Pentangle

Pentangle

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Mid-price remastered reissue of the British folk-rock act's 1968 debut album. Divided between traditional and original material, highlights included their arrangement of 'Bruton Town' and the seven-minute instrumental laden 'Pentangling'. This CD also features 7 bonus tracks 'Koan' (alt. version), 'The Wheel' (alt. version), 'The Casbah' (alt. Version), 'Bruton Town' (edit 1/5/3), 'Hear My Call' (alt. Version), 'Way Behind The Sun' (alt version) & 'Way Behind The Sun' (Instrumental). 2001 release.

Pentangle,Pentangle,Phantom Sound & Visi,Folk,Folk & Traditional,Pop

Average customer rating:

The time has come - finally

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Great Wee Folk-Jazz Band

Almost perfect

Fantastic

The Time Has Come
Pentangle
Manufacturer: Castle Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
General | Folk | Styles | Music
Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969

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ASIN: B000NIIUQ0
Release Date: 2007-05-01

Tracks:

Mirage
Waltz
Poison (1967 demo)*
Travelling Song (single)
Forty-Eight
Koan (alternate take)*
In Your Mind (BBC session 1968)
Sovay (BBC session 1968)
In Time
Sweet Child
The Trees They Do Grow High(alternate take)
Moondog
Light Flight
Once I Had A Sweetheart
I Saw An Angel (single B-side)
Springtime Promises
Cold Mountain (single B-side)
Train Song
Hunting Song (BBC session 1969)

Tracks:

Lord Franklin
Jack Orion (instrumental edit)
Cruel Sister
Helping Hand
Faro Annie
Reflection (alternate take)*
So Clear (aka John's Song - alternate take)*
The Snows
Jump Baby Jump
Yarrow
Tam Lin (from the film Tam Lin)*
The Best Part Of You (from the film Tam Lin)*
Green Willow (from the Lost Sessions)

Tracks:

Waltz
Way Behind The Sun
The Time Has Come
Let No Man Steal Your Thyme
So Early In The Spring
Hear My Call
No More My Lord
Three Dances: Brentzal Gay/ La Rotta /The Earle Of Salisbury
Market Song
Bruton Town
A Woman Like You
No Exit
Haitian Fight Song
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Bells
John Donne Song
Watch The Stars
Turn Your Money Green
Travelling Song

Tracks:

Pentangling (live from Aberdeen Music Hall)
Sally Go 'Round The Roses (from the Two Brewers)
Sarabande (from the Two Brewers)
Sally Free And Easy (from the Two Brewers)
Wondrous Love (from Journey into Love)
Sweet Child (from Journey into Love)
Willy O' Winsbury (from Set of Six)
Rain And Snow (from Set of Six)
No Love Is Sorrow (from Set of Six)
Wedding Dress (from RTBF TV)
The Furniture Store (from the film Christian The Lion)
Christian The Lion (from the film Christian The Lion)
Reflection (from RTBF TV)
People On The Highway (from RTBF TV)

Album Description

This 40th anniversary box set, lavishly illustrated and exhaustively annotated, features the best of their album tracks, singles and b-sides. All newly re-mastered, achieving the best sound to date - alongside no less than 30 previously unreleased live, broadcast and studio tracks. Among these lost gems are: their very first recording session from 1967; outtakes from The Pentangle (1968) and Reflection (1971); three 1968 BBC radio session tracks newly in stereo; live concert and television tracks spanning 1968- 73; and rare film soundtrack contributions.

Customer Reviews:

The time has come - finally.......2007-07-27

The time has indeed come to appreciate Pentangle as one of the most exciting and unique musical adventures in popular music. Having listened in my youth to their first LP on a small Philips Bambino record player, it is a revelation to hear the first cd on this finely packaged and masterly remastered 4-cd set open with the guitar figure on Mirage from the first cd in crisp, crystal clear remastered sound: each instrument comes into its own, showing how Pentangle as few others managed to let each voice be distinct and clear, yet merging into a seamless whole. The virtuosity of each musician shines through from the first moment and through the whole four-disk set.

A lot has been written about intuitive dazzling interplay of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, creating a guitar sound that has never been replicated before or since, sounding as exciting and inventive today as ever. The muscular, distinctive voice of Danny Thompson is heard more clearly.
In this remastered version, it is perhaps the multilayered percussion of Terry Cox that is revealed most clearly. The rhythm section is marked by its jazz background, always creating fresh approaches, never losing the beat and drive. In the lost years of Pentangle in the 80s one critic remarked Pentangle to be "dry and academic sounding". He could barely have heard the music on this 4-cd record: The music sounds cutting-edge 2007; the interplay of the musicians finding new inroads to traditional material, and the record contains much new material, all of consistent quality.

