BASKET OF LIGHT

If you think this is just another, stuffy old folk album, think again. The Pentangle take off on the word ''Go!'' thanks to the daring jazz-folk manoeuvers of ''Light Flight''. As folk music goes, the first cut is ''edgy'' for lack of a better term, and the rest of the record is somewhat unusual. The jazz influences of the group pop up here and there, and while they tackle traditional folk songs, they also go outward with choir pieces (actually, ''Lyke-Wake Dirge'') and include instruments like glockenspiel and sitar. Even as a non-fan of folk music, BASKET OF LIGHT floored me, and still does.

The real treat in the album is the rhythm section. Danny Thompson is a double bass player exclusively, yet amidst the booms, he is able to make his bass breathe. He is the key reason for enjoying the shifting structure of ''Light Flight''. Terry Cox's percussion approach just makes sense, especially the times when he drops the kit in favour of glockenspiel. His style reminds me of Bill Bruford's, but less rock-oriented.

Sometimes, the content can sound like ordinary folk, but the songs can be some of the most beautiful adaptations. The nearly rock number with stunning guitar solos ''Sally Go Round the Roses'' is actually one of the highlights, but so is the mood shifting ''Train Song'' (within is the album's title) and the epic-like ''Hunting Song''. ''House Carpenter'' (their spin on the classic ''The Daemon Lover'') features sitar and banjo simultaneously and in perfect harmony.

Don't judge this as some random folk album or you'll miss out on one of the best progressive folk albums around. The use of occasional dabblings with jazz and rock structures with the instrument choices give this a progressive feel. A folk album to be placed proudly in any prog rock collection along with Jan Dukes de Grey's debut album, SORCERERS.