Customer Reviews

So Early in the Spring

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4 star:		(2)
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This is my current favorite. I hold back a star because the creative genius that went into the album is not on the order of the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper". If you like old english folk songs mixed with modern instruments (e.g. electric guitar) you'll like this CD. With the usual Pentangle style there is a hauntingly beautiful song about a young girl who is raped by three men; murder and revenge; seduction -- the usual old english folk fare, very well produced.

Before I realised the siginificance music made before my birth could have, I bought this as an effort to divert myself when I was feeling that there was nothing more for me to listen to.

However, it is fair to say that I gained nothing at all from "So Early In The Spring", even if it can be diescribed as "enjoyable". On the whole there was no doubt that the fiery spark that marked the masterful Reflection or beautiful folk of Cruel Sister and Basket of Light had gone, to be replaced by what can only be described as an extremely generic folk sound.

The songs had a far more conventional structure to them than was found in Pentangle's classic years, and there was nothing even remotely memorable about them to get a new audience for a band that was actually something unique in the days when they recorded the 18-minute "Jack Orion" - something that would never have entered my head when I purchased this back about 1999.

On the whole, there is no reason to recommend this comeback album. Buy Cruel Sister, Reflection and then Basket of Light to see what was in their heyday one of the great folk bands wiht a unque sound. This unnecesary 1980s comeback gives hardly a taste of their true character.

All of the 1980's - 1990's Pentangle albums are very good, and this one is no exception. This is possibly the most English folk oriented one of the bunch, with 6 of the 9 tracks being traditional in origin. As the other review states, the production is very smooth, and the bass and keyboard playing of Nigel Portman-Smith lends a jazzy flavor.

I've been a Pentangle fan from way back. I started collecting albums in the 70's after I first heard 'Solomon's Sea' and 'Sweet Child' . Between Jacqui's voice and the intricate guitar work that John Renbourn added....I was a goner. But much of this is missing from this album. John is gone and Jacqui's voice struggles where before it soared. This is much more 'electric' in rendition....and I miss the 'folk'. I didn't do my research and didn't know there was a 'new' Pentangle. I'll be off searching for more of the old stuff, but this one won't be listened to much. Sigh....