Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Almost gave this a 4, just because it ably weaves twee folk and medieval standards in always that makes me ponder: I wonder what it would be like is Wes Anderson directed a movie about King Arthur?
I dunno, I don't mind this kind of pseudo-baroque folk vibe you could imagine backing a dance scene in an episode of 'Wolf Hall.' It's too long overall, and the songs where the dude sings & it's more straight folk rock are much weaker (Springtime Promises, I Saw an Angel) but not sorry to get exposed to this.
Un poquito de folk, un poquito de jazz y un poquito de blues… y voy a tomarme un ibuprofeno que no tengo el día cariño 😪
This is a strange one. On paper it’s one that I should probably like a lot, but it doesn’t quite click with me. The guitars don’t particularly stand out to me despite the skill of the two guitarists, and the overall production seems to be too much a product of its time. May have to revisit later.
Mostly instrumental
Actually not terrible. I genuinely liked 4 or so songs.
Musically and technically very good. But its juat not for me. Not bad at all. But not catching me
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: The Cuckoo This reminded me of a bunch of stuff: The Beatles, Grateful Dead, some of the music from the video game RuneScape and Joanna Newsom to name a few. I don't know if this album is anything crazy, have-to-tell-my-friends good, but it was a completely adequate entry on the List. It was easy listening, a bit fancy (and fantasy) sounding and could easily serve as background listening, or be something you'd put on during a game of D&D (lol).
A pleasant, and ultimately uninspired work of traditional folk music. Well played, well recorded, but neither experimental enough to feel exciting, nor catchy enough to be memorable.
Ye olde celt vibes. I wish I could appreciate it, but really, I just find it a little comical, or at least missing the spot. Just not for me, really, but a nice, and unexpected, inclusion of sitar. Bert Jansch!!! How did I forget he was in these. Love ‘Angie’ and nice to hear his familiar tones. Prefer his vocals on songs and almost like the choral songs but still kind of just “okay” It’s pleasant enough and not offensive. Unique and skilled, just not grabbing me so much. Nice little uptick for ‘Sally Go Round The Roses’ but maybe the peak of something otherwise meh. Female vocal grating on me by the end
Neat, I guess.
Light Flight: Love the instrumental bits (like the opening) but not a massive fan of the offbeat lyrics. Reminds me of some of the folk songs we used to sing in young voices so probably more preferable for fans of that genre. Once I Had a Sweetheart: The vocals are satisfying but quite predictable, same with the instrumental in the middle - I enjoyed it but somewhat repetitive/not much growth. An easy listen but not especially gripping. Springtime Promises: I do prefer the male voice. Lyrics are quite simple, very storytelling but don't have much depth. More of an obvious chorus which creates catchiness. Lyke-Wake Dirge: Sounds like a hymn. Male and female voices sound lovely together, some nice harmonies throughout. Not your everyday listen though, can imagine it would sound haunting in an echoey cathedral. Train Song: Like the build up of the introduction. More frantic than the previous songs, as if the pace of the album is beginning to increase. A big fan of the slower middle of the song, nice break. Not sure I love the end, a bit busy. Hunting Song: Immediately sounds christmassy from the introduction. Again very storytelling lyrics however these ones are slightly more interesting. Like how the male voice sings the speech, nice touch. I find the song a bit too long, however, more variation needed to keep listener gripped for that amount of time (and the momentary switch up near the end was not interesting enough to do that). Sally Go Round the Roses: Favourite one so far. Love the more swing feel to it and the beat. Also the to-and-fro between the two voices is fun, as well as the instrumental. The Cuckoo: More dramatic. Easy listen but nothing revolutionary, quite enjoyed the lyrics however they are a bit repetitive. Probably on purpose but it flew over my head. House Carpenter: Like how the lyrics are less repetitive than most of their tracks, also tells a more interesting tale which makes it a bit more gripping. Enjoyable beat also and nice ending instrumental. Cold Mountain: Short but fun. Very non-offensive simple but upbeat song despite a few disheartening lyrics. I Saw an Angel: Might be my favourite on the album. If I had to pick one to listen to again it would be this. Bit more of a jazzy/swingy feel which is a nice switch up. Perhaps does not make complete sense as the ending track on the album but very enjoyable.
I’d heard about this band and their two guitarists many years ago so it’s nice to finally hear them. It starts off with a bang as the groove for the first piece is played in an unusual time grouping therefore pointing to some sort of a progressive folk style. Then the timing settles down after that however the addition of a sitar in the next piece keeps things sounding unique. This album is definitely an interesting listen and the use of all acoustic instruments does give it a definite folk infused sound to whatever song they’re playing. Definitely would like to hear more from this band!
I lived in Cambridge for over 20 years and never once went to the folk festival, this music is probably why! To be fair it’s good at what it is, whimsical folk tunes with a hint of medieval sounds thrown in here and there. Not bad but not really my cup of mead!
Definitely interesting, not my style though. Very unexpected
Deserves a place on the list. I don't think this will be anyones 'favourite' album though. 3/5.
Serious Renaissance fair vibes on this one (for better or worse). All I needed was a turkey drumstick and a goblet of ale. There are some really good songs, arrangements, singing, and playing but it's precious as hell at times. Also love the use of sitar. This band was in the same peer group as Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention but their stuff is far more eclectic and, to me, interesting. Still, "Lyke-Wake Dirge" has a Fleet Foxes vibe and "Sally Go Round the Roses" is a great song.
A very British record, full of folk and rock tunes that have a foot firmly planted in the early renaissance music style. Unique for the all-acoustic instrumentation, and borrowing from jazz, blues and 60's American folk stuff, this is a cool album of hippie renn faire vibes. Amazing cover art!
6.8/10
Listenable but ultimately not folky enough?