Perhaps the greatest treat and the true revelation is the whole cd 3 devoted to a concert in Royal Festival Hall in 1969. This record reveals the level of musicianship Pentangle had reached. Where many groups are studio-products and have difficulties replicating their sounds in concert, Pentangle reveal that the studio hid their strengths rather than reveal them. In concert every note is played just as crisp and clear, but with more force and dynamics than in the studio. Danny Thompson's double bass playing is amazing throughout (name one double bass player in the whole of popular music that is his equal), but the real revelation on the live record is Jacqui McShee's capacities as a vocalist. She becomes the voice of all suffering women, strong and serious in Bruton town and Let no man steal your thyme, without the coy features of many female singers. She can also belt it out as a blues singer in Way behind the sun in a manner that is much more potent than on the studio recordings. The live record shows one of the best bands ever at their peak. The only group they can be compared to may be the John Coltrane Quartet in their prime, but exhibiting even more variety in their musical expressions than JCQ. Many hidden gems are strewn out on the record, for instance an elongated alternate take on the classic "Reflection", more jazzy, freer and more intensive than on record. An instrumental version of the accompaniment to Jack Orion is also unforgettable.

The time has come to appreciate Pentangle as one of the most unique and durable contributions to popular music. The legendary DJ John Peal ended his liner notes to Pentangle`s first album with "play this record to those you love". I can only agree.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-18

Back in '89 I was a budding garage guitarist. A sophisticated uncle took me up to Vancouver BC for the International Folk Music Festival where I saw this band that literally changed the way I look at rock music. I was 17 years old and The Pentangle blew me away. I have since learned many reasons to appreciate this quintet--most especially the original line-up. As for this collection of their music? Disc one and two make for an interesting "Greatest Hits" style selection. Some of my favorites are missing and the work from Bert and John's solo albums could have been replaced by some more team efforts but still...not a bad selection. Disc three offers nothing truly new. It is the concert from Sweet Child, including the unearthed tracks released not long ago with the reissue, resequenced to resemble the original concert. Enjoyable but not ground breaking. Disc four, however, is worth the price alone. These are amazing live tracks. Most come from television appearances. The sound is listenable for the era and the performances inspired. These are not BBC "In The Studio" recordings...this is true live with an audience and the band goes for it. I would recommend this for any fan.

A Great Wee Folk-Jazz Band.......2007-06-08

It's time that a good, multi-disc compilation came out on Pentangle. The band brought together great musicians [Bert Jansch, John Renborn, Danny Thompson, Jacqui McPhee, Terry Cox} to create something much greater than the sum of the parts. The excellent rhythm section of Thompson and Cox providing a foundation for the virtuosity of Renborn and Jansch to take us into heavenly places, whilst Jacqui's pure vocals are breath taking. The first four years of the band produced some of the best Brit-folk music of all time. I could listen to this music ever day of my life and never tire of it. Buy it and enjoy it.

Almost perfect.......2007-05-30

If it had included the studio version of "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme" it would have been perfect. :-)
Some of the movie tracks are not that enjoyable, but I was happy to have finally had a chance to hear them. There's plenty of great music on here even with skipping those tracks.

Fantastic.......2007-05-08

I just recently got this collection and had only listened to the first 3 discs but from what I have heard this is a great collection. It includes singles, alternate takes, key album cuts, and live performances from concerts, BBC radio, and TV and detailed liner notes in a nice digi pack booklet. All the members of Pentangle have contributed to the notes and the sound quality is amazing, especially the Shel Talmy produced cuts. This is an excellent (albeit expensive) primer if you're looking to get into this group since it gives a much broader overview of their recording career so if want to take the plunge into a sound incorporating traditional folk, jazz, pop, and amazing acoustic guitar playing than dive in here. Please keep in mind that the Pentangle was a lot jazzier in their approach than the Incredible String Band and Fairport Convention even though these bands were drawing from the same well each one has there own unique sound but the Pentangle were far more popular so they are a pretty good starting point if you are looking to get in to the English version of folk-rock.

Average customer rating:

Essential listening, even for those who think they don't like "folk"
A seminal album
Good Memories, Even Better Performance
Sweet Child
incredible

Sweet Child
Pentangle
Manufacturer: Sanctuary
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000057OWD
Release Date: 2001-05-28

Tracks:

Market Song
No More My Lord
Turn Your Money Green
Haitian Fight Song
Woman Like You
Goodbye Pork-Pie Hat
Three Dances: Brentzel Gay/La Rotta/The Earle of Salisbury
Watch the Stars
So Early in the Spring
No Exit
Time Has Come
Bruton Town
Hear My Call [*]
Let No Man Steal Your Thyme [*]
Bells [*]
Sovay
Waltz [*]
Way Behind the Sun [*]
John Donne Song [*]

Tracks:

Sweet Child
I Loved a Lass
Three Part Thing
Sovay
In Time
In Your Mind
I've Got a Feeling
Trees They Do Grow High
Moon Dog
Hole in the Coal
Hole in the Coal [Alternate Version][*]
Thre Trees They Do Grow High [Alternate Version][*]
Haitian Fight Song [Studio Version][*]
In Time [Alternate Version][*]

Album Description

Mid-price digitally remastered reissue of the British folk-rock act's 1968 album. Half recorded in the studio and half at the Royal Festival Hall, it showcases Pentangle's versatility and features some of their finest performances, including 'Turn Your Money Green' and 'Haitian Flight Song'. Slimline double jewel case. 2001 release.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Edition of the Album Classic from the First British Folk-rock "Supergroup". The Pentangle were an Unusual Agglomeration of Seemingly Disparate Talents and at their Best Succeeded in Mixing Elements of Traditional Folk, Jazz Improvisation and Pop Into a Seamless Whole. Featuring the Brilliant and Contrasting Guitar Playing Skills of Bert Jansch and John Renbourne Against the Rhythmic Undertow Provided by Drummer Terry Cox and Superb Bass Player Danny Thompson and Topped off the the Bell-like Purity of Jacqui Mcshee's Vocals, the Band were the Object of Both Critical and General Public Affection. This Edition Adds a Bonus CD Filled with Outtakes and Rarities that is Sure to Please Any Ardent Fan!

