"Looking At The Pictures In The Sky: The British Psychedelic Sounds Of 1968" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – featuring Fleur De Lys, Eyes Of Blue, Mike Stuart Span, The Orange Seaweed, Skip Bifferty, Rupert’s People, The Factory, Junior’s Eyes, The Smoke, Episode Six, Honeybus, Status Quo, Jethro Toe (Tull), The Writing On The Wall, The Spectrum and many more (November 2017 UK Grapefruit Records 3CD Clamshell Box Set – Oli Morgan and Nick Watson Masters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Music Soothes The Savage Beast..."

Collectors (not surprisingly) have a bit of Felicity Kendal about Grapefruit Records. Every time we clap eyes on one of their squished-to-the-gunnels reissues covering all things 60ts, unwashed and eclectic (like this 3CD Box Set that deals with British stargazing in 1968) - we think of our lysergic/pale ale youth, reach for the enormo-pack Maalox antacid bottle and get a bit weepy and upset in the tum-tums. Hell, I might even propose to Richard Briers (if Felicity won't have me of course).

We love Grapefruit Box Sets and this 2017 brute is no different. 78 wildly varied tracks across 3CDs, a booklet crammed with more facts than a manual to building a large Hadron Collider and pictures of disturbed men with even more disturbing tastes in clobber and Day-Glo make-up. What's not to love...here we go...

UK released 10 November 2017 - "Looking At The Pictures In The Sky: The British Psychedelic Sounds Of 1968" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Grapefruit CRSEGBOX040 (Barcode 5013929184008) is a 3CD Clamshell Box Set of 78-Tracks (two Previously Unreleased) that plays out as follows:

Disc One (78:04 minutes):

1. Path Through The Forest - THE FACTORY (October 1968 UK 7" single on MGM Records MGM 1444, A-side)

2. Father's Name Is Dad - THE FIRE (March 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F 12753, A-side, Withdrawn)

3. Gong With The Luminous Nose - FLEUR DE LYS (May 1968 UK 7" single on Polydor 56251, A-side)

4. Mind's Eye - RAMASES and SELKET (September 1968 UK 7" single on CBS Records 3717, B-side of "Crazy One")

5. Spontaneous - THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN (from their June 1968 debut album "The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown" on Track 613 005)

6. Lullaby (Alternative Version) - GRAPEFRUIT (recorded January 1968, unissued at the time)

7. I Will Not Be Moved - CIRCLE PLANTAGENET (recorded late 1968, PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED)

8. Sunday Best - TURQUOISE (recorded August 1968, not originally issued)

9. My Son Jon - THE ONXY (November 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17622, A-side)

10. The Fantastic Story Of The Steam Driven Banana - LEGAY (February 1968 UK 7" single on Fontana TF 904, B-side of "No-One")

11. Mr. Partridge Passed Away Today - FORTES MENTUM (March 1968 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5684, B-side of "Saga Of A Wrinkled Man")

12. Jabberwock - BOEING DUVEEN and THE BATIFUL SOUP (May 1968 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5696, A-side)

13. Haze Woman - ANAN (June 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17571, A-side)

14. Talkin' About The Good Times - PRETTY THINGS (February 1968 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8353, A-side)

15. Sunday Morning - GUY and DAVID - THE FIVE DAY WEEK STRAW PEOPLE (from the September 1968 UK LP "The Five Day Week Straw People" - Guy Mascolo and David Montague)

16. Animal Magic - THE GRADED GRAINS April 1968 recording, not originally issued)

17. She - TUESDAY'S CHILDREN (November 1968 UK 7" single on Mercury MF 1063, A-side)

18. Mr. Lion - THE MARMALADE (from the December 1968 UK LP "There's A Lot Of It About" on CBS Records 63414)

19. Upstairs Downstairs - GRAHAM GOULDMAN (February 1968 UK 7" single on RCA Victor RCA 1667, A-side)

20. Festival Of The Harvest Moon - JOKER (recorded mid-1968, not originally issued)

21. So You Want To Be A Rock And Roll Star - SUN DRAGON (from the November 1968 US LP "Green Tambourine" on MGM Records CS 8090 - a Byrds cover)

