Overall I think that it is a worthwhile album but not amazing. The songs are interesting enough, but the main problem for me with the album is that I feel that it lacks energy.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Amazon.com
    80
    Both her most musically spare and artistically complex [album] to date.
    Read full review
  2. NOW Magazine
    80
    While Orton has a tendency to mimic her own melodies, she explores jazz structures here in engaging, exciting ways, and the indigent heartland iconography of her lyrics is beautiful without being cloying.
    Read full review
  3. Spin
    83
    Unerringly lovely, but best when the drums heat up. [Feb 2006, p.87]
See all critic reviews »