Customer Reviews:

Essential listening, even for those who think they don't like "folk".......2006-05-16

Five masters running the gamut of not just traditional folk tunes but old blues (Furry Lewis' "Turn Your Money Green"), old spirituals (No More My Lord) and jazz (2 Mingus tunes as well as a song titled "I've Got a Feeling" which is a not too subtle borrowing of riff and chord changes from Miles Davis' "All Blues" from the Kind of Blue record. Different melody, though - and lyrics so I guess it's ok that the song is credited to the band.). I think the guitarists have been given their due via reviews over the years (deservedly so!), Jackie McShee likewise and bassist Danny Thompson has been mentioned by the other Amazon reviewers, particularly his solo bass excursion through "Haitian Fight Song". So I feel the need to mention percussionist Terry Cox who gets incredible colors from his drumkit! Listen to his mallets on skins on "No More My Lord" and the amazing amount of tension he brings to the piece- it's almost orchestral. Really brilliant. For those who wrongly proclaim drummers as "non-musicians".

The interplay between these artists is startling - the two guitarists weave in and out and the vocals are not just your standard 2 or 3 part harmony. McShee's voice is the essence of purity, conviction and heart. I've worn out the grooves on my old vinyl record and I just ordered this CD. You should do the same - this is music everyone should hear.

A seminal album.......2006-04-29

Quite simply... one of the top 100 albums of the second half of the twentieth century.

Good Memories, Even Better Performance.......2005-10-11

I purchased this two-disc set because I'm collecting some of the music that made strong impressions on me over the course of my life. Pentangle was one of the groups that my roommates played often during my college days in the early seventies, and something of that fascinating sound, the windy vocals, the energetic folk material and sensibilities, and the prominent use of the string bass, has stayed with me over the years.

Listening again to Sweet Child rekindled some of those memories all right (only some because it's just one of the Pentangle albums we played), but it also surprised me with its sound: clean and open, intimate and compelling. The performances soar to a level that I simply didn't appreciate at the time, both in the studio and on the stage.

Two CDs full of wonderful performances, ranging from moody to mellow to manic. A great addition to my collection!

Sweet Child.......2005-07-20

This is an old favorite. I bought the CD to replace a worn out record.

incredible.......2004-12-29

Although an older recording, the music, the performances, and the songs are as fresh and inviting as beholding an overnight snow on a sunny Sunday morning. Not to suggest that this offering is anything but warm and glowing. Its the sort of music you can put on for an hour or more of inspiration and amazement--it will fill your heart and your essence. McShee is in fine voice and the instrumental work mesmerizing (not to single out one, but the bass playing has to be heard to be believed). And the arrangements are compelling and inventive. It was recorded live and alternative studio recordings are also included. As a bonus, it presents truly informative liner notes!

Average customer rating:

Pentangle in their prime
Basket of Light glows!
Simply the best. Buy it. Dig it. Love it.
Basket of Light
All "divas" bow down

Basket of Light
Pentangle
Manufacturer: Castle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005AFNZ
Release Date: 2001-07-24

Tracks:

Light Flight [Theme from Take Three Girls]
Once I Had a Sweetheart
Springtime Promises
Lyke Wake Dirge
Train Song
Hunting Song
Sally Go Round the Roses
Cuckoo
House Carpenter

Album Description

UK remastered reissue of the British folk super-group's 1969 album. Includes 4 bonus tracks, two alternate versions of 'Sally Go Round The Roses', 'Cold Mountain' (B-side single) & 'I Saw An Angel' (B-side single). 2001 release.

Customer Reviews:

Pentangle in their prime.......2007-06-14

Let`s be honest. Most people who write reviewa on amazon are not reviewers, but mostly fans who write about music they love (sometimes loathe). And so I am not an objective judge of this music. The first Pentangle LP struck me right in the gut from the first note in the summer of 67: Sgt, Pepper was for everyone, Pentangle was for me. The solid, muscular and ever creative double bass of Danny Thompson bouncing off on the jazzy pulse of Terry Cox, the ghostly pure tones of Jacqui McShee, and the interplay between Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, perhaps the finest duo ever in the acoustic folk field, created a fusion of folk, jazz, blues, classical and rock unlike no other. The first LP was brilliant, but a formative stage of their sound. The second, Sweet child, contained some of their finest moments, but is at the same time an uneven mixture of different styles that don`t always come together. By their later albums, a tinge of tiredness was beginning to show. Listening through their output after having repaired my LP player, "Basket of light" stands as their finest hour, their one pefect album, having stood the test of time, sounding fresh and contemporary in 2007. The most striking is a luminous quality that shines through the tracks, making the title apt for the music. The songs melt into a seamless whole, with not a weak track and an internal logic in the choice and sequence of the songs. Light flight starts off with a bouncing mixture of time signatures showcasing how Jansch and Renbourn had grown from folkies playing with a slightly sloppy style to master musicians following Thompson and Cox into creative reaches of jazz fusion, Lyke wake dirge is a spine-chilling a capella medieval burial chant which arguably is the group`s finest vocal moment. Listen to the incredible interplay of the instruments on Hunting song, Terry Cox? glockenspiel adding to the "inner glow" that marks every track on the album. If you don`t want to dish out for the whole new 4-disc collection The time has come (also recommended), this album is, in my view, the perfect representation of all that this unique band stood for and achieved iln their glory days.