I was first introduced to this band by CMAT. If I give this 5 stars do you think she will notice me?
This was an interesting hippie type album. A lot of musical skill,.good harmonies and a strangely medieval feel to it. Hippie music with some interesting time signature stuff going on at times.
A little too renaissance faire for me
On mukavaa menoa, kyllä näitä hippi aikojen kansanmusiikkeja kuuntelee mieluusti.
Good but nothing great.
If English psychedelic folk was my thing, I would probably give this five stars. But it's not my thing so I'm only giving it three stars, in recognition of their talent.
Little gem of a folk album. The album could get repetitive in sound and even in tracks (Sally Go Round the Roses x3), but the songs I liked, I liked (Lyke-Wake Dirge, Hunting Song, Once I Had a Sweetheart). I'll be taking a few of these songs to make a winter tavern playlist.
unremarkable vocal performances and lyricism. gorgeous instrumentation with a variety of influences (although those american southern folk influences should render this album cultural appropriation... bastards). too fucking bri'ish. 6.5/10
3.4
It's something I wouldn't mind listening to when I'm busy doing things like drawing , reading , etc. But to focus on it would get quite boring to me personally. The opening track got me thinking I'd grow to like it but overall not quite successful in being my favourite. Both vocalists sounded good , that I can say.
I like it, nostalgia for me
I really struggled with this one. In some ways I loved it, but I also really hated it, and I hated it even more that this is rated higher than The Incredible String Band on this site. With The Incredible String Band I could hear its influence and creativity, but this just was weird British folk? Everyone's voices were generally grating too. I just kept thinking, "you could go to any Lutheran church and find more enjoyable vocals than this." The songs were also very unnecessarily long. I enjoyed "Lyke-Wake Dirg" and "Sally Go 'Round The Roses," and I also liked bizarreness of "Train Song." Maybe I'm being too harsh to this because I compare a lot of these unnecessary folk album inclusions to The Incredible String Band, and they all seem to fall flat in comparison. On it's own, I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. I'm giving it 3 stars, but on any other day it could go as low as 1 or as high as 4 depending on my mood.
come on folk!!
Good folk album with a couple of catchy highlights. It does get bogged down in the middle with songs that are relatively indistinguishable from each other.
When I saw that this is a baroque/folk-rock album I was psyched. I'm a big fan of more traditional folk music. Some of the songs on the album are giving renaissance faire, while others feel more folky. I like both. The orchestration is cool and there are some really interesting time signature changes and irregular meters. The vocals fit the music well and there are some sweet harmonies when they sing together. I appreciate this album more because it is quite different from everything else we have listened to so far. It's really in its own lane. 7/10.
I thought this was a pretty chill album. I liked the Gaelic vibes
Sounded straight out of the middle ages, could have convinced me this was released in 1403. I honestly didn't mind it, thought it was pretty good! I thought her voice fit the vibe they were going for quite well, although a lot of people on here would disagree with me. I thought some of the guitar and drum work was pretty cool as well. Bonus points for the trippy ass cover, honestly one of the coolest album covers on the list thus far! 6.5/10
Good music, very melodic
60s British Celtic pop
Argh. Sometimes it’s a 5/5. Sometimes it’s a 1/5. I’ll give it a three, but this isn’t a middle-of-the-road album. 3/5
De esa época solo me acuerdo de Lorena mckennit creo que así se llamaba.
Pretty unique but won’t revisit
Not shrill, just not the best.
Blind album and artist. Definitely a cool folksy acoustic album that I am glad I tried. I thought mixing was very well done.
All this English folk makes it feel like I’m living in a Wes Anderson movie
I really like the folk-rock style. I felt this album was creative and I enjoyed listening to it, but there wasn’t anything in it that blew me away.
The more baroque-style sound was just not doing it for me. But the folk/bluegrass and more modern sounding music was really good. Sounds like a three to me.
More nice Ren Faire, listen-to-this-by-a-pond music. Prob pretty influential... it's really nice! Just one note: drop the 'The'... hold on........
2-3
I can appreciate the musicianship and their love for their craft. 3/5
So self serious
The music as such is not bad. But I simply don't like this kind of singing of old medieval tunes. Not my stuff. But a 3 for good musicians.
Pleasant. ★★★
I liked it. Very folk
Good, a tiny bit repetitive, but a nice take on folk for sure!
English folk from 69.
This made me feel like I should be wearing chainmail and foraging in the woods. The Cuckoo was one I really liked and generally speaking I enjoyed listening, but not one I'd come back to probably.
Solid folk. Great lilting vocals from the female vocalist. Enjoyable album but not compelling in a way that really sucked me in. Might revisit, might not. Unremarkable 3/5.
Lots of very nice sounds and beautiful singing. Bert Jansch is a pretty sopectacular guitarist. I’m not sure why this doesn’t quite hit the spot for me. It’s obviously very good. 3.5/5.0 Best Song: Sally Go Round The Roses
I enjoyed this folksy 70's ride!
Decent folk album. Started not good and picked up from there 3/5
C’était quoi déjà? La musique de taverne medievale ou le country nul à chier? Ok, c’est la taverne, ça passe
Different but quute repetitive. Not in a rush to hear it again.
Hm didn't hate this. I don't think I'd listen to it again but I was expecting something very different from the reviews.
First unknown on the list; promising.
This could be touchy. But I must diffuse it immediately. I actually really LOVE some folk music. This is not being a genre snob. I did not love this. It is "OK." but there was nothing in particular that caught me. I don't think it is a case of oversaturation, as it is unique enough. Maybe, for me, nothing particularly stood out. Even that it sometimes felt pseudo-religious did not bother me. Maybe, just maybe, it simply just isn't my vibe. And sometimes we have to be OK with that.
