SO EARLY IN THE SPRING

: After "In The Round" the band lost guitarrist Mike Piggott and enlisted Rod Clements (who wouldn't stay too long either) who had previously worked on one Bert Jansch solo album. The music here is much more homogeneous than on the previous release, but has less highlights, in my opinion. There are only three original tracks on So Early In The Spring: the instrumental opening track in a very Jethro Tull like fashion (helped by special guest Tony Roberts on flute), the bluesy Lucky Black Cat (sung entirely by Jansch) and the jazzy Gaea (McShee's vocals here sounding a lot like Renaissance's Annie Haslam). The rest are traditional songs arranged by the band. All are very good, even if Bramble Briar is really Bruton Town (recorded in their debut LP in 1968) with another title.

Unlike In the round, no track here sounds like a Bert Jansch solo piece put amid band songs. they all flow together rather flawlessly. A very pleasant CD but again I should point this is a complete new sound. It's not the same Pentangle of their so called "classic" first incarnation between 1968-72. The sound here is more accessible, more european, less jazzy, less acoustic driven (although Jansch guitar still soars through most of the album). And they definitly have no more those acoustic american blues tunes. Still, The Pentangle delivered a fine, sophisticated, collection of songs that will please any prog folk fan.