Basket of Light glows!.......2007-06-05

This is one of the most captivating albums from the heyday of English folk, retaining all of its sprightly joy & shadowy mystery some 40 years later. And what an eclectic range! From tradional English folk songs, often reinterpreted with contemporary touches such as sitar, to covers of then-recent hits ("Sally Go Round the Roses"), to their own originals, Pentangle mixed folk, jazz, pop, and even a little rock to create a distinctive, ringing sound. Standouts include the somber majesty of "Lyke-Wake Dirge," which always summons images of candlit stone corridors & Medieval tombs; the pure, achingly plaintive "Once I Had A Sweetheart," which seems like a pastoral tapestry brought to life; and the band's own "Light Flight," featuring Jacquie McShee's crystalline voice, soaring & dipping in the oddest but most magical of ways. This could only have been made in the mid-1960s, but it has a timeless quality, making it as fresh today as when it was first released. Highly recommended!

Simply the best. Buy it. Dig it. Love it........2006-03-19

This album is the best British Folk album ever recorded (Fairport who??). The album title is perfect as it fits the music.

As you begin listening a few thing kick in. The acoustic musicianship is sublime. The tunes are tunesome. You begin to feel good as you hum and tap your feet. Later on, you might begin to wonder what the point of amplified electrical music ever was. As the late sixties vibes groove into you you might imagine your self a flower-child in a basket of light...

Unlike some rather 'quaint' folk albums I've heard, this music is emotionally authentic. It's spirit is utterly modern, and the mood uplifting in it's sparkly jazziness. Past is fused with the future. Innovative musical arrangements refresh, with influences from India to the U.S.A., and from the 12th century (Lake-Wyke Dirge) to the 20th, so there is never a dulltime. Most covers are from the Scottish Folk tradition, which is the finest in Britain. Original compositions, such as 'Night Flight' are every bit as good. Jansch, Renbourn and McShee are Scottish, and the rythm section are English, making Pentangle a truly British Band. The album also has a 'rock' feel to it, so if you like rock music, and are looking for something a little different, then I would recommend this album to you without hesitation.

Finally, I just have to say that Jacqui McShee is a better vocalist than Aretha Franklin. And Bert Jansch and John Renbourn are superb guitar players. Danny Thompson's fretless acoustic bass playing is another musical treat. Buy it. Dig it. Love it.

Basket of Light.......2005-07-20

This is the first Pentangle work I ever heard. It stands the test of time. It replaces a worn out record. Good bonus tracks

All "divas" bow down.......2004-03-17

My musically enlightened bass-player friend turned me on to this album when I was going crazy for Led Zeppelin, and I still listen to it 30 years later (as well as Led Zep). Jacqui McShee is one of the original "ghost girl" singers, who forshadowed gals like Maire Brennan of Clannad, etc. If you want to hear some of the most spine chilling female wiccan-druid vocals, hear "Lyke Wake Dirge" on this one. It is interesting to think that Page was thinking of patterning his post-Yardbirds band on Pentangle. Until he heard John Bonham... Other Pentangle albums don't always hit the mark, but you can't miss with this. Band also stars two of the biggest heavyweights in trad-acoustic guitar playing, John Renbourn and Bert Jansch. Have at it.

Average customer rating:

Best Pentangle album
Lost and Found
FINALLY!!!
Jacqui Jacqui Jacqui
Great Pentangle

Solomon's Seal
Pentangle
Manufacturer: Castle Music UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Folk | Imports | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B00006GO6Y
Release Date: 2003-11-03

Tracks:

Sally Free And Easy
The Cherry Tree Carol
The Snows
High Germany
People On The Highway
Willy O Winsbury
No Love Is Sorrow
Jump Baby Jump
Lady Of Carlisle

Album Description

First time on CD for this much sought after classic folk album originally issued on Reprise in 1972. Nine tracks. Slipcase. Castle. 2003.

Album Details

One of the Pillars of the and Most Sought after Albums on CD is Finally Issued on Disc! their Sixth (And Last Collection from this Lineup) Album from 1972 Featured the Beautiful Guitar Playing Contrast of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn Set in Front of the Drums of Terry Cox, the Bottom End Bass of Danny Thompson and the Sweet Icing of Singer Jacqui Mcshee.

Customer Reviews:

Best Pentangle album.......2007-04-04

I bought this album in 1972. I was (and still am) a big fan of Pentangle, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and Danny Thompson. I saw them live in 1971. I thought back then that Solomon's seal was their best album, although most critics thought the opposite. After 35 years I still think it is their best, most inspired and most mature album. A classic, no doubt.

