In real estate, few things matter more than the three Ls: location, location, location. A gorgeous house in an impoverished area (see Outer Drive in Detroit) won't sell as much as it would if it were elsewhere. Music follows the same logic - just replace geographic location with timing. 2 Live Crew's album As Nasty As They Want to Be pales in comparison to the raunchiness of the Ying Yang Twins's "Wait (The Whisper Song)" or David Banner's "Play." If 2 Live Crew tried their old tricks nowadays, they'd be pushed aside in the pile of moronic sexuality that's currently overrun by the likes of Lil' Kim's "How Many Licks" and Big and Rich's "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy."

Unfortunately for Beth Orton, her latest, Comfort Of Strangers, comes out just after Cat Power's sprawling, Southern-inspired The Greatest and to a lesser extent Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine. Chan Marshall employed the help of numerous Memphis studio musicians to create The Greatest, the first notable record of 2006. And while Orton recruited her own team of superstars - Sonic Youth's Jim O'Rourke produced Comfort Of Strangers and Tim Barnes of The Silver Jews added percussion - her efforts are still overshadowed by Marshall and her collection of soulful croons.

When looked at separately from The Greatest, though, Comfort Of Strangers runs the gamut of Orton's singer/songwriter style without overstepping her bounds. Her voice is as soft as a satin sheet and lies delicately across the acoustic guitar pluckings and intermittent piano. And her lovelorn lines fill the record with a gentle longing. As she croons on "A Place Like That": "I do still sometimes put my hand across / And imagine yours is placed on top / Drive along these empty streets / Same old ones they've always been."

While songs like "Absinthe," "Feral" and "Safe In Your Arms" follow this same trend of forbidden sensuality and subtle guitar lines, Orton lets loose with several tracks filled with soaring pop melodies and an upbeat attitude. The title track, "Comfort of Strangers," opens with brushed percussion while Orton confidently sings, "Say what you mean don't tell it like it could be / All right this time I'm gonna keep that in mind." And "Conceived" rides a bouncing bass line and twangy guitars as Orton blasts her double-tracked vocals.

Comfort Of Strangers straddles the line of sentimentality too closely for too long to avoid it completely. Orton repeats "Where is the love in your heart / C'mon put a little love in your heart" on "Heart of Soul" to its breaking point. Besides, the track is buried at the end of the record, which drives the listener to the point where he nearly forgets the gems that came before it.

But it all comes back to timing. Comfort Of Strangers is a great record that should bolster the scene of female standouts - but will ultimately flounder in their shadow.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Beth Orton
Comfort Of Strangers
Astralwerks