Cover 6 If you hate hippie stuff, you'll probably want to pass. However, I kept an open mind. Not a huge fan of 60s 70s folk, but I don't hate it, necessarily. This was a good listen. They cared about musicianship and not just lyrics. There no, or little, political grandstanding, if that matters to you. I did actually like some songs: Train Song and Hunting Song.
I guess as I approach 51 that I'm finally embracing my old English ancestry. I really enjoyed this. 3.4 / 5 stars (almost a 4 star, but just not as good as The Fairport Convention).
None more folk album. The vocals almost border on affectation and parody but the talent of all the members is too strong to deny. Though you have to be open minded enough to want to put on a knitted sweater and drink some scrumpy, it's worth it for when Bert Jansch or John Renbourn rip on guitar. Best Tracks: Springtime Promises; Hunting Song; Sally Go Round The Roses
3.5⭐️/5 [08.27.2026] 01.17.2026
This was delightful and sounded timeless. Lovely tunes and voices and vibe.
I went in crossbows blazing ready to hate on some annoying ren-faire bullshit, but it gradually won me over with the gentle power of the interlinked acoustic guitar parts, sitar drones, and surprisingly intricate percussion. It's basically acoustic prog. The vocals - where the bulk of the dragons and maidens larping folk stuff is dominant - are very annoying, but the instrumental sections are warm and relaxed and lively. You can imagine these songs being really great performed in the right environment like an grand old cathedral or an abandoned abbey. It's not fair to judge them based on the 2025 stench of real ale that it gives off, though. It's cool that there was a scene around revisiting and enliving musical traditions going back centuries and pairing them with blues based guitar playing, and this is a nice document of that that moment that pairs well with folk horror from the era like Wicker Man, Blood on Satan's Claw and Witchfinder General. Favorites: Train Song, Once I had a Sweetheart
# Album Name: Basket of light # Artist: Pentangle # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Not bad. Quite mellow. Some good finger plucking. Very folksy # Top Tunes: Once I had a sweetheart / train song / sally # Would I listen to it again? probably
Delightful. Fun rhythm and timbre stuff going on. A little too folky.
A really good album.
Pretty decent English folk album. The tracks with Jacqui McShee's vocals were more enchanting than the others. They're no Steeleye Span, though.
Meh
Would’ve been 4 stars if I was tripping out. Still impressive work.
An excellent surprise for me, I thorougly enjoyed this wildly experimental album. It seems like the late 60s and early 70s produced dozens upon dozens of psychedelic folk bands, with very mixed success. The bad ones just threw together a guitar, a few medieval instruments and a sitar, then sung in high-pitched, LSD-altered voices until your ears started bleeding. The good ones... the good ones did exactly the same, actually, but somehow made it work. Pentangle falls into that second category. It’s probably because, contrary to some drug-fueled neo-medieval folk projects (yes, I’m looking at you, Incredible String Bands), the singers can actually sing (beautifully, even) and the musicians can actually play. It makes for a very nice mix of true Celtic folk music and modern experimental rock with a pinch of baroque. I quickly found myself lost in an intriguing musical landscape full of misty groves and unexpected meetings (the sitar / banjo combo in House Carpenter works amazingly well !). It’s not a perfect album, far from it – some experimental parts clearly fall flat. But for me, it’s really the bright side of psychedelic folk. I’ll definitely check the rest of their discography. A strong 3,5* (and a hard choice between a 3 and a 4*... I might still edit my rating later).
3.1 2x
Never heard of this artist. Interesting right off the bat. At first thought it was the Death Metal band Pentagram. Then reread it and saw it was not. Interesting folky a bit. Cool Stuff.
Folk Music as its meant to be, as in Ye Olde Folk Tune for Thine Soul... They getting Medieval on your ass here.
I found a couple of tracks entertaining. But overall not my bag. Or basket, such as it is.
They're good at what they do. It's not bad, but doesn't hook me.
I don't really care. Freaky folky chanting hippie gang sorta stuff. Not painful. Not too exciting. A little "Eastern" sounding. Eh. Inoffensive. Think I'm especially bitter today.
*Really interesting - folk rock but make it 1960s and British *Fave track - Sally Go Round the Roses *Would revisit and play in the background RATING - 6.5/10
Mix Jeferson Airplane and the Mamas and Papas, add a little folk from the old English tradition…. Then you have Pentangle. A nice album, but a bit stuck in time
A bit dated now. The odd good song but overall wasn’t really my thing..
This is giving 1970s me doing construction paper and Elmer glue crafts at my babysitters while watching Marian the Librarian on PBS and listening to her talk about the dangers of talking to strangers. In other words, it's a vibe. Good musicianship, but I'll probably never visit this again.
lidt mere interessant end den første vi havde med Fairport Convention, men stadig ikke fuldstændig noget for mig
I had never heard of this release, but it was a great listen. It hit at the perfect season (early fall), and reminds me of Donovan and oddly -- Belle and Sebastian? But maybe that's just me. I could definitely see listening to this again.
This genre is a weird one for me. On the one hand there is the Richard and Linda Thompson album which I loved and on the other there is the Incredible String Band which I found laughably bad. This falls somewhere in the middle. I recognise there is some great musicianship on here which I can appreciate but overall it doesn’t do a great deal for me. Not a huge fan of Jacqui McShee’s voice. 3 stars
Pretty good, prefer fairport convention
Liked the double bass and sitar
Nice in
I love the organic sound of this recording. I do dig folk on occasion. I prefer the Fairhope Convention stuff on this list though. But definitely worth another listen. 3/5 #112
Charming
Lovely traditional songs, liked them a lot. Other songs were good too, just not as good
3.5
Was unique and odd, not sure it was all good but I liked hearing something a bit new.
