Girlhenge Records 
Pamela Wyn Shannon : Nature's Bride (US,2001)***°
A musician with clear interest for magical faeric worlds, Pamela WynShannon seems to forge her music and artistic sensibilities through her connection with Nature. Without seeing a direct link to pagan symbolism, this connection seems the strongest with trees, for the tree as a symbol is to be found several times in the beautiful aesthetic artwork and music. The photos in the booklet, include beautiful pictures of Pamela with hat and clothes made with green moss. There is a reminiscence of the magicfound in UK artefacts and acid folk music. However, her music is in fact not so fragile or etheric. There is a spontaneous, mature happiness underneath that is being expressed which seems mainly from the territory of a female singer-songwriter while the folk elements are mainly in the accompaniment. Pamela Wyn Shannon's acoustic guitar, whenever put to the foreground sounds great, as in her guitar playing in the intro on the beautiful "Orlando", (partially based upon a Virginia Wolfe novel) or on the more melancholically romantic sounding, "Once Again Too Soon", or on the pared down guitar/ double bass/vocal song "Twig". Shannon's voice is modern and strong yet very sensitive at the same time. The well-crafted arrangements on Nature's Bride vary from traditional Irish, modern folk, folk rock, world music and classical. Included is a nice string quartet arrangement by Lizz Knowles on "Tree Song" One of Pamela's inspirations, besides literature and nature, is Robin Williamson, (Incredible String Band) who is thanked in her liner notes. Legendary bassist, Danny Thompson would have sounded perfect here ; he almost succeeded in his scheduled plans to play along on this album. Another influence seems to be Sanghamitra Chatterjee, a Bengali woman called to be her guru, who sang some beautiful second vocals and translated Shannon's lullaby segment into her native tongue on "New Language". "As I Roved Out" is an up tempo song with more of a folk rock arrangement. All fantastic songs are written by Pamela Wyn Shannon herself, except for the last one, a Nick Drake song, "I Was Made To Love Magic". This song was arranged carefully by Mike Fitzgerald with a large ensemble which includes brass and woodwind instruments, piano, bass and drums.
A very successful, great version! A recommended release to bring warmth, peace and understanding.
Dutch version of this review / Nederlandse versie :
Pamela heeft duidelijk interesse voor de magisch feëerieke met de natuur verbonden werelden, voor bomen (in de illustraties wordt de eik of het eikeblad meermaals gebruikt), zonder dat ik een direkte link met bijvoorbeeld paganisme zie. Het digipack is prachtig en esthetisch verzorgd, bevat ook mooi geslaagde foto's van haarzelf met een hoed en kleren gemaakt van mos. Het doet ook allemaal denken aan een verwijzing naar momenten van magie in Englese acid folk muziek. Maar haar muziek heeft geen fragiliteit of heeft niet dat etherische. Ik hoor ergens een onderliggende, maar wel spontaan gevormde expressie van een volwassen vorm van gelukkigheid, dat eerder van het terrein van een singer-songwriter komt, terwijl de folk elementen voornamelijk van de begeleiding komen. De acoestische gitaar klinkt mooi, wanneer ze ooit eens meer op de voorgrond treedt, (zoals in de intro van het mooi "Orlando", gebaseerd op Virginia Woolf's boek, of in het meer melancholisch romantische "Once Again too soon", of in de song met guitar / contrabas / stem, "Twig"). Haar stem klinkt modern, helder en tegelijkertijd gevoelig. De arrangementen (sommige met een klein kamerorkest) zijn passend (met mooie strijkarrangementen door Liz Knowles in "The Trees"). Meestal is het een mix van folk-en klassiek geïnspireerde arrangementen. Buiten literatuur en de natuur was ook Robin Williamson (Incredible Stringband) een inspiratie. Danny Thompson zou hier perfect bij geklonken hebben -en dat was bijna gebeurd, moest zijn schema het toegelaten hebben-. Ook Sanghamitra Chaterjee lijkt haar invloed te hebben, een Bengaalse vrouw die Pamela's guru wordt genoemd, en die een mooie tweede stem arrangeerde en een klein Bengali strofe inzong op "Another Language". "As I roved out" is de enige up tempo song, met folkrock arrangementen. Alle (fantastische) songs waren door Pamela zelf geschreven, behalve de laatste song, van Nick Drake. Dit werd zorgvuldig gearrangeerd door Mike Fitzgerald, met enkele hoorns ?, drums en piano. Een geslaagde versie.
Ik geloof dat deze aan te raden uitgave warmte en wederzijds begrip in de omgeving zou kunnen stimuleren.
Also singer-songwriter radioshow producer Lawrence Woolfe reviewed this album :
"At a time when pesimism for the future is almost all persuasive along comes Pamela Wyn Shannon, an American with Irish roots, singing "I've got the world in my arms", on the opening track of her CD "Nature's Bride" If only ..? Well, the world would certainly know much more hope and optimism and a sense of harmony with nature. World in my arms opens with a fine chordal acoustic guitar rif. Rhythmically upbeat, it has an assured confident uplifting lyric and a fine musical accompaniment.
Evidence of Shannon's strong guitar work at the core of her songs is more than evident throughout the CD. "Song of Slow emerging", "Tree Song", and "Orlando" have an intense weave of guitar and violins. Shannon's voice reflects a sense of wonder and is indeed passionately intense. The Celtic folk element / roots are evident on the intro to "Just Shy of Rising Tide" but in the main such textures, incorporated into such songs musically, somehow transcends such a rigid description. There is sense of ensemble arrangements that transport the listener to another realm as on "Child's Eyes" with a weave of guitar, violins and flutes that even has a jazzy element to it. I love Shannon's vocals on this song as well as on "Once again to soon" and "New Language" where she is joined by Bengali vocalist Shanghamita Chatterjee to wonderful effect. "Twig" is a beautiful love song whilst "As I roved out" is the rockiest track on the album -excitingly energetic.
There we are, all originals that are still growing on me. Great arrangements and playing from all the musicians, and Pamela Wyn Shannon's guitar playing is inventive and melodic and her singing and songs are infused with spirit, earthiness and magic. Talking of magic.. the final song on this CD is a cover of Nick Drake's "I was made to love magic" and a fitting CD closer it is, too -a fine interpretation-. Nature's Bride is a CD that will reward repeated attentive listens, the music and excellent vibrant arrangements revealing themselves and enhancing the songs perfectly. " L.Woolfe
