The State We're In

 

Trust Me #31 - The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

The Chemical Brothers have worked with Beth Orton on a number of occasions over the years. I was reminded of how well they gel when I started watching the excellent BBC adaption of Adam Kay's This Is Going To Hurt the other night. You'll find it on the iPlayer. It's emotional, gripping, real, funny and it has an excellent soundtrack.

In one episode a shattered and fragile Kay stumbles from his work into the dying embers of his friends stag do. The State We're In by The Chems kicks in, a psychedelic folk ballad spliced with electronic goodness. What a choice of song to portray this moment, it works beautifully.

I must have listened to it a dozen times this week. 6 minutes 27 seconds of genius. Lysergic, dreamy, trippy, gentle yet euphoric ... Orton's voice rises and falls at all the right moments, in all the right ways, the Chems bring the beats in just when you need them and create all kinds of glorious noises as they go.

Orton earned the tag of comedown queen in the 90's, The State We're In is the perfect example of why, yet the closing 85 seconds see The Chemical Brothers lift the song to the stars - sublime.

Never said it was sunshine but you took it all of the time

All of the time, all of the time, all of the time

You took it all of the time

Beth Orton's beautiful Trailer Park and Central Reservation albums are being reissued on Record Store Day on 23rd April.

You'll find a list (and links to) of all the previous songs featured in the Trust Me series below.

And you can check them all out via my Spotify playlist by searching for Everything Flows - Trust Me or by CLICKING HERE

Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton - The State We're In

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor