Basket of Light
Pentangle
1969
Album Summary
Basket of Light is a 1969 album by the folk rock group Pentangle. It reached no. 5 on the UK Albums Chart. A single from the album, "Light Flight", the theme from BBC1's first colour drama series Take Three Girls, reached no. 43 on the UK Singles Chart. Another single from the album, "Once I Had a Sweetheart", reached no. 46 in the charts.The album's liner notes state that "Springtime Promises" was written "after a ride on a number 74 bus from Gloucester Road to Greencroft Gardens on an early spring day".
WikipediaMy wife: "Why are you listening to mediaeval music?" Me: "It's that 1,001 albums thing." [She rolls her eyes and walks off, shaking her head] I approached this album with trepidation. Seeing it pop up on the generator was the equivalent of walking into your local and spotting the pub bore already sat on his favourite stool, dimple glass in hand, waiting to pounce on any unsuspecting saps with a thousand tedious tales and unwelcome opinions. As a teenager in the seventies, my knowledge of English folk-pop music consisted of not really liking All Around My Hat and vaguely knowing that Sandy Denny, the female voice on Led Zeppelin 4, was in some diddly diddly band that sounded like a business meeting. Even now it's not something I often make a bee line for, despite enjoying a bit of Unhalfbricking and Liege and Leif every now and then. So yes, I wasn't excited about this selection. And yet, some of it has been quite magical. Bert Jansch's guitar playing is spectacularly nimble at times and Danny Thompson's double bass playing is a jazz-tinged joy. It's all a bit Finger In The Ear At The Malt Shovels On Tuesday Folk Night (Hotpot Available!) at times but it does break out from its traditional folky heartland on enough occasions that you don't always feel like you're harvesting turnips in the rain in a Shropshire field in the 13th century. Though sometimes you do feel like that. Strangely, though, I know I will be playing this again. I must be getting old.
There were moments in the beginning, mostly when the glockenspiel and sitar featured prominently, when I couldn't decide whether I loved or hated this album. Ultimately, it won me over. The harmonies are tight and the guitar parts are impressive. It's a solid English folk album. Best track: Hunting Song
Absolutely GORGEOUS and lush 60s baroque folk. So beautiful, one of my favorite genres ever!
Great album with stellar musicianship. Not sure why there are three versions of Sally Go Round the Roses, though.
Ooh Pentangle is a bit cider and Cornish pasties isn’t it. That’s lovely.
It reminds me of the band Renaissance, except not quite as good. Nevertheless it is very pleasant and enjoyable throughout. This music ignites my deep desire to live in an isolated pagan Nordic mountain village hundreds of years in the past. I wish the industrial revolution never happened. Globalism has destroyed everything that made the world beautiful and awe-inspiring Will definitely return
Very oldtimey folk album. Should relisten when in the mood for ancient rituals.
This is the kind of thing I was hoping for doing this. Really liked it, had never heard of them before.
Excellent album, avec des petites sonorités particulières et une sensation un peu religieuse, mais appréciable.
White British people playing the sitar will always be a little sus to me, but I'll also also always be a sucker for an album that blends genres so well. And folk, rock and jazz with some parts that just sound medieval European make for such a fun combo
My favourite Folk band. Supremely accomplished musicianship. Well produced- it's rockier and jazzier than other albums but these guys are at the top of their game. I understand most people don't like this at all but that's always the way and always will be.
Kindof a medieval vibe? Very very interesting. Would like to hear more of whatever genre this is
Women lead but there is a man who sings too, recorded in late 60s, very strange composition, I guess I would call it easy listening rock??? not sure. Feels like garden of eden and church singing in one. Wiki says: "British folk-jazz band with an eclectic mix of folk, jazz, blues and folk rock influences."
A fun exploration of choral and instrumental music. Really enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
This one grew on me. I'm a sucker for certain types of melodies in folk music, and they were so beautiful I could not stop myself from getting lost in them.