Lost and Found.......2005-06-01

The Pentangle was an interesting mix of jazz, rock and folk music that had an almost Renisance period sound. Many of the songs they perform on this album are "traditional" folk songs. Interestingly, I got my first copy of the album from a top 40 radio station in Philadelphia. Times have changed.

While I am not particularly a fan of folk music, I always enjoyed this album because of its musical complexities and unusual style. My parents threw out my original copy after I graduated from college. For many years, I searched for this album on CD, but could not find it. Apparently, the master tapes had been lost. Luckily, several years ago I was able to find it on an extremely good piece of vinyl which appeard to have been virtually unplayed, and then "burned" it to CD. Now, they have finally released it on CD.

The Pentangle was formed by respected folk guitarists John Renbourn and Bert Jansch in the late '60s, and relies on the complex interplay of their usually accoustic axes. (The band was formed during a time that James Taylor called the "great folk music scare of the late '60s.") The band features hauntingly pure vocals by the talented Jacqui McShee. This was the sixth and final album by the original Pentangle band members. The album is roughly evenly divided between "traditional" folk songs and compositions by the band. The Pentangle does some "experimentation" using electric guitars and sitar. I highly recommend The Pentangle's first album, which is much jazzier, or Basket of Light on DVD-Audio. In my opinion, this album is not as good as as either of the other two albums, but still contains some fine traditional folk music and is worth having in a folk collection.

FINALLY!!!.......2005-01-26

I have been waiting for this music to become available again for....25 years?? My vinyl album wore out long ago but I have never forgotten the music -- it is truly in the "love it forever" category -- Willie O'Winsbury, Snows, Sally Free and Easy...Jacqui and Bert are brilliant. I am so happy to be able to hear/buy this again -- I'll be ordering several copies!

Jacqui Jacqui Jacqui .......2004-09-19

Try the Cherry Tree Carol and Willy O'Winsbury-the purest traditional voice ever-a nightingale pales...
Try this on a full moon snowy evening....

Great Pentangle.......2003-12-16

This is IMO a 'shouldn't miss' Pentangle album. It's true
it's not as 'jazz exploratory' as some of their early ones
(also all great-- SWEET CHILD is maybe my favorite folk album ever). It continues & in some ways intensifies the 'Appalachian' aspects of REFLECTION, but with slightly rawer sound (well, for Pentangle) & Bert Jansch is featured a bit more here. Jacqui MacShee's singing is terrific too. REFLECTION should also be rereleased-- but this is very welcome after 30 years of oblivion. Only minus-- I wish they'd added some 'alt. takes' or 'archival stuff' as album IS short. Don't be discouraged by some comments/reviews that the group was 'tired out' by this point--true they broke up soon after, but this has great energy I think.

Average customer rating:

Reflection
Pentangle
Manufacturer: Addiebelle UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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The Pentangle

ASIN: B0002XMEFO
Release Date: 2004-10-18

Tracks:

Wedding Dress
Omie Wise
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
When I Get Home
Rain and Snow
Helping Hand
So Clear
Reflection

Album Description

2004 reissue of classic British folk-rock album, originally issued in 1971. Castle Music.

Album Details

First Ever Release on CD for this Much Sought after Classic Folk Album. Extensive Sleevenotes by Respected Folk Expert Colin Harper.

Average customer rating:

Pentangle Get Witchy
A Favorite
Odd but kinda cool
Pentangle's masterpiece, with exceptionally clear sound
Hidden treasure

Cruel Sister
Pentangle
Manufacturer: Castle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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Reflection
The Pentangle

ASIN: B00005AFO0
Release Date: 2001-07-24

Tracks:

Maid That's Deep in Love
When I Was in My Prime
Lord Franklin
Cruel Sister
Jack Orion

Album Description

UK remastered reissue of the British folk super-group's 1970 album. 5 tracks including 'A Maid That's Deep In Love'.2001.

Customer Reviews:

Pentangle Get Witchy.......2007-07-04

Sometimes a sound just captures your imagination and carries you along with it, and Pentangle definitely does that for me. Even their questionable artistic moments are part of a constant search for some lost key in the murky depths of ancient music, matched with the spirit of jazz improvisation and Eastern touches. Although most listeners don't consider this album their best, I have a special fondness for it. Another reviewer mentioned that some of the vocal harmonies are a bit off, but for me it just adds to the wonderfully spooky atmosphere. "Lord Franklin" is one of my favorite Pentangle tracks because it creates a wistful effect attributable more to performance than lyrical content. Renbourn's vocal delivery, though hardly a technical marvel, is perfect for the song. (Dylan based "Bob Dylan's Dream" from FREEWHEELIN' on this traditional tune.) As for the "Lay the bent to the bonnie broom" refrain in "Cruel Sister," I found this in a Google search:

"holly and ivy, used magically from the earliest heathen times, holly being particularly abhorred by witches in England and other countries of Europe; broom, most potent against witches and spirits, and per contra, often used by witches in their spells; the bent or rush, protective against the evil eye, and, as Miss Broadwood points out, doubly powerful when combined with the broom, as in the refrain (1 A), 'Lay the bent to the bonny broom.'"