Not quite sure what to make of this. Apple Music had this labeled as “traditional folk” and this is 100% what i’d imagine it to sound like
Interesting mix of musical styles. Fine for a listen.
Bastante bien para mi gusto. Un folk inglés con un toque de jazz. No los conocía y me he guardado Light flight, Train song y Hunting song. Muy años 60.
o sea estuvo bien la voz d la loca m hace acordar a aurora, definitivamente lo tengo q escuchar mas para acostumbrarme xq se m hicieron un poco pesadas varias canciones. light flight sally go round the roses y i saw an angel temones
Ba ba ba do da da Miles away from my usual rotation but very enjoyable
also just okay. i REALLY liked “lyke-wake dirge”, felt very religiously motivated and reminded me of a solid choral piece. everything else was okay. appreciated the use of lesser known instruments such as the sitar. very folky. 3/5.
3/5
Album was okay but not necessarily one that I would revisit.
Similar to Simon and Garfunkel but with lots of Christian undertones and clearly influenced by church hymns. Good music but not something I would seek out on my own.
Good Stuff. Folksy-pop-rocky mishmash. I remember finding a single of Light Flighting in a random bunch of singles years ago, and enjoying it. The rest of teh tracks don't live up to it....but nothing to complain about.
It's not my thing, but I still appreciate this being on this list because for what it is - folk, medieval-esque folk music - it's quite decent.
I wish I was in a tavern when I was listening to this
This album is charming, atmospheric, and occasionally a little bit dumb in that “ye olde open mic night” kind of way. There’s enough medieval mood to spark a full-blown Outlander scene in my head (Jamie Fraser preparing for battle to “Lyke Wake Dirge,” you’re welcome STARZ). It nudged my imagination in many ways — like music should. But let’s be real: for every moment of elegant enchantment, there’s another that feels like you accidentally wandered into a Renaissance Faire’s soundcheck. Not a playlist staple, but a worthy wander.
It's alright. Light Flight sounds like 1400's King Gizzard and Thee Lizard Wizard. I'll keep this in the back pocket for a Dungeons & Dragons campaign I guess
Not really sure who this is for
Big grand versions of folk songs. Many songs have a Celtic feel. Interesting and unexpected use of sitar. Female vocals are way better than the male vocals. Good album.
Not my style of music normally but the vocals and instruments were very atmospheric
Pentangle sounds like a cool shape. I just wanted to say that. Let's talk about Basket of Light now. This is a good album. It's not a masterpiece, but very few albums are. This is kind of like Fairport Convention a bit in that it sounds pretty medieval. I like that. It creates a unique vibe that I personally enjoy. I liked the Fairport Convention album more though. Still, Basket of Light is a solid collection of songs, some original and some covers. The addition of a female vocalist ensures that this isn't just a bunch of white guys again. It's interesting that this provides another example of both a band and one of its members having albums on the list, as I already got a solo album from Pentangle's own Bert Jansch. This album's about as good as that one. In fact, it might be better, but I haven't listened to that album in over a year, so I can't say for sure. All I can say is that this album has some good songs that sound nice. High 3/5.
I think this one is the most perplexing so far for me. I loved it, then hated it, then loved it again. I’m glad I listened though, and love always wins in the end - right?
Bit weird but I liked it
A weird combo of medieval music, rock, and folk. It’s like a hobbit, a knight, and a cowboy had a baby. Liked how this was a new approach to music but got bored after a couple songs. Vocals were also just ok, instrumentals really carried it
I dug it, very folksy. When the female singer got a bit TOO high, it was getting harder to understand (not really, but kinda Yoko Ono-ish). The sitars were a nice touch in some of the songs. "Hunting Song", reminded me a little of the intro to Cypress Hill's "Superstar". I'm surprised this band hasn't been sampled more. I liked the trading off of vocals in "Sally Go Down The Roses," kinda wish they did it more in other songs. I don't know if I would come back to this album often, but it was a nice change of pace for me. Top songs: "Train Song," "Hunting Song", "Sally Go Down The Roses"
This list has a thing for traditional (or medieval) folk rock and I have to say I've been pleasantly surprised with most of it. But this album was just okay. I'm not sure how many albums of this genre anyone needs to listen to to have an understanding of what it is, but I don't see this one as necessary to get there. That said, I quite liked Once I Had a Sweetheart (their second single) and Hunting Song. I also enjoyed Jacqui McShee's voice a fair bit; I much less enjoyed Bert Jansch's voice. Not the first time I wasn't overly enamored with his work.
Thoughts before listening: This is appropriate since I just got Bert Jansch last week and learned he's a part of this band. I'd expect British folk rock with an emphasis on the British and the folk. Review: Okay so this is like Renaissance Fair minstrel music with psychedelic guitar. It's interesting I guess although I don't know that I love it. There is some really cool guitar work throughout these songs, but the vocals are a bit of an acquired taste. I can see where these guys were a big influence on a band like Fleet Foxes. 3-stars
Ere-listening notions: I hath heard that this was meant to be merry but in a manner of the Renaissance faire? So I guess we shalt see when we dost harken. Aft'r/present listening notions: I dost feel a yearning to feast upon a turkey leg and to whirl in a gown of four folds whilst one doth pour me a tankard of ale. This be not aught I would oft revisit, yet 'tis verily of a league its own. This be a five and half of ten. DIDST I NEEDETH TO HEARETH THIS ERE I KICKETH THE BUCKET: nay Favored melody: Light Flight Least favored melody: Lyke Wake Dirge
Standout Songs: Springtime Promises Hunting Song The Cuckoo Cold Mountain I Saw an Angel
Cool! It feels like I've been transported somewhere in the Lord Of The Rings story or India. It has a cool vibe, but it didn't really surprise me musically. I think 3 stars is fair.
