PENTANGLE: "Cruel Sister" (+ Bonus Tracks)

 

Original released on LP Transatlantic TRA 228

(UK, November 1970)

Originally released in 1970, this was the fourth release from the British folk-rock group Pentangle and may qualify as their swan song. With only five songs, Jacqui McShee, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Terry Cox, and Danny Thompson create a dense, layered sound that is woven within the fabric of each song like a tapestry. Although known for their eclectic approach and love of jazz, here the group concentrates on traditional material like "A Maid That's Deep in Love" and the 18-minute "Jack Orion." A Pentangle fan will immediately note that John Renbourn is playing an electric guitar on "A Maid That's Deep in Love." This departure from purely acoustic doesn't create a bigger Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span sound but is imbedded quietly into the song. What really sets both this song and "When I Was in My Prime" apart is McShee's clear, vibrant vocals. On "When I Was in My Prime," she sings unaccompanied, proving that her talent runs as deep as the better-known Jansch and Renbourn. The seven-minute title cut also features McShee singing an absolutely lovely ballad with darker undertones. Renbourn sings the enjoyable though straightforward "Lord Franklin." The crowning jewel of this masterpiece is the epic "Jack Orion," though one has difficulty imagining what possessed Pentangle to record a folk song that took up an entire side of an album. Jansch shares vocals with McShee on this multiple part song, and generous time is left for Renbourn to turn in a bluesy, then jazzy, electric solo. "Cruel Sister" shows Pentangle at their artistic height, combining all of their skill and inspiration to create a vital and enduring album. (Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. in AllMusic)

PENTANGLE: "Basket Of Light" (+ Bonus Tracks)

Original released on LP Transatlantic TRA 205

(UK 1969, October 26)

Although "Sweet Child" is usually cited as the group's high-water mark, "Basket of Light" finds them at their most progressive and exciting. Highlights of this album - which actually reached the Top Five in the U.K. - include the buzzing jazz dynamics of "Light Flight," their moving rendition of the traditional folk song "Once I Had a Sweetheart," their reinvention of the girl group smash "Sally Go Round the Roses," and "Springtime Promises," one of their finest original tunes. "Basket of Light" is a tender selection of 13 folk tunes showcasing those jazz-influenced vocals by Jacqui McShee and the baroque [almost harpsichord sounding] guitar strums, with an appearance of the banjo, glockenspiel, and sitar [on "Once I Had a Sweetheart" is a great example]. The music is very calming and peaceful, like a sunny springtime hippy day, [«Trees and grass and bushes green again / The sky so blue, I don't remember when the cold days of winter took the sun away»]. The liner notes share that "Springtime Promises" was composed «after a ride on a number 74 bus from Gloucester Road to Greencroft Gardens on an early spring day». This third album highlights the pinnacle of the group's commercial success thanks to the opening track which was used as the theme music for a BBC TV Series, "Take Three Girls". The band still acquired a large following, with their first public concert selling out at Royal Festival Hall in 1967 [and this is where the album cover shot is from]. (in AllMusic)

PENTANGLE: "Sweet Child" (+ Bonus Tracks)

Original released on Double LP Transatlantic TRA 178

(UK, December 1968)

"Sweet Child", released in 1968, at the peak of Pentangle's career, is probably the most representative of their work. A sprawling two-record set, half recorded in the studio and half live at the Royal Festival Hall, showcases just how versatile Pentangle was in their unique brand of English folk, jazz, Celtic, blues, and pop styles. Some of the live covers are easily their finest performances. Furry Lewis' "Turn Your Money Green," sung by the delightful Jacqui McShee, swings sweetly, buttressed of course by John Renbourn and Bert Jansch's guitar tapestry. Charlie Mingus' "Haitian Flight Song" features a great solo by bassist Danny Thompson, who was easily one of the finest musicians to grace the instrument. The studio tracks are uniformly excellent as well, especially "The Time Has Come," which turns waltz time inside out. McShee, Renbourn, and Jansch all turn in career performances on this track. But these examples merely scratch the surface of Pentangle's peak. In all, "Sweet Child" is an awesome and delightful collection, and probably their finest hour. (Matthew Greenwald in AllMusic)

The PENTANGLE Debut Album (+ Bonus Tracks)

Original released on LP Reprise RS 6315

(US, June 1968)

There's something exciting about the first album of a band that goes on to greatness, and "The Pentangle", by the group of the same name, is no different. Here, the listener witnesses the first studio work of a band struggling to get their essence down on vinyl. Of course Bert Jansch and John Renbourn's reputations as guitarists preceded the band, but the addition of bassist Danny Thompson and drummer Terry Cox gave the band an acoustic rhythm section like no other folk-rock group. Singer Jacqui McShee became the last piece of this intricate English puzzle, delivering high, expressive vocals that contrasted and merged so well with Jansch's deeper pipes. The group doesn't hold back on their first outing. On "Hear My Call" McShee offers a dreamy vocal, floating high above the bluesy guitars. The soaring vocal and firmly grounded rhythm highlight one another, creating a carefully layered sound that is present in all of Pentangle's best music. This dynamic works equally well in "Pentangling," with McShee and Jansch's voices combining light and dark shadows to concoct a strangely atmospheric harmony. The rocking and rollicking "Way Behind the Sun" is another standout, and the instrumentals "Bells" and "Waltz" are complex and lively. The album's spacious arrangements take full advantage of stereo, mixing instruments to different tracks so that the listener, for instance, can always hear Jansch's guitar on one side and Renbourn's on the other. This group, it seems, had it all. Equally comfortable with traditional songs, instrumentals, and originals, they made few missteps on their early albums. Like Fairport Convention and the Incredible String Band, Pentangle specialized in updating British Isles' folk music. "The Pentangle", re-released on a box CD in 2017 with 13 bonus tracks, is a dazzling debut and a must-have for fans of English folk-rock. (Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. in AllMusic)