Just a bit of white magic, you know.

A Favorite.......2007-02-01

This is one of my favorite albums. If you like Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention, you'll love this. The import version is of superior quality too. This is one of the discs I would take to a desert island.

Odd but kinda cool.......2004-06-13

It's big break from the three albums that came before, but this is still a pretty cool folk-rock album. For one thing, this is folk music as it should be: a little weird and twisted.

The opening track is your standard girl-dressed-as-a-boy-to-follow-her-true-love ballad, in this case as a cabin boy, but it does contain a rather disquieting moment when the ship's captain says to his cabin "boy" "I wish you were a maid, your rosy cheeks your rosy lips, they are enticing me". It's a standard moment in songs like this but the fact that it happens on a ship at sea, and knowing what went on during these long voyages, it adds a nice hint of pederasty-you wonder if maybe the captain has used this line on other cabin boys.

In the title track the psychopathic cruel sister drowns her nice sister and mocks her as she goes down, telling her she's going to steal her true love. Two minstrels find the drowned sister's body and use the bones and hair to make a harp (hey, an artist must work with the materials at hand). You can imagine what happens when they play the harp for the sisters' father.

And Jack Orion, the epic that took up a whole side of the LP, is a great example of a murder ballad-or rather, a rape-murder-double suicide ballad. Charming stuff.

This is largely Renbourn and McShee's show. It's the first Pentangle album without a Bert Jansch song, and he only sings on one song, although that song is the epic Jack Orion (which originally appeared on one of his solo albums). Still, even on that song he shares the lead with McShee. And the sensibility here is much more like Renbourn's solo work--I think The Lady and the Unicorn came about the same time as this recording.

The first cut is classic Pentangle-nice, aggressive interplay between the instrumentalists, with Renbourn playing tastefully amplified electric guitar, but it's marred a little by McShee somewhat mannered singing-she didn't sing like this on previous Pentangle records so I'm not quite sure why she changed her style.

The second song, When I Was In My Prime, is an a cappella turn by McShee, and it's just fine, really, but it's hard not to think of other, more talented singers who've done similar things, like Jansch's old girlfriend Anne Briggs, or Shirley Collins (two favorites of mine). McShee just doesn't have a particularly strong or interesting voice-in fact, there's a rumor that bassist Danny Thompson's old girlfriend Sandy Denny was passed over for the Pentangle vocalist job because they were afraid her voice was too strong.

The next song, Lord Franklin, is in some ways the biggest departure, a lament for a lost sea captain and his gallant crew sung by Renbourn, with the dominant instruments being concertina and acoustic and electric (quietly electric) guitars. In this case, Renbourn's mediocre voice actually helps give the song a feeling of wistful authenticity-he sounds like a regular bloke, not a professional singer.

Some people have found the title track a little irritating, particularly the "Lay the bent to the bonny broom/fa la la la la la la la la la" refrains (no, I don't know what that bonny broom stuff means) and Renbourn's odd attempt to sing what almost sounds like a countertenor harmony with McShee, but it does feature Renbourn on sitar, something I've always liked (although I think it's used to greater effect on Basket of Light).

Then there's Jack Orion, Pentangle's Dark Star/A Sailor's Life. They throw everything into this one. It starts out much like a regular Pentangle tune, with Jansch singing and playing acoustic guitar. He swaps the lead with McShee, although unfortunately Renbourn does that countertenor thing behind her again. The tempo picks up, even gets a little frenetic, for the rape, and then they break into a stately sorta Morris dance-sounding bit dominated by recorder and bowed bass, very haunting and dramatic, for the first suicide, followed by a jam featuring Terry Cox's dulcitone (sounds like a glockenspiel to me) and Renbourn kicking out the jams on his electric ax, certainly the rockingest Pentangle had played to date (I don't have their last two albums so I don't know where they went from here). Then it quiets down for the murder and suicide that end the song.

It is an odd album, but to me an endearingly odd one. You get the feeling that Pentangle listened to Fairport Convention's Liege and Leif and thought, hey, we could do something like that.

Pentangle's masterpiece, with exceptionally clear sound.......2003-12-22

Though overshadowed by "Sweet Child" and "Basket Of Light", the dreamy, melodic beauty of "Cruel Sister" stands as the high point of Pentangle's exploration of the fusion of folk with jazz and rock elements.

Adding electric guitar for the first time to the already ethereal atmospheres of "Basket Of Light", though many fans did not appreciate it, makes Pentangle's sound much deeper. This was clear from the way in which the voices and instruments interweave on the epic "Jack Orion", which actually never gets boring owing to the fact that the sections do not repeat: they vary with guitars, voices, recorders many times. The title tune was almost as dreamy as Laura Nyro's "Brown Earth", even if built from a quite different story.

On the other side, McShee's amazing voice was never better seen than on "When I Was In My Prime", which despite being a capella, still is recognisable as Pentangle. It is most refreshing to se McShee allowed so much space especially with the sharp remastered sound, and on "A Maid That's Deep In Love", she sang perhaps even better: reflective yet never despairing, romantic yet never sentimental. "Lord Franklin" was even more subtle than the other songs, yet the electric guitar's melody ought to surprise those used to the more folksy "Sweet Child". Indeed, the remastered sound allows one to see how they both complement and supplement each other in a remarkable manner.