I liked Cold Mountain and I Saw an Angel because they were more bluegrassy but the first several went for a very medieval sound. The end of the album increased my overall rating.
Cross between a Renaissance Faire, being at the Prancing Pony and some psychedelic party in London in 1969. I enjoyed it for what is but won't be listening to it often.
Ich fands nicht so schlimm wie die anderen.
Solilder Folk Rock mit up & downs. Insgesamt ganz solide und hörbar.
Weird but ok
Ren fest vibes 👸🏻
If I ever want to feel like I'm at a jousting contest in 1536, reeling from the dissolution of the monasteries and desperate to lose myself in some contemporary music, I'll put this back on. To be fair, I wouldn't sprint to turn it off even if I just wanted to feel like a normal human being, instead of like I was at an am-dram performance of As You Like It.
It's a vibe.
First song did not bode well for the rest of the album, but it captured my interest eventually. A little bit church, a little bit Cranberries, a little bit Irish folk tunes.
Some fine songs, some pretty moments; largely felt like homework.
Definitely a weird one here and I didn’t quite know how I felt about it while listening, but thinking about it for a bit, I liked it. The blending of folk genres here makes for an album much different than a lot of what was going around in 69, but it works. I wouldn’t want to listen to this on the reg, but it’s an interesting curiosity.
01) Light Flight - 7,5 02) Once I Had a Sweetheart - 7,0 03) Springtime Promises - 7,5 04) Lyke-Wake Dirge - 7,0 05) Train Song - 7,5 06) Hunting Song - 7,0 07) Sally Go 'Round the Roses - 7,5 08) The Cuckoo - 7,0 09) House Carpenter - 6,5 TOTAL: 7,17 (72/100) Current ranking: 307/540
This is the first traditional folk album that I've ver heard, and honestly, I'm quite conflicted about how I feel about it. On one hand, I really enjoyed it at first. The performance are great, specially from the female singer, and it has this rural and medieval atmosphere to it that makes the album kind of charming. One the other hand, I think it is a bit too long. Towards the last songs, it felt a bit boring, since they are very similar to the first ones. Overall, it is a good album
Cool album. Als middeleeuwse muziek een kind zou maken met hippie-muziek, zou dit er uit komen. 3.4
The medieval feeling was very good and got me interested in the album. Overall it was really good.
good folk record, nice sounding tracks
This feels like proto prog. The female vocals are a little distracting. I like the guitars and the some of the hammered/ mallet instruments I have some John Renbourn and have listened to some Bert Jansch.
Folk rock that's also kind of prog by way of often sounding like medieval court music. I preferred the more "traditional" songs, like "Springtime Promises", "Sally Go Round the Roses", and "Train Song". The other stuff made for a deeply uncanny listening experience. The lead female vocalist sounds great, though.
Mental - kind of fun.
Rating: 6/10 Sounds like medieval folk music, I like it.
What da heck
Folky and unexpected. Made me think of the wickerman, but it's not quite that. However, it was annoying to have 3 versions of one song
Was pleasant enough during a crossword. Simpsons: No
I found this fairly interesting. It reminds me of a more progressive "Peter, Paul and Mary" sort of sound. That said, I don't think it would be a regular listen for me... it's a bit too crunchy, granola, hippie.
Soooo Wes Anderson it hurts. Kind of nice sound to most of them though except the sitar one that was horrible. It wasn’t awful but I would be absolutely fine if I died without hearing it. Specific rating 3.1 Fav song - cold mountain Least fav- house carpenter
Not my cup of tea tbh, I can understand why some people like it but its weird in the wrong way for me… 2 stars seems a bit mean but idk about 3 so would rate a 2.8
It started off intriguing but I slowly lost interest as the album went on. The woman singer is pretty good, the male singer is not good. I liked the medieval-sounding aspects of the instrumentals, but sometimes things sounded too harsh at times. Overall not terrible, though.
I dreamed I was camped beneath a tree, singing songs of peace to a symphony of harps and lutes. A bong in my right hand, a tambourine in the left. Then the album ended and my coding nightmare returned. I wouldn't go as far to say I liked it, it just wasn't really my style. Some tracks were relaxing and enjoyable enough, some were bit too strange.
Hippy!
Some of this was a little more Rennaissance-faire-folk than I like but some of it was fun.
In my uni days trying to present myself as some philosophy studying hippy, could well see myself pretending to dig this to impress girls. Did quite like it.
Weird mix of Renaissance Fair garbage and some actually solid folks jams here and there.
есть что-то в этом звучащем ситаре интересное, хоть и не моя история
Nice and happy mix of folk and jazz!
Not too bad. Kinda dug it.
I enjoyed this late sixties frolic.
It’s going straight to Kiel
Interesting finding. Iwas suprised by he medieval etheral vocals that reminded me of the 4AD's Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins. It resnates as well with folk music we have here in Brittany and the 70's folk revival under the helm of Harpist, bombard and bagpipie player Alan Stivel. It also resonates with the classic Greensleeves or Scarbporough Fair. Above all, I found the album pleasing to my ears.
Rating: 3.5
It's ok
Weird but fun - 3 stars
This is like Ren fair music almost, cool
Whoever recorded that bass crushed it. It's so visceral and perfect. I was familiar with the opener and Sally Go Round the Roses. Both of those are fantastic. The rest didn't grab me, even though I appreciated the excellent musicianship. 2.5, rounded up to 3 just cause.
Nicely dated 1960's album. Folk county nursery??
Okay, had never heard of these peeps but I dig. Could see myself turning on the "radio" for this group on spotify and jamming all afternoon.
Extremely folky, which was entertaining at first but got a little old.
Someone discovered Dorian mode and just kept going with it.
