English singer/songwriter Beth Orton today releases the new song “Fractals” which features jazz poet Alabaster dePlume on the swirling saxophone, The Smile drummer Tom Skinner, multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily and Mercury Prize nominated bassist Tom Herbert of The Invisible. These musicians locked naturally into Orton’s sensibilities, expanding the new sonic world she’s created. Initially inspired by the 2020 deaths of the legendary producers Andrew Weatherall and Hal Willner, two of Orton’s most beloved musical compatriots, says Orton of the song, “The track is a beautiful example of the nature of collaboration, where people come in as they are,” she says. “You’re hearing the first take. I would never have been able to conjure that music without these musicians.”
“Fractals” is the latest preview from Orton’s first LP in six years and Partisan Records debut Weather Alive, out September 23rd. Listen and watch the “Fractals” visualizer here: https://youtu.be/RSDliZi9d6U
Already the array of released tracks has positioned Weather Alive as the album of Orton’s esteemed career which she herself calls a collaboration with the self, also her first self-produced LP in her nearly 30-year career. Recently Orton was also at the helm of the camera for her self-directed video for “Friday Night” shot in Hydra, Greece. Revisit the warm Proust-referencing track here: https://youtu.be/aYUXWwMWbGE
Praise for Weather Alive’s “Forever Young” and the lead single/title track (released in May) has poured in from The New York Times, NME, and Pitchfork who named “Weather Alive” a Best New Track calling it “a slow-burning tour de force.” MOJO added in their four-star review that the album “Nestles somewhere between Talk Talk’s final years and Bill Fay’s late beauties, between Alice Coltrane’s intimate hymns and Fiona Apple’s softest moments...the musical richness only mirrors Orton’s astounding writing.”
On November 1st, Orton will embark on her fist US headlining tour in over five years following her return to live shows on an arena stint with Alanis Morisette this Spring. Orton will play at Bowery Ballroom in NYC, The Teragram in Los Angeles, The Mayfield in Chicago and more. This Fall, she will also play a handful of UK and EU festivals before a headline UK tour through October including a KOKO Camden show on October 9th. See the full list of tour dates below and here: https://bethortonofficial.com/tour
BETH ORTON TOUR DATES
7 OCT 2022 / UK / Birmingham / Academy 2
8 OCT 2022 / UK / Brighton / St. Bartholomew’s Church
9 OCT 2022 / UK / London / KOKO
10 OCT 2022 / UK / Norwich / Arts Centre
12 OCT 2022 / UK / Bristol / St. George’s
13 OCT 2022 / UK / Glasgow / Classic Grand
15 OCT 2022 / UK / Manchester / RCMN Concert Hall
16 OCT 2022 / UK / Leeds / Brudenell Social Club
NOV 1 2022 / Washington, DC / Sixth & I
NOV 2 2022 / Philadelphia, PA / World Café Live
NOV 3 2022 / Montclair, NJ / First Congregational Church
NOV 5 2022 / New York, NY / Bowery Ballroom
NOV 6 2022 / Somerville, MA / Crystal Ballroom
NOV 7 2022 / Montreal, QUE / Le Studio TD
NOV 8 2022 / Toronto, ONT / The Great Hall
NOV 10 2022 / Chicago, IL / The Mayfield
NOV 11 2022 / Milwaukee, WI / Pabst Theatre
NOV 12 2022 / Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN / The Cedar
NOV 14 2022 / Denver, CO / Oriental Theater
NOV 17 2022 / Los Angeles, CA / Teragram Ballroom
NOV 18 2022 / San Francisco, CA / Bimbo's
NOV 20 2022 / Portland, OR / Mississippi Studios
NOV 21 2022 / Seattle, WA / Neptune
NOV 22 2022 / Vancouver, BC / Hollywood Theater
