Customer Reviews

Pass in Time: The Definitive Collection

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This double CD collection of Beth Orton songs is for anyone who cannot get enough of Beth Orton's wonderful music. I guess that includes me. It can be summed up as a greatest hits record with several remixes included. Disk one includes arguably her greatest tunes of all her three preceding albums with a previously unreleased song called 'The Same Day'. Side one also includes my favorite song by Beth, 'The Sweetest Decline'. I never seem to tire of the song and every time I hear it is like listening to it for the very first time. Disk two is even better. There are several remixes of older Beth material, a completely different version of 'Central Reservation', and older stuff by Beth with William Orbit. Also, there are some songs from Beth's very first album, 'Super Pinky Mandy'. This record is super hard to find, it was released only in Japan and only in very limited copies. I would definitely recommend this CD to anyone wanting to get acquainted with Beth's music. Buy this record and you will find yourself buying all the rest of her stuff. A winner!

How can you have a definitive collection of Beth Orton, she is just starting out, she is amazing and I don't see her slowing down quite yet; but whatever.

OK so the record label took Beth's greatest moments and put them all on one CD, PERFECT! Then the found 10 remixes, rarities, etc., and put them on a bonus disc, EXTRA PERFECT! All the Beth anyone could want, right? Wrongo! There is never enough Beth.

But Pass in time is perfect, for true fans and obviously for newcomers to her music. Its the perfect staring point. Once you hear this you'll run out and buy up all the other stuff. This 24 song compilation is worth the purchase though for long time fans, if just for the bonus CD alone.

You may already have her 3 previously released CD's but all her best are here, "She Cries Your Name," "Galaxy of Emptiness ," "Stolen Car," "Central Reservation."

The bonus CD includes the first-rate collaboration with "the Chemical Brothers" on "Where do I begin," She teams up with "Terry Callier" on "Dolphins," and "William Orbit" on "Water from a vine leaf." A reworking of "It's Not the Spotlight" just for this release.

But the biggest bonus here are 2 tracks from her "Superpinkymandy" album (now out of print), John Martyn's electronic "Don't Wanna Know 'Bout Evil" and the delicate "Where Do You Go?" . Both tracks give you a quick peek at her beginnings.

Beth is an undeniably gifted artist who has been copied by many (Dido and Sarah McLachlan, etc.). Her voice and vision cannot be duplicated though. I am sure this collection is far from conclusive, I eagerly await future releases from a shining star among clones.

I first heard Beth Orton several years ago when I got her first her album Trailer Park. Though I was blown away by several of the songs, some of them did not impress me overly. This year a friend told me about the collection and how great it was. Boy, were they right! There's not a bad song on here. Her voice is so beautiful and so emotive it's hard to not get lost in it. Songs such as Thinking About Tomorrow, Dolphins and Concrete Sky are some of my favorites, followed closely by Stars all seem to weep, She cries your name and Stolen Car. This cd is the best purchase I've made recently and will be playing for quite some time.

This is just a beautiful CD collection of Beth Orton songs. The first CD is more or less what's available as a compilation from her other CD's. If you have collection, this is not worth purchasing for that first CD.

However, the second CD contains a bunch of really good Orton songs redone, remixed. I'm a huge Beth Orton fan, and this CD was worth the price of admission. The songs are a bit more acoustic, a bit more sparse than their original release. If you are a fan, you'll enjoy this.

If this is your first Beth Orton CD, this makes a very good introduction. Some of her best songs are compiled on here. Beth has a gorgeous British voice. She's a ballad singer. And Dido has been compared to her frequently (she predates Dido by a number of years). Beth has a slightly deeper voice. Her lyrics are more senuous, Central Reservation is a great example; "I can still smell you on my fingers and taste you on my lips." Her music isn't really folk music, it's definately well produced with a full band behind her. It's not really popular music, she's much more niche than Dido. There's a mention that she was influenced by Nick Drake, and that applies nicely with her melodies.

