CD REVIEW - Spirit Nation
Mike
www.wlpssp.com 14 Tracks $17.95 (U.S.)
I have to admit, here and now, that I have a personal bias as I know
Gypsy personally and really enjoy hearing her perform.
If you have never heard the entrancing music of Gypsy Ravish before,
you are in for a treat. If, like me, you have been waiting
impatiently for the release of this latest offering (it’s been a
decade and a half, but who is keeping track?), you will feel right at
home. There is more than an hour’s worth of relaxing, enlightening
and thoroughly enjoyable music on this disc.
There are some “classics” from the early days of the Pagan movement
here in the U.S., although they have been “tweaked” (“The Mill Dance”
and “We Won’t Wait Any Longer”), as well as a few instrumental pieces
(“Between the Worlds,” “Meditation Then,” and “Of a Celtic Bent”), as
well as a number of songs which have sprung from the fertile mind of
this talented songstress.
Gypsy’s voice may not appeal to everyone, but her lyrics should find
their way into your heart and mind. She knows what she wants to say,
and she knows how to say it most effectively. While listening to her
songs, you really can’t help being carried away.
The instrumentation provides a gentle current, without overwhelming
the listener. Flutes, penny whistles, and harp accompany the
percussion and keyboards. There are songs for pure entertainment and
songs which convey information, and songs which would be appropriate
for use setting the mood for ritual. There is really something for
everyone and for most uses.
If enough people pick up this CD we may be able to inspire Gypsy and
her collaborators to put another CD on the fast track. I really
wouldn’t like to wait another 15 years to add another CD to my
library.
If you enjoy this CD as much as I expect you will, you should consider
ordering a copy of her earlier offering (“Enchantress”) from the same
source. Either (or both) of them will make a pleasant addition to
your musical library.