Beth Orton Pass In Time: The Definitive Collection CD

Recorded between 1993 & 2002. Includes liner notes by Sean O'Hagan.

As the original boundary-breaker between British folk and electronica, Beth Orton brought coffee and sunshine down to the still-awake-at-seven-A.M. crowd with her guest shot on early William Orbit and Chemical Brothers albums, warming things up with her honeyed vocals. The rest is the history, as collected on this two-disc set of hits, guest appearances, b-sides, remixes, singles, and rarities. Disc One picks the gems off Orton's first three albums, including "She Cries Your Name" and the comforting title track (guest vocal by Terry Callier).

The second disc, however, gets deep and diverse, with two tracks from a rare, Japanese-only release called SUPERPINKYMANDY (the weepy "Where Do You Go" could be at home on an Enya or Cowboy Junkies disc). A dance remix of "Central Reservation" rocks out in spirited style, while "Pedestal" warrants Orton's frequent Sandy Denny comparisons with its sublime folksy grace. There's another nod to '60s folk-rock with Fred Neil's "Dolphins," also with Callier, and Orbit returns for "Water from a Vine Leaf"--recorded expressly for this compilation--a dose of moving, late-night electronica that brings the proceedings full circle.

Digitally remastered anthology of the British singer/songwriter's recordings made for the deConstruction/Heavenly labels that are now in the hands of Sony-BMG. These includes tracks from her first three albums "Superpinkymandy", "Central Reservation" and "Trailer Park" as well as all the single EP's that were released in conjunction with promoting those albums as well. CD1 includes highlights like "She Cries Your Name", "Stolen Car", "Touch Me With Your Love" and "The Sweetest Decline". CD2 features remixed tracks and others from singles recorded in collaboration with The Chemical Brothers, Terry Callier and William Orbit (with whom she started out as half of the duo Spill).

Personnel: Beth Orton (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar); Terry Callier (vocals, guitar, background vocals); Ryan Adams (vocals, electric guitar, piano); Ted Barnes (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bouzouki, mandolin); Ben Watt (guitar, keyboards, programming); William Orbit (guitar, keyboards); Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals (guitar); Mordy Ferber (acoustic guitar); Lucy Wilkins, Howard Gott, Richard George, Dave Williams, Brian G. Wright , Jacqueline Norrie, Ruth Gottlieb, Dmitri VanZwanenburg, Tim Myall, Christopher Koh, Wendy DeSaint Paer, Nia Bevan, Beki Doe, Calina de la Mare, Catherine Browning (violin); Vincent Greene, Robert Spriggs, Sophie Sarota, Becca Ware (viola); Sara Wilson, Oliver Kraus, Andy Nice (cello); Electric Strings (strings); Y Cee (flute); Sean Read (piano, harmonium, keyboards); Martin Duffy (piano, organ); Dr. John, Dean Ross (piano); Dave Boulter (harmonium, organ); Lee Spencer, Adam Peters, Peven Everett (keyboards); Dave Friedman (vibraphone); Ali Friend (double bass, bass guitar); Fred Smith , Henry Olsen (electric bass); Jerry Meyhan, Sebastian Steinberg (bass guitar); Will Blanchard (drums, tambourine); Matt Johnson (drums); Scott Minor, Daniel Moreno, Lascelles Gordon, Bosco d'Olivera (percussion); Victor Van Vugt (programming); Tasha Lee McCluney (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Mark "Spike" Stent; Andrew Weatherall; Sean Read; Victor Van Vugt; William Orbit; Brian O'Shaughnessy.

Audio Remixers: Joachim "Joe" Clausell; Jerome Sydenham.

Liner Note Author: Sean O'Hagan.

Recording information: Bark Studios, England; Guerilla Studios, London, England; Little Joey's; Matrix Studios; Ridge Farm; September Sound; The Church Studios; The Coach House, Bristol, England; Wessex Studios, England.

Photographers: Ellen Nolan; Jeff Peters; Sam Harris .

Personnel includes: Beth Orton (vocals, guitar); Ryan Adams (vocals, guitar,piano); Terry Callier (vocals); Ted Barnes (acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin); William Orbit, Ben Watt (guitar, keyboards, programming); Sean Read (piano, keQ (12/03, p.155) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...This best of peaks with 'Best Bit' a song that manages to be both breezy and disquieting..."
Uncut (11/03, p.136) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...'Galaxy of Emptiness' is a highlight, the perfect expression of Orton's conflation of folk-inflection and post-dance electronics..."