This is not as big a revelation for me as Fairport Convention, but it's still solid.
A bit of a mixed bag here. I like a bit of folk music, and really enjoyed the Fairport Convention album I got from about the same time as this. But this doesn’t work as well for me. A bit too trad in terms of arrangement maybe at times - I much preferred the bluesier stuff like Sally go round the roses. And I do like a trad arr tune. Overall a little disappointing.
Cool vibe. Literally never heard this before.
I liked the more country inspired tracks at the end, the rest of the album didn't do much for me.
Music was enjoyable. Not a fan of the vocals. Not my cup of tea.
Mercy Creek but spookier and more acid.
2.8 That wasn't bad... But it certainly wasn't good. Nice to have on in the back for a bit, wasn't helped by the guys vocals being way more weaker and unsure of himself than the lasses, and in general pretty bland folk that ran out of steam towards the end. Definitely wouldn't be recommending this to anyone, but I can't say I'm upset i know it exists.
Saw the name Pentangle and I was expecting some satanic metal, instead I was surprised by a English folk jazz group with a renn-faire twist. Fun fact- they provided the theme song and music for the first BBC TV show in color?
I sort of love this and sort of hate it. (ntm)
Pleasant enough neo medieval stuff. Good for the right mood.
Groupe totalement inconnu. 23 eme album classé comme folk généré dans la liste, mais premier que je prend plaisir à écouter. J'aime beaucoup l'instrumentation (contrebasse, duo de guitare intéressant) et les voix (en particulier féminine). J'aime aussi les influences multiples de ce groupe (traditionnelles, médiévales) qui donne un mélange vraiment unique (Lyke-Wake Dirge +++). Je ne suis pas sur de l’intégrer à ma collection, mais je le ré-écouterais avec plaisir. =>3.5/5
Not the typical folk album. A little different with some elements of world music. Kinda like when your friend goes abroad and picks up the culture and makes it their entire personality. Anyway it was alright
I liked this more than I thought I would. I preferred the female vocalist's voice to the male's - he seemed a little out of tune sometimes. But I liked the overall vibe. Solid three.
Wasn’t sure what to expect, maybe prog like pink Floyd. But was quiet pleasant British folk, not something I know a lot about very much. Not as twee as thought that music would be, enjoyed if felt attention drifted a little as it went on.
I’d decorate a Christmas tree to this album.
I had never heard of Pentangle before listening to this album. I guess I enjoyed it- it really kind of felt like background music to me. I liked the use of vocal harmonies and overlapping melodies, but the songs all kind of blended together. The technical skills of the musicians were nice though. Overall- decent album, just not really for me. I could see how it was influential to other musicians. Id probably give it a 2.5/5 but I think itcan be bumped up to 3.
Great bass playing, Train Song was the highlight. 3 butter churning maidens out of 5
Chill, 60s. Lots of sitar :/
kitschy folk music, mixture of both original songs and traditional songs. it's a very earthy album, with a bit of middle eastern and renaissance influence. the vocals are an acquired taste. it's definitely not the strangest voices i've heard, but something about the vaguely operatic qualities and almost sarcastic, emotionless tones makes tracks feel a little.. odd. there's no denying how elegant and dreamy how a lot of these tracks are, and i can appreciate the merit.
Very medieval. Pleasant music, interesting instruments, and very lyrical. But not very creative.
6/10 Folk music that's pleasant enough. I love the choice to use some outside the box instrumentation. 12-31-2024
Average...
It's not bad, but it is a bit snoozefest after some songs.
Trochę muzyka dla ludzi w polarach. Coś pomiędzy oazą, harcerstwem a średniowiecznym festiwalem. Przyjemnie się słuchało, ale nie mam pojęcia, co ta płyta robi na tej liście. 6.5/10
For real this is some of the best psychedelic folk you can find. Not for everyone but a worthy effort
Δεν ειναι μουσικη πως πιστευω θα ταιριαζε στα ακουσματα μου ή σε καποια περισταση. Μαρεσουν τα vocals το ξυλοφωνο, καποιες λεπτομερειες στη παραγωγη. Παρ'ολ' αυτα it doesnt "move me". Επισης ενα σχολιο ειναι οτι σε καποια κομματια τα vocals μου θυμιζουν εκκλησιαστικη χορωδια
I generally struggle to find my way into folk music, so when I read the overview of this album I was kinda dreading the experience. Then add to that the fact I'd never heard of Pentangle until now. Thankfully those fears were unfounded. Yes, it's folk music, but there are layers to it that bring in other genres too, and in ways that feel natural. The variety of vocals also keeps things interesting, rather than just having one singer. My only complaint really is that the version I listened to with my daughter today (linked from here) was the deluxe edition, which has 3 versions of "Sally Go Round the Roses" for some reason. It's a decent song, but not worth repeating when there's not much difference between them (unless I missed something). Otherwise it's pretty good. I don't know that I'd put it in my regular rotation, but I wouldn't mind revisiting it periodically.
Actually a pretty good medieval folk music from UK, nothing extravagant, just a solid effort.the album has similar issue to all non-popular genres - it's getting tiring to listencto after a while. So it's nice to learn about something new, but I won't come back to check rest of Pentangle's discography.
I like folk music, but this is so folk it's almost a parody at times. The female vocalist seems to come right out of a tavern in a D&D game.
2.5 rounded up while i did enjoy this more than liege and lief, i’m still not fully sold on traditional folk highlights: light flight, lyke-wake dirge, train song (mar 27 2026)
Best Song: Light Flight. Very hippy in a pleasant way. Worst Song: I Saw An Angel. The female vocals were the best part of this album, so their absence here was very disappointing. Overall: Pretty standard folk rock. The female vocals were really nice, but the rest was just okay. Didn't hate it, but don't know when I would return to it.