There's way too many tracks here to review individually. This is just an excellent CD. Well worth the purchase.

Beth Orton is a hell of a songwriter with a unique voice. Why she isn't Sarah McLachlan level as far as popularity is anybody's guess. "Pass In Time" is a collection for casual fans and Beth Orton collectors. (CD#1) The best songs from "Trailer Park", "Central Reservation" and EP "Best Bit". The only thing missing is the touching original version of "Central Reservation". The faster "The Then Again" version is on this set. The new pop song for this album "Same Day" is quite good. "Daybreaker" her 3rd CD gets the short end of the stick. There's only two songs - "Concrete Sky" and "Thinking About Tomorrow". "Paris Train", "Mount Washington" and "Ted's Waltz" - all outstanding numbers belong somewhere in this collection- 4 STARS. (CD#2) Remixes, "B" sides and rarities. More for established fans. The standouts are the Folk songs "Safety" and "Dolphins" - 3 STARS. (THE BOOKLET) Cool photos, extensive liner notes and musicians credits. Beth herself gives thoughts on each song. She's big on Jimi Hendrix and Rickie Lee Jones which makes her all right in my book. 5 STARS. This is a good collection, but not complete from her first three CD's. Beth later released "Comfort Of Strangers" which has a stripped down Americana flavor. For completists "The Other Side Of Daybreak" is a dance remix CD heavy on "Trip-Hop". Beth Orton is something special. This is good place to start for a newcomer.....(2/16/2011... Note: I asked the record company why no DVD, since almost everybody else has one released. They said there are no plans for a DVD. Any fans who like this artist please contact the necessary people involved to get Beth's videos & live concert out for us to watch. Beth is strong on both video and in concert. This is unusual for modern times!)

If you're like i was a year ago, and you are not sure where to put your money when it comes to Beth Orton, you'll buy this CD. This collection contains some of her best songs, with a few missing exceptions ("Carmella," "Paris Train," and her rendition of Cat Steven's "Wild World" come to mind), and is a great introduction to her work. It makes for a great gift to someone who seriously needs to be introduced to Beth Orton (one of the best female musicians of our time).

Additionally the second CD features some jewels that any Beth Orton fan will appreciate. For example "Safety" is a sweet and candid B-side. I would have liked more Superpinkymandy material (a rare album she made with William Orbit in 1993), but what it has still makes it a jewel to own.

The only problem with this edition is that it is not an album of hers. To many this will not be an issue, but i am the type of person that prefers to own entire albums. It is essentially a "greatest hits" album. So, it is great if you're money-conscious, or not a huge fan, or buying it for someone else, but because of this i cannot endorse it with five stars (whereas the music itself certainly deserves such a rating).

As another reviewer says, this is a fine place to start lovin' Beth. If you don't know her, you should. Once you do, you will at the very least like her. She - IMHO - is one of the best artists to come along in recent memory. So do yourself a favor, and check her out if you haven't already.

Beth Orton may be the most underappreciated female singer-songwriter of past 10 years. Was introduced to her via Everything But the Girl's Back to Mine compilation CD & have loved her work ever since. Provocative & beautiful lyrics & music.

A wonderful collection of songs. I came to Beth Orton through William Orbit's "Water from a vine leaf", which is an unusual track among this compilation. Emotive voice, well-crafted songs, well worth a listen if the samples intrigue you at all. I come back to this music often.

Beth Orton is one of my favorite female artists. There is a dreamy, bitter sweet quality to her voice and overall sound that I find very appealing. "Pass In Time: The Definitive Collection" is a very good compilation of her songs. All 14 of the songs on disc 1 are wonderful and are essential to any type of "Best of" Beth Orton collection. Disc 2 is not quite as strong as disc 1, at least in part because a few of the songs incorporate techno elements and thus stray away from what I consider to be the signature Beth Orton sound. It's not that I don't like the songs with the techno elements, it's just that I don't like them as much as her more signature songs. Both discs are very enjoyable. Highly recommended.