I really enjoyed this!! I reckon if I would have discovered Pentangle between the ages of 16 and 20 I would have definitely been obsessed! I didn't particularly love the more religious tracks but that does come with intense folk so we will allow it, I prefer the woodland fairy happy tracks and I agree with Cressey, this conjures images of naked pagan dancing, it's brill.
Good. Some occasionally dodgy voices but good music. Points added and deducted for reminding us of England. 3.7/5.
Every time I have attempted to engage with Pentangle's music in the past (usually by way of something like "Light Flight" or "Lyke-Wake Dirge"), I've been quickly put off and just shut it off/switched the station. I see as I listen to this that I haven't really been fair to them. This is really lovely music, with gorgeous vocals and incredibly elegant acoustic arrangements. A couple of songs I didn't love, but overall a great listen. Fave Songs: Train Song, Hunting Song, Once I Had a Sweetheart, The Cuckoo, Springtime Promises
J'avais énormément de choses à dire sur cet album, mais étant donné le peu d'implication de Robert ces dernières semaines j'ai décidé de montrer mon mécontentement au travers de cette critique.
Jak najczesciej rantuje na wyspiarskie picki, tym razem jestem jedynie oczarowany, bo nie codziennie dostaje sie tradycyjne folkowe utwory podane w czystym akustycznym instrumentalu, basked of light to krazek z 1969 piecoosobowego skladu pentangle, ktoremu udalo sie idealnie przemycic elementy jazzu i bluesa do klasycznych folkowowych kompozycji, bo polowa utworow na trakliscie, to ludowe piesni, ale zaranzowane jak przystalo na lata 60, cala plyta mocno opiera sie na gitarach jak i na innych strunowych instrumentach, bo mozna uslyszec banjo, sitarki, czy kontrabas na niejednym utworze, duetem gitarowym jest tutaj Bert Jansch i John Renbourn, na basie Danny Thompson, klawisze Terry Cox i pani Jacqui McShee jako glowny wokal zespolu, to ona jest chyba jednym z powodow mojego czarowania tym krazkiem, bo dawno nie slyszalem tak przyjemnego dla ucha wokalu, jest w nim wrecz cos magicznego, dodatkowo gdy wykorzystany w utworach nawiazujacych do tradycjii chrzescijanskiej, czy folkloru wyspiarskiego tylko poteguje ten efekt, melodyczne 40 minut materialu na ktorym zmiescilo sie 8 kawalkow, spotifajowa wersja rozszerzona jest wzbogacona o 4 traki, dwa rerecordy sally go round the roses i dwa swieze utwory, na plejke dodam jedynie kawalek najbardziej podkreslajacy umiejetnosci wokalne pani McShee, ktorym jest openingowy light flight, ktory w ciekawy sposob wykorzystuje overduba jako backujacy wokal, no i cold mountain, ktory najbardziej dotyka mego umeczonego ducha na tym plaskim lez padole, ale caly krazek idzie na poleczke spotifajowa, bo o cos tak unikatowego jak to nagranie ciezko w tym zalewie muzycznym
Decent album. I thought it was going to be some usual late 60s psychedelia, but ended up going pretty Indian. Definitely worth a listen.
Basket of Light is a swirling, psychedelic mixture of folk, jazz, blues, sitar and traditional music that may be one of the most surprisingly great records I’ve ever heard. Surprising in that, typically, folk and medieval sounding music are not very enjoyable to me. Pentangle’s intricate guitar arrangements and interplay were the highlight of this record to me, but each member, whether on guitars, bass, drums or vocals all execute at a virtuosic level. Most importantly, Pentangle doesn’t let their ability outshine the song: They aren’t playing only to showcase their talents, but to serve the song. Each part of every song sounds considered and well written, transitioning smoothly from one to the next; playing with an edge that I would consider to be uncommon in most folk music. A truly enjoyable album experience.
