Beth Orton released her newest album, Kidsticks, on May 27 through the Anti/Epitaph label. The record eases along through an electronic and experimental sound.
Several songs on Kidsticks showcase Orton’s voice capabilities. It starts with “Snow,” a drum machine piece where Orton harmonizes with herself in various overlapping parts. “Petals” has an empty feel with eerie vocals and dissonant noise. On “Wave,” she sings with inflections similar to her older tunes giving it a nostalgic feel.
While some songs sound excellent with the album’s electronica backdrop, others fall flat. “Falling” is monotonous in its melody and chords and “Corduroy Legs” is an utter failure. She just lowly speaks the lyrics throughout the length of the song. While I enjoy spoken word, the song comes across as boring and lazy.
Others tunes shine more brightly. The song “1973” uses an ‘80s bubblegum synth and “Dawnstar” rises slowly like the sun at early dawn. The album ends on a soft instrumental that gives it the title, “Kidsticks.” I was surprised at how short it was, but it was pretty none the less.
Orton’s voice is the main attraction on this album. The music is light and airy, creating a stage for her vocals. While not an extraordinary album, fans of Orton will be happy to add it to their collection.