On the whole, an atmospheric masterpiece matching almost anything in its era, rivalling Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks" and "Moondance", Tim Buckley's "Lorca" and "Happy Sad" (only just heard), Steeleye's "Hark! The Village Wait" and Laura Nyro's "Christmas And The Beads Of Sweat". Now all that has to be done is to remaster and reissue "Reflection".

Hidden treasure.......2003-01-03

I only knew Pentangle from a single song from a compilation (Will the Circle Be Unbroken) and decided to buy the LP in a second-hand shop. I've been a big fan since, maybe the biggest one in Spain since their records or re-issues are impossible to find here. Jacqui McShee's voice is absolutely stunning and the whole side two of the old LP is marvellous even with its more-than-30-years-old noise.
There are only five songs, all of them from old traditional British lore: A Maid That's Deep in Love surprises the listener with a very mellow folk sound taken from an electric guitar (Pentangle's previous sound was acoustic). When I Was in my Prime shows the true genius of Jacqui's voice without any musical accompaniament; I don't think any pop singer of the 90s could ever attempt this and sound soooo great! Lord Franklin is the only song featuring lead vocal by Jansch: he was a good singer but cannot match hers, good on its own. Then comes the hypnotic Cruel Sister whose tale puts you at the verge of crying... Finally, all of side B is reserved for a +18 minute rendition of Jack Orion, that I think is the crowning achievement of their career: I have never heard anything remotely similar in style and structure, it might be defined as progressive, jazzy folk but it needs to be heard to believe it. In one word, a masterpiece.

Average customer rating:

Still fresh at their best

Light Flight: The Anthology
Pentangle
Manufacturer: Castle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Folk | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Sweet Child
Meet On The Ledge: The Classic Years (1967-1975)
Basket of Light
No More Sad Refrains: The Anthology
Open the Door

ASIN: B000DXSBWI
Release Date: 2006-04-03

Tracks:

Let No Man Steal Your Thyme
Waltz
I've Got a Feeling
Three Part Thing
Bruton Town
Lord Franklin
Once I Had a Sweetheart
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Train Song
House Carpenter
Sovay
Sally Go Round the Roses
I Loved a Lass
Cuckoo
Trees They Do Grow High
Rain and Snow

Tracks:

Omie Wise
Light Flight [Take Three Girls Theme]
Maid That's Deep in Love
Cold Mountain
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Wedding Dress
No More, My Lord
Pentangling
Way Behind the Sun
Travelling Song
When I Get Home
Sweet Child
Watch the Stars
So Clear
Cruel Sister

Album Description

2 CD set. Pretty much the first UK folk-rock 'supergroup' and the inventors of the sound that would later be adopted by Fairport, Trees etc, Pentangle were an unusual agglomeration of seemingly disparate talents, and at their best succeeded in mixing elements of traditional folk, jazz improvisation and pop into a seamless whole. Featuring the brilliant and contrasting guitar talents of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, against the rhythmic undertow provided by drummer Terry Cox and superb bass player Danny Thompson, and topped off with the bell-like purity of Jacqui McShee's vocals, Pentangle garnered much critical acclaim. This is the perfect introduction to their work. Castle Music.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Reissue of the Definitive Anthology What was Retty Much the First British Folk-rock "Supergroup". The Pentangle were an Unusual Agglomeration of Seemingly Disparate Talents. At their Best, They Succeeded in Mixing Elements of Traditional Folk, Jazz Improvisation and Pop Into a Seamless Whole. Their Music features the Brilliant and Contrasting Guitar Playing Skills of Legendary Players Bert Jansch and John Renbourn Against the Rhythmic Undertow Provided by Drummer Terry Cox and Superb Bass Player Danny Thompson, Topped off with the Bell-like Purity of Jacqui Mcshee's Vocals.

Customer Reviews:

Still fresh at their best.......2007-01-28

There's something a bit frustrating about Pentangle in general. With their remarkably talented lineup and their then-unique (and still rarely duplicated) blend of folk, jazz, and rock, it's always been clear that they were capable of some brilliant music - but on a lot of their work, the formula just doesn't quite work. Fortunately, there is a lot of that brilliant music on this collection, and even their less inspired work is never worse than average.

While Pentangle recorded plenty of originals along the way, their most appealing efforts (at least on this collection) are their gently rocking updates of traditional ballads like "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme" and "Wedding Dress". There are plenty of those here, and a few more recent covers, notably "Sally Go Round the Roses." That one works a lot better than you'd probably think. Most of the original work takes several listens before you start to appreciate it, but it's worth the effort.

Pentangle has continued to make albums since the era covered here, and some of them are arguably better than this work. But this is where the story begins, and as such, it's a good place for fans to begin.