This type of thing is definitely my jam. I'm surprised I hadn't heard of this band already. I found this album really pleasant to listen to.
One likes a madrigal, especially when they're dressed up with sitars and glockenspiels.
ok this was pretty catchy for hippie folky shit. i bet these guys were like those 60s stoners who loved lord of the rings and rooted on stonehenge at the summer equinox. i ended up listening to 2 full albums lol.
I like folk rock. This group was totally unknown to me. Nice to hear the 60's instruments used on the recordings. I can hear ‘Flower Power’ influences. It was good listening to.
Hippie Gregorian chant with some blues tracks thrown in. It was ok but not my cup of tea tbh
Folky! Liked the olden aesthetic on many of the songs. Took a while to fully appreciate in general. 5/10 (possible 5.5 with halves)
I think I might've liked this album more if I was in a different mood, or still in my 20s.
Only tune I quite fancy is "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", other than that, they are fine band and I think I can listen to them from time to time. Folk-ish music with a bit of reminisce of old times.
Nearly a 4 star but ultimately I am a nasty guy. But it is really good. House Carpenter is a banger
I don't hear a lot that's even reminiscent of this Flower Power sound much anymore.
In a sea of psychedelia in the late 60's, Pentangle holds strong with an album that is decisively not very psychedelic at all. It's folksy and prim and proper. The compositions, for how nice they are, deserve praise. Unfortunately, I didn't get much out of the album. Just a bit boring, even if it is well-composed. I'd believe this is a product of being a folk baroque album: nothing wrong with it, just not for me.
British folk mixed with a medieval, Renaissance sound that is both interesting and beautiful, at times. Not my type of music, but I can see it would be appropriate for certain situations or if in the proper mood. Not unpleasant.
This album is cool as. Kinda makes me want to burn Bob Woodward alive in a Wicker Man tho.
What a strange album. I feel like it came so close to being something that I liked, but just didn't quite hit it. It was almost 60's folk music, but it was also mixed with church music, banjo music, and medieval music? Hunting Song was pretty good though.
This was something of a surprise. Slightly closer to the folky edge than I imagined. Good voices and some smart instrumentation.
An interesting album with diverse influences including folk, prog, hippy rock, and Eastern music. Perfectly pleasant, but not likely to live long in the memory. Pretty much the definition of three stars for me!
Celtic woman, is that you? I liked this at times, but I don't think I'll return unless I need some background music for a medieval themed dinner. By top pick is 'Once I Had a Sweetheart', I enjoyed the vocals and lyrics of this track.
Like I said, just makes me think of nude hippie folk dancing round a stone circle in prep for an orgy. Good stuff!
I understand what cressey meant by dancing naked pagans, as it went on it moved towards more standard folk music. I could imagine some of these songs being played by the fire at a woodcraft camp for sure. With this one I just sort of thought yeah, sure, why not!
Same kind of folk sound like some of the earlier folk albums on the list from the same time period. Pleasant folk noodling. Folk noodling. Aghhh this is just not my cup of tea. Its fine?
This isn't bad or anything but I normally don't like this kind of folk music. If I oversaw some kind of medieval court I would 100% hire this band.
Started off at a 2-star level as I expected yet another retread of the tired Scarborough fair sound, but improved along the way. There are some fun rhythms and vocal interplay on this LP, and while not wholly memorable it does stand out just a bit more among a crowded field in this project so far.
-A nice enough folk-ish album -Some very good singing, but other than that nothing really kicked into another gear or caught my ear
J'ai écouté cet album il y a deux heures, et c'est bien la seule chose que je peux en dire.
Pretty much straight ahead folk. The delivery strikes me as perhaps a little too formal. I liked it well enough but I think it’s a taste I’d generally go elsewhere for.
Even though you're jumping into the hippy-folk from the first tones, I didn't mind this eclectic and inventive folk album. This is especially due to the amazingly talented guitarists on this album who bring a very psychedelic tone to the whole.
