It makes sense that Sony would re-release what Beth Orton feels is eir “true†solo album. The disc itself includes a great deal above and beyond what has been present on previous releases of the album, with a second disc adding most of the additional material. Of course, the liner notes are an added expansion to the original, but the second CD is where the gold truly is. This means that there are a number of tracks, including “Safetyâ€, “Pedestalâ€, and “Bullet†that never made it to the finished album, as well as tracks that were captured flawlessly from live performances and early recording sessions (“Galaxy of Emptiness†from a 1996 show as well as two versions of “Best Bitâ€).
Where the tracks were taken from a number of pieces of vinyl , EPs, and even a soundtrack, the fact is that many of these releases have long been out of print and command a large sum of money. By collecting them here, Sony Legay has ensured that listeners have a better understanding of Orton’s thought process around the time, as well as providing a context that can more easily be followed than by trying to piece together Orton’s mindset over eleven tracks. The way that they have re-done Beth Orton’s most storied of recordings gives me hope that they will be able to do something similar with eir subsequent recording.
If you would like to see what Sony Legacy does with them, make it a point to go and purchase the Legacy Edition of Trailer Park, further informing Sony Legacy that there is a solid market for these types of reissues. Furthermore, for individuals trying to see how far Orton has traveled in the years since ey set off on a solo career, the Legacy Edition of “Trailer Park†is a must-buy; it goes further indepth than any collection of eir hits and is set at the earliest reaches of eir career, giving a new layer of rich context to anyone that may listen to Orton’s later work.
Rating: 8.7/10
Beth Orton: Trailer Park (Legacy Edition) / 2009 Sony Legacy / 24 Tracks / http://www.legacyrecordings.com