Marianne Faithfull and Warren Ellis make poetic magic on ‘She Walks in Beauty’. After a nearly six-decade-long career, vocalist Marianne Faithfull returns to music, following a severe bout with COVID-19 that damaged her lungs and left her doubting if she will be able to sing again. Collaborating alongside composer and multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis, and a string of other musicians, the group works together to bring a unique approach to She Walks in Beauty, Faithfull’s interpretation of some well-known works by influential poets. Faithfull’s own wisdom-filled vocals recite the poems over a variety of instrumental tracks and touches of electronic arrangements by producer-engineer Head. The 11-track album opens with its namesake, originally written by Lord Byron, which creates the peaceful feeling of a springtime morning. The chirping of birds and a dreamlike soundscape made from blends of Nick Cave’s soft piano combine eloquently as Marianne Faithfull speaks of light and shade illuminating a young woman’s face. She Walks in Beauty closes with the nearly 12-minute “Lady Of Shallot.” This complex classic piece from Lord Tennyson is brought together by glittering sounds echoing and chimes sprinkled throughout. They combine to create a magical yet asymmetrical musical representation of the mysterious island creature referred to as the Lady of Shallot. If there’s one thing Faithfull has proved with her album, it’s that good writing really never goes out of style.