Interesting interplay between the instruments but didn't really grab me. Listened through three or four times and those additional versions of 'Sally Go Round The Roses' don't add much. Fine, but didn't blow me away. Much preferred the less folky songs.
Late 60's English folk music? I assumed that I would hate this album - but actually really enjoyed it - particularly the track Sally Go Round the Roses. I would never have listened to this album of my own volition, thus the value of this project.
I've never heard this before, sometimes it sounded like the Beatles, sometimes Simon and garfunkel. Medieval sounding at times, definitely late 60s folk rock. Overall not bad.
Prefs: Light Flight, Once I Had a Sweetheart, Hunting Song, House Carpenter Moins pref: Lyke-Wake Dirge
Look its not bad, but I can only prance about the medieval fare for so long.
Doesn’t hold up to contemporary listens but DOES work as a time capsule to the Summer of Love. I liked this even if I was left somewhat unimpressed overall.
A bit too much treble and wheedling vocal performances but overall a satisfactory bit of late 60s folk.
I had high hopes with the opening guitar licks, but then the vocals came in, once again proving American folk's superiority to British folk. There were a few cool tracks like House Carpenter, but not a full album worth. Those tracks keep this album above water with a 3 star.
This was a solid album. The girl singing really reminded me of Lana Del Ray. I thought the band reminded me of The scorpions when they play the acoustic guitars. All in all pretty solid music. I prefer it as background music though, none of these songs really stood out to me. Average 5/10
It’s a solid 15/1600’s sounding album dated and greensleavsey but cool.
Interesting folk album. Not my thing, but it was a nice laid back listen filled with excellent chorus chanting
that was alright, i'm not big on folk but it was ok as background noise
hin und her gerissen zwischen flockigem Folkpop und sektisch beweihräuchertem Ethno-Quatsch. Kein großer Fan dieser ätherischen Vashti Bunyan Stimmen. 1.9 reicht
Ich weiß auch nicht. Eigentlich sympathischer als eine zwei, aber manche Stücke sind wirklich zum Jaulen.
hmm interesting, progressive folk I don't think is a sound for me, at lease in these more lofty kind of baroque feels. This just seemed largely snooty and disinterested to me. Didn't have the more warm personal comforts that come to define folk for me. Talented musicianship and well written stuff, just not super interesting
At first I hated it for the voices. Then I quite liked it for some of the music. Eventually I became completely indifferent to it.
Wtf är detta för konstigt? Nej men extremt underligt typ Ronja Rövardotter inte min grej riktigt 2/5
I'm sorry - I'm amazing! All these bands I've never listened to sound exactly like I thought they would! I don't understand the fascination with olde worlde folk music. Probably important though.
I had never heard of this before. It feels very, very much of its time. In that, it succeeds. As something I'd listen to on a regular basis, it doesn't hit a chord.
Technically accomplished folk music with high-art aspirations, but man oh man is it ever not my jam at all.
It was exactly what I’d expect from the band and it was listenable but not really my thing. 2*
Twee medieval weirdness. Might sound good round an open fire in the vale of Avalon in 1969.. less so on a monday morning in work in 2022 trying to decipher how to edit Microsoft spreadsheets.
It's ok for an old style of music that just doesn't work anymore. 2/5.
Tämä ei kyllä toiminut yhtään. Jotain taiteellista folkia kai? Ei jäänyt oikein mitään päähän parilla kuuntelukerralla. Hieman Jethro Tull-tyyppinen äänimaailma, mikä ei valitettavasti ole positiivinen asia. Peruskakkosen arvoista rallattelua.
Periaatteessa ihan okei harmitonta soittelua, mutta ei tämä folk-setti oikein ole oma juttu. Snadi dislike, joten kakkosella mennään.
I definitely preferred the more funky ones, have to say most of it was a bit aggravating... The woman's voice in particular, too high and airy. Give it some welly
I did not care for the album. I was not familiar with the band or any of the songs. The songs were uninspiring and I did not need to listen to this album. No need to listen to again.