22. Never Care - EYES OF BLUE (from the December 1968 UK LP "Crossroads Of Time" on Mercury SMCL 20134)

23. Nightmare - THE GASS COMPANY (January 1968 UK 7" single on President PT 170, B-side to "Everybody Needs Love")

24. In The Wee Small Hours Of Sixpence - PROCOL HARUM (March 1968 UK 7" single on Regal Zonophone RZ 3007, B-side of "Quite Rightly So")

25. Did You Die Four Years Ago Tonight? - THE WEB (from the August 1968 UK LP "Fully Interlocking" on Deram SML 1025)

26. Frederick Jordan - THE GLASS MANAGERIE (September 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17615, B-side of "I Said Goodbye To Me")

Disc Two (79:05 minutes):

1. Children Of Tomorrow - MIKE STUART SPAN (February 1968 UK 7" single on Jewel JL 01, A-side)

2. Dawn Breaks Through - THE BARRIER (April 1968 UK 7" single on Eyemark EMS 1013, B-side of "Georgie Brown")

3. Mr. Pinnodmy's Dilemma - THE ATTACK (early 1968 recording, not originally issued)

4. Trying To Get A Glimpse Of You - THE FREEDOM (June 1968 UK 7"single on Mercury MF 1033, B-side of "Where Will You Be Tonight")

5. I Can Show You - RUPERT'S PEOPLE (March 1968 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8362, A-side)

6. Locked In A Room - THE POETS (December 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17680, B-side of "Alone Am I")

7. Bluebell Wood - WIMPLE WINCH (recorded May 1968, not originally issued)

8. Technicolor Dreams - THE STATUS QUO (from their LP "Picturesque Matchstickable Messages From The Status Quo" on Pye NPL 18220)

9. Music Soothes The Savage Beast - THE SPECTRUM (November 1968 UK 7" single on RCA Victor RCA 1775,B-side to "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da")

10. Head For The Sun - THE MOVEMENT (August 1968 UK 7" single on Big T Records BIG 112, A)

11. Midnight Love Cycle - THE LUBS (recorded mid 1968, not originally issued)

12. Lovers From The Sky -CONTACT (early 1968 recording, not originally issued)

13. Jamie's Song - THE DEVIANTS (from the October 1968 UK LP "Disposable" on Stable SLP 7001)

14. Sydney Gill - THE SMOKE (May 1968 German 7" single Metronome B 1697, A-side)

15. Birthday - PETER and THE WOLVES (April 1968 UK 7" single on MGM Records 1397, B-side of "Julie") 

16. Love Is A toy - JON LEDINGHAM (March 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17488, A-side)

17. Yesterday Was Such A Lovely Day - SADIE'S EXPRESSION (recorded April 1968, not originally issued)

18. Omnibus - THE MOVE (recorded March 1968, not originally issued STEREO version)

19. I Get So Excited - REAL McCOY (September 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17618, A-side)

20. Mr. Golden Trumpet Player - JUNIOR'S EYES (June 1968 UK 7" single on Regal Zonophone RZ 3009, A-side)

21. Yellow Rainbow - THE PICADILLY LINE (July 1968 UK 7" single on CBS Records 3595, A-side)

22. Time Seller - THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP (from the June 1968 UK LP "With Their New Face On" on United Artists SULP 1192)

23. Pantomime - TONY RIVERS and THE CASTAWAYS (April 1968 UK 7" single on Polydor 56245, B-side of " I Can Guarantee You Love")

24. Go And Say Goodbye - KATCH 22 (from the May 1968 UK LP "It's Soft Rock And All Sorts, It's Katch 22" on Saga EROS 8047)

25. Cornflake Zoo - ANDY ELLISON (May 1968 UK 7" single on SNB Records 55-3508, B-side of "You Can't Do That")

26. Penny For Your Thoughts - THE ALAN BOWN (from the November 1968 UK LP "Outward Bown" on Music factory CUBLM1)

Disc Three (78:56 minutes):

1. Hold On - JASON CREST (recorded November 1968, not originally issued)

2. Girl Of Independent Means - HONEYBUS (September 1968 UK 7" single on Deram DM 207, A-side)

3. Rainmaker - RHUBARB RHUBARB (December 1968 UK 7" single on President PT 229, A-side)

4. Hello Enid - THE MIRAGE (recorded March 1968, not originally issued)

5. Lucky Sunday - EPISODE SIX (October 1968 UK 7" single on Chapter One CH 103, A)

6. What's The Rush, Dillbury? - PARADOX (recorded early 1968, not originally issued)

7. Cave Of Clear Light - THE BYSTANDERS (February 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17476, B-side of "When Jezamin Goes")

