Beth Orton

BETH ORTON: A COMFORTABLE CONVERSATION

One-hour music intensive special features Beth Orton discussing the songs from her new CD, The Comfort of Strangers, with Jody Denberg (KGSR – Austin, TX).

Beth Orton performs exclusive solo acoustic performances of two album tracks – “Safe in Yours Arms” and “Heartland Truckstop”

• Contact: Andy Cahn (Cahn Media), 201-386-1736 or cahnmedia@comcast.net
• Host/Producer: Jody Denberg (KGSR-FM / Austin, TX)
• Terms: Free for all USA broadcasters to air March-May 2006
• Length/Breaks: 53 minutes with three spot/ID breaks, CD contains no national built-in spots
• Beth Orton – Comfort of Strangers: New CD produced by Jim O’Rourke in stores now from Astralwerks.

Programming Notes: Radio special CD has 32 tracks to access program segments and/or excerpts as follows:

• Tracks 1-9: Part 1 (25:47)
• Tracks 10-16: Part 2 (19:33)
• Tracks 17-21: Part 3 (08:09)
• Track 22: Silence (01:00)
• Track 23-32: Soundbites, 00:20 to 01:15 each
• Track 11: “Safe in Your Arms” ( 04:14)
• Track 18: “Heartland Truckstop” (02:26)
• More information on each individual track is printed on the CD insert.

Detailed Track listing for the radio special CD:

• 1) Introduction (:42)
• 2) Worms (1:59)
• 3) Beth Orton talks about the song Worms - as well as the threads that tie the new album together, her composing process, love and God (4:06)
• 4) Countenance (2:18)
• 5) Ms. Orton explains what Countenance means to her, the musical attitude she brought to this album, and what the album art’s cover painting represents (3:34)
• 6) Comfort Of Strangers (3:10)
• 7) How producer and multi-instrumentalist Jim O’Rourke became Beth’s collaborator for this album, how this new disc is a new beginning, and how these songs will translate to the concert stage (6:17)
• 8) Conceived (3:20)
• 9) A Comfortable Conversation With Beth Orton ID (Option for commercials and/or station ID) Outcue: “…resumes in a moment (music fades)” (:13)
• 10) Introduction to first live performance Ouctue: “…alright” (:12)
• 11) Safe In Your Arms (solo live) (4:14)
• 12) Beth on working with a new band…on the five-song bonus disc that comes with early copies of the new release…on recording in New York City…and about the song Shopping Trolley (6:09)
• 13) Shopping Trolley (2:46)
• 14) To explain or not to explain the lyrics: that is the question. Heart of Soul, and the music Beth listened to while recording (2:14)
• 15) Heart Of Soul (3:41)
• 16) A Comfortable Conversation With Beth Orton ID (Option for commercials and/or station ID) Outcue: “…with Beth Orton momentarily” (:12)
• 17) Introduction to second live performance Ouctue: “…live version of Heartland Truckstop” (:06)
• 18) Heartland Truckstop (solo live) (2:26)
• 19) Is Beth a romantic or not? Also, how themes of nature play into much of her work (2:10)
• 20) Pieces Of Sky (2:58)
• 21) Conclusion. Outcue: “Yeah!” (:31)

TOTAL TIME (53:43)

• 22) Silence (1:00)

COMFORTABLE QUOTES:

• 23) What are the threads that tie this CD together? Outcue: “…written down somewhere” (1:15)
• 24) How are the themes of love and God used in these songs? Outcue: “…teaching of love, you know” (:49)
• 25) How is the word “countenance” used in the song with that title? Outcue: “…pick up on that stuff” (:23)
• 26) What was Beth’s musical approach to the album? Outcue: “…Everything essential” (:26)
• 27) What does the painting on the CD cover represent? Outcue: “…from quite strange sources” (1:02)
• 28) What made Beth avoid the dance-folk style she had been associated with? Outcue: “…I’m not interested anymore” (:33)
• 29) Is it true Beth recorded in New York City – and how did that affect the process? Outcue: “…I was just so excited” (:43)
• 30) While Beth was making Comfort Of Strangers what music was she listening to? Outcue: “…shuffle the whole time” (:28)
• 31) Does Beth consider herself a romantic? Outcue: “…I’m a romantic, yeah” (:30)
• 32) Does Beth think that nature holds the answers to our problems? Outcue: “…money, pretty much” (:36)