BASKET OF LIGHT

'Basket of Light' is the third Pentangle record and their masterpice. The band had developped a good equlibrium between traditional folk songs and band compositions in their typical Jazz-Folk-Blues style. The album opener 'Light Flight', which has become their signature song, is a band composition based on a tricky rhythm track(alternating 5/8, 7/8, 6/4) over which Jacqui Mc Shee lays her lead and overdubbed vocals. 'Once I had a sweetheart' is a traditional folk song with an interesting Sitar solo by John Renbourn, followed by another band composition 'Springtime Promises' with Bert Jansch on lead vocals and an elaborated rhythm track. 'Lyke -Wake Dirge' another traditional is arranged for three part vocals in 'Elizabethean' style, the most traditional track on the record with a mournful mood. 'Train song', a band composition (my favourite track BTW), a Blues, starts with a twisted Blues scale on guitar, imitating the start of a train, and evolving into a medium Blues-Groove when the train gets moving. Then in the middle of the song the song slows down to a beautiful Slow Blues with Jacqui Mc Shee vocalizing over it until the train takes speed again. 'Hunting Song' another band composition, that is arranged as a traditional folk tune, is introduced by a nice melodic pattern on 'Glockenspiel' played by Terry Cox giving way in the middle of the song to a three part canon. 'Sally go round the roses' is a Phil Spector composition and the most funkiest track on the record with Renbourn and Mc Shee on vocals.The record closes with two traditionals 'The Cuckoo' and 'House Carpenter' the latter with a Banjo/Sitar interplay by Rebourn and Jansch. This record is a timeless beauty.