THE TIME HAS COME: 1967-1973

I would like to call this box set "the definitive Pentangle anthology", but I can't! This set would deserve 5 stars for the music alone, but I'll give 4 stars - the concept behind it is wrong. My feelings are mixed about this collection. This is the most comprehensive overview of Pentangle's classic years and it's full of marvellous songs, full of good singin' good playin' (yes, a tip of my hat to Grand Funk Railroad), but this box lacks some important songs ("Will the circle be unbroken?" and "I Got a Feeling" are MIA) and the booklet is below my standards (I have more than 50 box sets in my collection, and there are lots of better booklets). Of course, you won't go wrong with a collection featuring "Waltz" (live and studio versions), "Sovay", "Once I Had a Sweetheart", "Lord Franklin", "Let no Man Steal your Thyme", "Pentangling" (a must to string bass fans; Danny Thompson really shines here) and "No Love is Sorrow"), among others. But there are some problems. As most box sets, "The Time Has Come" mixes rarities and a sort of "Best of" together with great results, but this concept has some flaws: as I pointed before, it lacks some important songs, and the true rarities (with the exception of CD 4) are few and sparse. Pentangle fans which have all their albums will probably need this collection, but it would only be a matter of "Completist" affair. Begginers and neophytes usually prefer 1 CD or 2 CD anthologies - and e.g. "Light Flight" does a better job as a "best of". So, both audiences would be unsatisfied with this box. Other problems includes: all CDs (except CD 4) lasts under 70 minutes; the entire live portion of "Sweet Child" is reprised here, and there's no sound quality improvement to justify this move; some of the rarities ("Tam Lin", "Christian the Lion") are in fact separate pieces of music gathered together from film soundtracks, suffering with poor sound quality and sounding rather disjointed. In short: if you are a collector, buy this box now. If you're not, and want to have a Pentangle anthology, buy "Light Flight". And if you are really interested in Pentangle's music, buy all the six albums from "Pentangle" to "Solomon's Seal".

I'd say Pentangle is one of the rarest of british folk-groups. Not in the sense their albums are rare to find but rare meaning outstanding. Their blend of progressive, folk and rock sensibilities are unmatched, as far as I'm concerned. The first six albums they made are all worth having, containing utterly beautifl, haunting and engaging music.

If you're looking for simply a compilation I'd recommend Light flight, a great collection of some of their best material. But if you're alreadya serious fan like me this box set is mandatory. It walks the thin line between the greatest hits and rarer stuff, like live recordings and music from the screen. Now, I'm not sure about devoting one entire disc to one single concert. I'd rather have seen more live stuff from their entire career but there you go. Is that any reason to complain? No, not really. The box is easily worth 4,5 stars. Besides, the box is visually stunning and really gives me goose bumps just looking at it. Wondrous stuff!