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617 Q&A: Beth Orton emerges from life’s complexities with ‘Weather Alive’

Photo Credit: Partisan Records

Beth Orton was finished with music not too long ago. This wasn’t set in stone, mind you, and there was no big proclamation that the singer/songwriter known for blending strong folk sensibilities with electronic overtures called it a day. Life happened though, and the stretches between full lengths became more spacious.

Orton had battled a myriad of chronic medical maladies complex enough that they were misdiagnosed, stretching out the amount of time it took to receive proper treatment. There were children to be raised and a move back to her native England by way of Los Angeles with her husband, fellow musician Sam Amidon. The deaths of two friends who were also past musical collaborators hit hard.

Then the pandemic struck, which in the midst of Orton had a set of demos rejected by her record label, leading to a deeper isolation into herself surrounded only by the new material. Weather Alive is the result, and thus far is the most contemplative work of what so many around the world have gone through in these past few years. The isolation, the fracture with the rest of society, the loneliness, uncertainty and dread of what may lie ahead are reflected in the languid electronic beats across the LP, her first in over six years.

This Sunday (November 6), Orton performs live at Somerville’s Crystal Ballroom in support of Weather Alive while looking back at a catalog that stretches back to the mid ‘90s. Ahead of the show, she checked in from London via video call over some toast with Vanyaland to take part in our 617 Q&A series (Six Questions; One Recommendation; Seven Somethings). Orton talked about how she moved forward in the face of so many roadblocks, what makes a good cover and just what it is that drew her back to the UK over the States.

:: SIX QUESTIONS

Michael Christopher: This is the one of longest periods you’ve gone between releases and touring — certainly here in the States — was there a time when you thought you might be done both for good?

Beth Orton: I always say that I think there’s a part of me that once I make a record, I don’t necessarily expect to make another one. I never feel like it’s a given that I’ll make another record.

When you started writing the songs for Weather Alive, you didn’t even know if it was going to become an album. What was the turning point where you said to yourself, “Ok, I think I’ve got something here.”

When I was writing the songs, I was aware it was something that I was really excited by, but I suppose that just before the lockdown I decided, “OK, I’m going to make this piano and voice record, and I’m going to work with this producer.” And then I didn’t because the lockdown happened and – as it did for so many – just sort of fell away. But it was at that moment that I decided that this was this course of action and I sort of carried on I suppose.

Out of all the records that have come out so far which were birthed, for the most part, in lockdown, this one captures the feel of it best. The solitude, the distance and an almost surreal nature to what was happening, like walking through a fog and being very careful in each step. Is that accurate?

Yeah, no – definitely I felt that. I felt that absolutely. I mean, I didn’t know that’s what was happening. I guess when I played it for Tim [Putnam] at Partisan [Records] and how he felt when he heard the record, he felt like it talked about his experience and I was like, “Well that’s… I’m really happy.” It’s odd to say I’m happy, but he said it’s really hard to find a language for what you live through sometimes. He felt that this record gave a language to it. When you do that, you allow all this to kind of know a bit more about what they experience in a way.

Art tends to reflect the big issues of what is happening in any given time.

Good art does. Good art should.

When I first heard “Forever Young,” it stopped me in my tracks; I had to listen to it over and over again. It kind of threw me back to the really haunting and almost ghostly downtempo/trip-hop I fell in love with back in the ’90s. Did that come about naturally, or did you consciously want to revisit that sound, maybe pop in for a quick hello on one track?

Not really. I had the song, and I was fucking around with some beats and put that under it just to have something to play it to. Then my friend played it live – who’s a brilliant drummer – and played that beautiful bassline. When it came to making the record, I was like, “Oh yeah, there’s that demo that I did.” By that point I had to take sort of whatever I had, because we were in the second lockdown and I was working remotely and I pulled that back up and was like, “Actually that’s really good, I like that, I’m going to stick with that and make something of that.” So, it wasn’t a conscious effort to revisit the past, really. I guess we didn’t hear it like that, but it makes sense though – it completely makes sense.

Many years ago, you covered The Beatles “I Me Mine” for a MOJO magazine compilation. How did that come about? Did you choose the song?

I can’t remember if I chose the song or… I’m not sure it was the best cover I’ve ever done. I think I wanted to do it, I’m imagining it was my idea, I don’t know for sure because I can’t remember that far back. But I know I love the song. I don’t know if I had the voice for it necessarily.

I’ve always been fascinated by that song because it was the final one the band recorded and – did you see the Peter Jackson Get Back documentary?

It was the most reassuring thing to happen in lockdown. It was fucking great.

You see how dismissive John Lennon was to George Harrison about it, physically moving away to dance about with Yoko while the rest of the band rehearsed the song. You gave it a bit more teeth than the original, which was refreshing given so many artists try to do paint by numbers when recording covers. Having done quite a few over the years what, to you, makes a really memorable interpretation of someone else’s material?

I think you really have to inhabit it. You have to really feel the song – I know that I really feel that song and I understood what it was about. I understood it was about ego, but yeah, it’s no wonder John went off and had a dance; [Harrison] was singing to him, it was singing to Paul [McCartney]. I think that you have to inhabit the song on some level and that it has to become a part of you. You just have to be very open and intuitive and be un-self-conscious.

:: ONE RECOMMENDATION

In London, I recommend an Italian restaurant called Osteria Basilico in Westbourne Grove. There is an ambiance, but they do this sea bass and it’s so simply cooked with olive oil and a little bit of garlic and it’s always cooked to perfection. If I find somewhere that does something like that, really good, simple food well done, I’m all over it.

:: SEVEN OF SOMETHING

Your husband, Sam, is from the States, specifically Brattleboro, Vermont, which isn’t too far from here in Boston. Now, I’m sure it was all very cordial and a well thought out mutual decision to move to the UK, but if he needed convincing, what are seven things you would have told him were better about London than here?

Number one would be free healthcare.

Number two would be state schools.

You have extraordinary nature in America, obviously, so I can’t… I’ve just been in Vermont this week marveling over it – it’s incredible. But I would say the nature of where I’m from.

I would say the quality of food – as in at this point there are just less pesticides used.

That we’re so close to Europe. We used to be Europe but apparently, we’re not anymore. Anyway [laughs], we’re still a stone’s throw if things go well.

I live there.

And…we make the best music. Whaaat? [laughs]

BETH ORTON + HEATHER WOODS BRODERICK :: Sunday, November 6 at Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square in Somerville, MA :: 7 p.m., 18-plus, $25 to $28 :: Event info :: Advance Tickets