I approached this warily, but it had its good moments.
Psychedelic cult folk
Es prachtsbispel vum ne album wo a mir verbigseglet isch, wie Pirate a de Strass vo Gibraltar. Han au nüm möge namal drihlose. Darum au klar Fangbecki: 3 eierliqörs für das album
ich bin grad zruggcho vom brunne und han gseh das de sir neduzen und sir tymen of the goetsch zrugg sind, sie bringed kund vom schnurregiige königrich, angeblich hett de könig levinious, 30. ih sinnere linie wider ahgfange die neuste barde usem land zemmetrommle das wär doch eh super idee wemmer da au würded mitmache, was meineder mini gefährte karithiana und nonschikus? han ghört bis ezt sind nume so halbstarchi lute spieler und flötis döte gsi zB die komische penta band oder wies heissed, wenner mich fraged isch das scho chli zu calssic was die da letschtmal ih de taverne abgliferet hend... wennd mich fragsch würde da nöd meh als 3 schwerter vo de tafelrundde ufhebe, geschweige denns schwert exkalibur usem stei dunne am schloss zieh das langet höchstens für "ueli das schwert" chum mir hocked doch uf de jean pierre, das isch mis schnellste ross und rited mal döt ane, was denkeder?
Id like to imagine im frolicking through a field or walks through a forest or exploring caves and not currently taking the subway
Celtic medieval folksy music. Something you'd hear around a fire while camping. Great guitar work, lots of fun. Prefer the more folksy songs to the more soft rock. Solid album. Best song: Once I Had a Sweetheart
Hey, I picked this one up at a record show not long ago. It’s pretty good, though I tend to prefer like Fairport Convention, where it’s not so much straight up folk.
Kinda sounds like Hippie Renaissance Fair music. At times it even felt a little like Christmas music or something (too soon!). Not really my thing but I appreciated the acoustic guitar playing and instrumentation. Wasn't awful but wasn't great and didn't make me want to dig deeper.
Light Flight 3.5 Once I Had a Sweetheart 3.3 Springtime Promises 3 Lyke-Wake Dirge 3.1 Train Song 3 Hunting Song 3.1 Sally Go 'Round the Roses 2.8 The Cuckoo 3 House Carpenter 3 Score: 3.088888889
I don't know what to say about this one. Will I listen to again: 0%
Light 3. Kind of boring but inoffensive.
I think this type of folk is very UK-centric. Similar to Fairport Convention. It's fine but don't need to listen again.
Very mixed album for me. The songs that more heavily featured guitar parts were better than the ones that heavily featured vocals. Never heard of this group before but reminded me of Richard and Linda Thompson.
Enjoyed more than I expected.
Psychedelic turned folk with medieval rituals… I wanted to like this more from how it started but it kind of just slowly got less enjoyable. Do u think they did drugs??
mid
Not bad, not great.
Sure is folk!
Pleasant folky fare. there's not much more to say. A 2.5er rounded ... up.
White folks! Doing what they do
This was ok. Not really a fan of folk music.
Fun
production could be better, pacing could be better
I'd never heard this album before. It was different but very enjoyable.
Þessi var öðruvísi. Alls ekki það sem ég bjóst við og svo koma Hunter Song sem ég hef heyrt brot úr með íslenskum texta. Kom mér skemmtilega á óvart. Ég mun samt ekki setja hana aftur á, nema kannski Hunter Song
2.5
Wanted to like this more than I actually did
On paper, I should have loved this. I dig folk, and when I was in choir singing in Latin was my favorite. But this didn't scratch the itch I wanted it to.
A very medieval vibe to this psychedelic folk album. Interesting sounds and good vocals. I particularly enjoyed their jammy sessions like on Once I Had a Seeetheart. I can see how this was something special and different at the time, I likely won’t return but I enjoyed it enough. 3 stars
Very torn on this one. It's a wonderful sound and evocative of a different time. It's well composed, well played, and well recorded. It's just that listening to a whole album of it is a lot. It's not that it's bad, but it's a lot.
Love the band and instrumentation with various influences besides the obvious folk sound. They mix in some Indian influence, some choral music, blues, you name it. The one thing I couldn't get passed was how the female lead singer's voice/delivery/lyrics sound like a lesser version of Joni Mitchell, which kind of turned me off even though this album came out right around the time Joni was getting started, so I doubt Pentangle was ripping off Joni it just sounds like it to me.
Even in 69 this would have felt derivative I think. It wants to be all of these things except itself. It's not bad or poorly put together. It's just kind of meh.
Yeah! Middle of the road. Medieval music for Richie Blackmore 😂😂😂
Quite enjoyed this - I’m now off to read pillars of the earth and drink mead.
A nice bit of folk to listen to on a sunny Friday.
Some promise, but I really didn’t like the churchy/religious songs
British folk rock, lush blend, a bit hippy-dippy at times.
Nice! 3 or 4
Wat is dat met folk? Ik vind het vaak prima om te luisteren. Maar ik veer zelden op. Terwijl ook deze mensen er muzikaal echt iets van maken.
Perfectly middle-of-the-road. Nice use of sitar and other unusual instruments, but doesn't move the needle in either direction for me. Favorite track: "Once I Had A Sweetheart"
sparkly 6/10
celtic vibes
Surprised by this. It’s pretty good. After another listen I bet I could bump this up a bit. 2.67
There were some really great parts of this album, but some of it was just really fucking strange. Overall I liked it well enough.
Folk isn’t my cup of tea at all, but this was a fairly enjoyable listen
This is a warm sounding acoustic folk music with a jazzy tinge and some influences of the late sixties, like the sitar on 'Once I had a sweetheart'. Jacqui McShee has a lovely voice (if occasionally a bit too shrill for my liking). But the traditional manner in which she and Bert Jansch sings might not be everyone's cup of tea. Nonetheless, Pentangle had a cool instrumental blend that I like.