Cheap-mans version of Renaissance. But no where near as good. Just could not get in to this. D+
Alright, nothing special for me though. I kind of get a Beatles vibe at times.
At first I hated it for the voices. Then I quite liked it for some of the music. Eventually I became completely indifferent to it.
Starts off strong but then falls into a slightly dull, overly wholesome monotony. Giving it a 2 because I've given out a lot of 3s lately..
The folky stuff is OK but there's only so much I can cope with in one sitting
What in the commune did I just listen to? First track was 4 stars because it wasn't CSNY/Rolling Stones. But it got old quick. I can't imagine a person/group of color putting out this album with this (lack of vocal) quality and getting on this list. White mediocrity. Backing music was really good!
um... I can't... am I in church? am I a buddhist? possibly a muppet? or am I just a hippie having a low-key life crisis while things *ding* all around me???
Female singer. British folk jazz. Kinda weird, dancing forest fairy music
Definitely a bit of a change from the usual on this list. The range of instrumentation is enough to keep me just slightly interested, but beyond that I don’t think there’s much to come back for. 3/10
An unintentional cliche of 60’s English folk music. Mostly bad. A few pleasant moments (all without the cloying vocals) save this from the one star dumpster.
It's Ren Fair-Rock with songs mixed in that have nothing to do with the medieval themes. It doesn't sound bad, but an odd album.
Vaya que fue un disco aburrido. Y eso que creo que el folk me gusta, pero esto sí se pasó y la verdad es de los que menos me han parecido que merecen estar en la lista.
Empieza movido y llega a un momento demasiado folk para mi gusto. Seguramente es un referente para wiccans y folk actual pero esa mitad me aburrió. 2.5 que bajo a 2 porque no creo volverlo a escuchar
It’s the soundtrack to your Renaissance Faire weekend outing with that friend who scored some awfully-mediocre stank weed. Embarrassing to say you enjoyed some of it.
Sort of folk jazz with some English earnestness. Some really epic upright bass playing.
Voða mikið hippadót. Það mætti segja að dagsnúmerið eigi vel við. Ekkert rosalega markvert í gangi.
Beim letzten Song „I saw an Angel“ erinnere ich mich an die Titelmelodie von „Der Fahnder“ mit Klaus Wennemann. Ganz Großer, viel zu früh von uns gegangen. Ansonsten: nein, du, kein Interesse an deiner Taizé-Gruppe jeden Dienstag um 19 Uhr in der Teestube. Nein, auch nicht mit mondsteinbetanzter Demeter-Kamille, lauwarm in belebtem Wasser aufgebrüht. Hey, aber klar geht duzen, du.
For someone like me who used to groove heavy on the hippie side of things, this kind of music just doesn't groove for me. I'm sure at the time it stood out quite well, but listening to it today it almost sounds like it's from a music mockumentary, kind of like Spinal Tap when they were The Thamesmen singing "listen to what the flower people say." Just how I'm hearing it, folks.
Big (1988), Directed By Penny Marshall: JOSH BASKIN (RAISES HAND) PAUL: (looking at Josh) Yes, Josh? JOSH BASKIN: I don't get it.
The dirge was an interesting change of pace and it was interesting to see a broader world music flair, but there wasn't much i enjoyed here. I wasn't a particular fan of the vocal work (both male and female)... and the sound is definitely stuck in the 60's.
This is a band from the 60s? The sound is almost from medieval times... Am I listing to some satanic verses?
Not good psychedelic rock. Funeral dirge song about cremation and talk of Christ completely turned me off.
This was unlistenable drivel. I felt like I was trapped in folk concert hell and the only way out was through a patchouli hurricane.
English folk from the late sixies - I suppose it is a solid album but it is hard to see justification for having this included in the list as even within its genre there are much better albums around from the same time period.