Average customer rating:

Rich Collection of Pleasantly Familiar Old Songs plus Jacqui
Enticing mix
wow
A pleasant return
A new genre to explore

Early Classics
Pentangle
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Sweet Child
Basket of Light
Solomon's Seal
Liege & Lief
Pentangling: The Collection

ASIN: B000000E82
Release Date: 1992-06-22

Tracks:

Let No Man Steal Your Thyme
Mirage
Train Song
In Time
The Trees They Do Grow High
Lyke-Wake Dirge
A Woman Like You
Once I Had A Sweetheart
Springtime Promises
Hunting Song
Pentangling
Bruton Town
No More My Lord
House Carpenter

Customer Reviews:

Rich Collection of Pleasantly Familiar Old Songs plus Jacqui.......2005-06-18

`Pentangle Early Classics' (14 tracks from) and `John Barleycorn' (13 tracks) by the John Renbourn group are two albums of a kind with nearly identical personnel (Bert Jansch is not in the John Renbourn group) recorded between 1967 and 1977 with the Pentangle's material being the earlier.

I review these two together because of their similarities so that anyone who wishes just one can have some basis for deciding between the two.

Personally, I think the Pentangle recording is preferable, even with the similarity in material and personnel. My first reason is very personal, as I bought the very first Pentangle album as an English import when it was first released in, I believe, 1968. At the time, I was under the spell of The Incredible String Band and I had not yet heard of Jansch and Renbourn, so I was hoping for more of the Robin Williamson style of Celtic influenced original material.

What I got was a lot different, but better for that fact. Jansch and Renbourn are great acoustic guitarists who cover the range of guitar material, but specialize in traditional British music of days gone by. The group The Pentangle focused on that speciality and came out with several albums in quick succession with lots of great old English folksongs, the kind that Joan Baez started out with, except that The Pentangle really made them sound interesting.

In fact, as I listen to them today, it makes me wonder why so many of the songs, certainly written by men, dealt with the tragedies of womens' lives. These must have been the soap operas of Medieval England, in between visits by traveling minstrels and companies of actors (See `Hamlet'). This `Pentangle' album is a selection of pieces from their first two albums that I have been listening to for the last 35 years.

The John Renbourn Group album, in contrast, has much of the similar kind of traditional material. But, aside from the title track `John Barleycorn', the songs seem less familiar to the non-specialist. Ten of the thirteen tracks are `Traditional' and the three remaining tracks are instrumentals featuring Renbourn and his sidemen. If I had to buy an album to get `John Barleycorn', I would get the great album of the same name by Traffic.

Both albums feature vocals by Jacqui McShee, who may be my very favorite folk vocalist. She may not have the writing chops of Sandy Denny from Fairport Convention, but I really love her evocative voice that really fits the material to a tee on both albums.

So, as an amateur commentator on interpretation of old English folksongs, I recommend both, with a slight edge to the Pentangle material, as just a bit stronger selection of material. I guess they got to all the good stuff first.

Note that while the album is billed as a 'Double Album', it isn't. There is only one CD in the Jewel Case.

Enticing mix.......2005-05-15

What a collision of great musical threads, and what a fabulous outcome. The vocalists use a pure folk style, drawing on songs that echo the distant past of English folk music. But the band has a jazz bassist, who seems to challenge the two unbelievable guitarists, Renbourn and Jansch, to improvise on their acoustics with all the multidimensional abandon of the Cream. And while the male singers play it straight, you occasionally hear Jacqui McShee slide into a blue note, and it sounds great. The result is addictive and highly enjoyable.

With groups like this, some listeners resist, thinking it will be too challenging or too boring in its effort to be true to the troubadors of centuries past. Worry not. Pentangle didn't play "eat your broccoli" music. This music is not didactic in any way. It's not trying to teach you anything, or make you care about musical history if you don't want to. There's nothing twee about them, either. They don't sound like they're shaking off the dust from a Renaissance Faire weekend drinking wine from a boda bag. You will enjoy this for the fantastic musicianship, beautiful singing and the sense of adventure in every track.

wow.......2001-07-06

I picked this album up recently, in order to have it signed by John Renbourn himself. I'd never heard of them before, but having listened to this album, I'm addicted to them now. The musicianship is fabulous, the songs are powerful, and the folk/jazz grooves that they get into are not to be missed. All I can say is wow!

A pleasant return.......2001-01-24

Rereleased by Shenachie this is well worth a listen. In an age where volume supercedes all features, talent is displayed continuously on this. It also features Bert Jansch and Jon Renbourne in cuts from 69-72. Quite relaxing and well done , reminding me of the Lindisfarne Tir na Nog and Renaissance lps.

A new genre to explore.......2000-02-06

My first Pentangle album, there will be more. I love the songs with the old lyrics, I like the jazzy sounds mixed with the folk and traditional, I love the sitar. I can't wait to hear more from these people. I haven't been enthused for music in years.

Average customer rating:

Open the Door
Pentangle
Manufacturer: Talking Elephant
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Folk | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

In the Round
Reflection
Solomon's Seal
Lost Broadcasts: 1968-1972
Feoffees' Lands

ASIN: B000F4MJI2
Release Date: 2006-07-24

Tracks:

Open the Door
Dragonfly
Mother Earth
Child of the Winter
Dolphin
Lost Love
Sad Lady
Taste of Love
Yarrow
Street Song

Album Details

2006 Digitally Remastered Edition of the British Folk Band Release on Varrick Records from 1985, featuring Four of the Original Members, Bert Jansch, Jaqui Mcshee, Terry Cox and Danny Thompson (Only One Missing was John Renbourn).