RSD Special – Beth Orton

Another year, another Record Store Day so I thought it was high time I came up with a fantasy release that I hope to one day would come out, even though it is highly unlikely. In 2022, there was a RSD re-release of 1996’s ‘Trailer Park’, the album Beth Orton considers her debut. However, three years before that, she released her true debut, ‘SuperPinkMandy’. Released only in Japan and in limited numbers, this would be an ideal candidate for a re-release, especially as there was not a vinyl version in 1993.

It is unlikely ever to see re-release as Orton does not particularly like the album. In interviews, she claims that ‘Trailer Park’ is her debut and brushes over ‘Superpinkmandy’. There was a little bit of acknowledgement that this album actually exists on her ‘Pass In Time’ compilation. Two songs from ‘Superpinkmandy’ made the album: ‘Don’t Wanna Know Bout Evil’ and ‘Where Do You Go’. A third song, ‘She Cries Your Name’; would be re-recorded and was the opening song on ‘Trailer Park’. So, what would be included on my fantasy RSD release. 

Not only will it include the whole of ‘SuperPinkMandy’, but a collection of songs that she was on that came out before ‘Trailer Park’. This double LP contains collaborations with William Orbit, Red Snapper and The Chemical Brothers. Your can tell that ’SuperPinkMandy’ was released without vinyl in mind as the track listing on the CD, if transferred to an LP would have sides very different in length. The track listing has therefore been changed slightly to accommodate this. 

Some of the contributions Orton made to some of these records is minimal with either just a word repeated over and over again or wordless vocals. This is not a complete collection of Orton’s music before she release ‘Trailer Park’, but it is good representation of what she had produced before that point. 

Side A (SuperPinkMandy)

1. Don’t Worry About Evil
2. Faith Will Carry 
3. Yesterday’s Gone
4. She Cries Your Name
5. City Blue

Side B (SuperPinkMandy)

1. When You Wake
2. Roll The Dice
3. The Prisoner
4. Where Did You Go?
5. Release Me

Side C (Collaborations)

1. Snapper – Red Snapper
2. In Deep  – Red Snapper
3. Million Town – William Orbit

Side D (Collaborations)

1. She Cries Your Name – William Orbit (Strange Cargo Hinterland Version)
2. Kiss The Bee – William Orbit
3. Water From A Vine Leaf – William Orbit
4. Alive Alone – Chemical Brothers

I decided to call it ‘Before Trailer Park’, because that is essentially what it is. The cover is minimal to reflect the era in which it came out, when the artwork of albums had to accommodate cassette and CD packaging. The less the better.

As an added bonus, there is another double album combining two extra projects in collaboration with William Orbit. The first disc is comprised of the Spill EP, and the second is the ‘Water From A Vine Leaf’ EP. None of the versions of ‘Water From A Vine Leaf’ are the same as the one presented on the ‘Before Trailer Park’ album. 

Side A

1. Don’t Wanna Know ‘Bout Evil (Rumble Mix)
2. Don’t Wanna Know ‘Bout Evil (Tumble mix)

Side B

1. Don’t Wanna Know ‘Bout Evil (Danny’s Moto Mix)
2. Don’t Wanna Know ‘Bout Evil (The Groovy Beats)

Side C

1. Water From A Vine Leaf (Edit)
2. Water From A Vine Leaf (Xylem Flow Mix) (Spooky Remix)
3. Water From A Vine Leaf (Acid Bath Mix) (Spooky Remix)

Side D

1. Water From A Vine Leaf (Underwater Mix Part 2) (Underworld Remix)
2. Water From A Vine Leaf (Cromer Chroma Mix)

The cover is adapted from the cover of the ‘Spill’ EP.