Some good moments.
Troubadour 60s folk with sitar. You'd think it'd be unique, but this is not the first album I've heard like it on this list. The 60s were something else.
Very chill folk record. Some of it sounds a bit culty at times and it can be dull in moments. Not a bad record, just not for me. Likely won’t revisit this one.
Probably not it the mood for this today. On a side note even when I am not in the mood for something an album can cut through that. Basket of Light wasn't up to the task. I am sure it is an amazing album for fans, mediaeval, psychedelic folk and I wonder if this had an influence on the Cranberries, Cocteau Twins, Clannad and even Zeppelin. Doesn't mean it struck a chord with me
Pleasant enough but ultimately it’s background music
this was cool, but not quite as cool as i had hoped. 3.5/5
Fav: Once I Had A Sweetheart Least Fav: Springtime Promises
Medieval moderno. Rollo.
Very ren faire. Not awful but definitely not my style. Songs sounded very similar and some where a little overwhelming with the vocals overlapping
I loved this album when it first came out. I hadn't heard it in over 40 years but I still like it.
Not bad! 3.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would! Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5
Not a bad album. 3 stars
Not really my kinda jam, but similar to the Bert Jansch album it's some pleasant background music. The production deserves a star itself - I would have never guessed this was from the 60's. Just alright!
Basket of Light was a fairly interesting album. This album seems to be mostly focused on telling stories which i think is cool and it does a fairly good job at it. It kinda reminds me of that Marty Robbins album i did a while back, though i do like this album more due to having superior sounding music. The instrumentation did sound a bit weird at first but over time, i did get used to it and found it pretty interesting. I also do like how there are two singers with both of them sounding pretty good. I definitely think that this album is a good storytelling album even if it did take a while for me to get used to it. Best Song: Train Song Worst Song: Once I Had a Sweetheart
Enjoyable yet boring?
Its okay.
Very interesting mix of sounds. The sitar was unexpected. Some songs lean more jazzy while others lean more…Ren fair. I liked it but I don’t think I’ll ever listen to it again. When is one in the mood for renaissance jazz? 3.4
Definitely of its time and pretty down the line english folk rock, but some songs get a nice instrumentation. It's a little more traditional than I prefer. Overall enjoyable. 3.4
Mostly American folk ish. Not a biggest fan of that to begin with, but the instrumentation was nice enough. The vocals very heavy on the ups and downs as it typically is in the genre - and that is not for me! The female voice is beautiful. The male voice did not impress me, especially when dragging on notes - doesn’t sound good at all.
Very stately and well-arranged. Boring in places, but quite original and often interesting. Best song: Train Song
A whimsical little folk album
The instrumentation in this album is really, really cool. The singing? Woof...52 minutes is a lot of time to spend listening to falsetto faery voice. Overall, this was much better than most folk albums I've experienced due to the high variation in arrangements. Favorite track: Lyke-Wake Dirge
Fantasy vibes! I liked the female vocals way more than the male vocals. The overall writing was interesting and engaging. While this is probably not something I would go back to myself I probably will be listening to it with my honey.
Pretty good chill songs but not too many that I would revisit
Now this is interesting. I loved the passing of the baton between the male and female vocals. The boy Bert has some remarkable guitar picking. It all sounds very earthy. The religious shit lost me slightly.
Es como una ópera chill. Está bastante buena por ahí se vuelve aburrida pero está bien.
I like the folky vibes. Reminded me of Gregorian chants a little. Favourites: light flight, hunting song, Sally go round the roses, house carpenter, cold mountain. Not sure why they needed 3 versions of Sally go round but okay. 3/5
Quite relaxing and enjoyable. But is this really a "must hear before you die?"
Definitely more jazz than rock, and definitely folk. Great vocals and instrumentals.
"The Cuckoo" "Hunting Song" – Hejo
Strange Music. Creepy fun silly different. I didn’t really mind it.
This was good but didn't blow me away and sometimes the sound was rather grating.
I think that a lot of this was fun! very interesting sonically but it got repetitive at some times and i think that some of the songs were honestly just too long. Her voice is very gorgeous though and i can see how a lot of the artists i have listened to might be inspired by this
so folk. i felt like i was a child in the medieval times with tattered clothing going on an action based adventurous frolic in the country ready to conquer the forest
They should be commissioned for some video games soundtracks. Some of these giving me Witcher or Assassin's Creed vibes.
What is this, medieval jazz folk?
I did quite like this, nice chill folk. But the male vocalist did not wow.
This was groovy. A bit medieval for my tastes but that double bass is bumping!
Actually pretty good; 3.7/5
Very nice. Not heard of Pentangle before but they remind me a lot of Fairport Convention.
Medieval moderno. Rollo.
Medieval moderno. Rollo.
I think I would have this this better as an instrumental.
No thx
Amiable late 60s folk rock, probably steering more to the folk end of the spectrum. A nice accompaniment to the hour I spent stuck in traffic on the way back from work, although I was tempted to skip the track labelled as a dirge, which did what it said on the tin!
That was... interesting. Almost felt like listening to medieval stuff; you can smell a certain fragance of folk from the '60s in this record. I like the stripped down aspect of the album, and most of the songs are not boring. The voice is great. The overall is a bit strange, but not uninteresting.
A bit better than the typical folk music I've gotten on this list, but just a bit. A low 3/5. I liked the female led tracks better, but still a lot of this is corny, hippie-dippie stuff. The sitar was utilized well I thought. Favorite tracks: Once I Had a Sweetheart and Sally Go Round the Roses.
besser als erwartet! aber würds nit soo oft hören ddnki