Central Reservation by Beth Orton

Central Reservation, Beth Orton's third studio album, came out on Heavenly and cemented the folktronica sound she'd built her name on: acoustic songs laced with electronic textures and beats. Victor Van Vugt produced, with Ben Watt of Everything but the Girl producing several tracks, and the guest list ran from folk singer Terry Callier (who also cut a B-side, "Lean on Me", with her) to Dr. Robert and Ben Harper.

Orton's smoky, unhurried voice is the center of gravity, drifting over the songs like late-night fog on a motorway, and "Stolen Car" is the one that has kept coming back. Critics loved it: it earned her a second Mercury Music Prize nomination, and in 2000 it won her the Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist. Daybreaker followed.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.