8. Round And Round - SKIP BIFFERTY (recorded August 1968, not originally issued)

9. Come On Down - MOTIVATION (February 1968 UK 7" single on Direction 58-3248, A-side)

10. Country Life - BLONDE ON BLONDE (November 1968 UK 7" single n Pye 7N 17637, B-side of "All Day, All Night")

11. Virginia Water - CATS PYJAMAS (January 1968 UK 7" single on Direction 58-3235, B-side of "Baby I Love You")

12. Aeroplane - JETHRO TOE (TULL) (February 1968 UK 7" single on MGM Records MGM 1384, B-side of "Sunshine Day")

13. Rambling Boy - TIMON (January 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17451, B-side of "Bitter Thoughts Of Little Jane")

14. Ice Man - ICE (March 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F 12749, A-side)

15. Now And Again Rebecca - THE U (DON'T) NO WHO (recorded early 1968, not originally issued)

16. Felicity Jones - THE WRITING ON THE WALL (recorded early 1968, not originally issued)

17. Sycamore Sid - FOCAL POINT (May 1968 UK 7" single on Deram DM 186, B-side of "Love You Forever")

18. Do You Dream - CIRCUS (March 1968 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5672, A-side)

19. Maxwell Ferguson - BRASS TACKS (November 1968 UK 7" single on Big T Records BIG 114, A-side)

20. Pawnbroker - BARBARA RUSKIN (recorded September 1968, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Demo Version)

21. Soft Winds - THE ORANGE BICYCLE (recorded 1968, not originally issued)

22. Without You - COCONUT MUSHROOM (recorded late 1968, not originally issued)

23. Haunted - PETER THOROGOOD (July 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17577, A-side)

24. Which Dreamed It - BOEING DUVEEN and THE BEAUTIFUL SOUP (May 1968 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5696, B-side of "Jabberwock" - A-side is Track 12 on Disc 1)

25. Trot - TURNSTYLE (November 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17653, B-side)

26. Pictures In The Sky - THE ORANGE SEAWEED (April 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17515, B-side to "Stay Awhile")

I've raved about Grapefruit's booklets before but this is an out-and-out humdinger, 42 pages of wall-to-wall facts and photos so rare it boggles my already frazzled mind. DAVID WELLS has compiled and annotated the set with contributions from good name like JOHN REED while OLI MORGAN and NICK WATSON (at Fluid Mastering) have struggled with the tangled web of sources. Audio is the same with all these 3CD tomes - some tracks are shockingly good while the unissued recordings tend to show their hurried production values. Still, taking a look at those disc playing times (78:04, 79:05, 78:56 minutes) and the fact that they have somehow unearthed yet two more Previously Unreleased rarities and the words 'value for money' start rattling around my noggin. To the music of seaweed, beautiful soup, wimple winches glass menageries and orange bicycles... 

DISC ONE: Penned by none other than Clifford T. Ward before solo fame would make his Home Thoughts LP a fave in every bedsit in the land, The Factory smash open CD1 with "Path Through The Forest" - the kind of British Psych 45 that has had fans hiding the eBay receipt from the wife. Next up is The Fire, a trio featuring Dave Lambert later of The Strawbs, who saw their UK-45 withdrawn because Paul McCartney thought it needed punching up (they'd signed a publishing deal with Apple). So it was remixed with extra guitars and a different vocal and re-launched - but Macca's instincts were not matched with public interest and it tanked. It appears here in all its daft-as-a-House-of-Commons-loo-brush original form - a clever inclusion. Speaking of Edward Lear lunacy, future Island and A&M Records LP boy Bryn Haworth lends his fab way with a slide guitar to the rare and seriously desirable 45s of Fleur De Lys  - here their "Gong With A Luminous Nose" featuring a Gordon Haskell lead vocal also.

Other delights on Disc 1 include a central heating salesman and carnival queen masquerading as Ramases and his Goddess of Magic on their hokey CBS B-side, whilst Legay Rogers (trading as plain old Legay in the 60s but became part of Gypsy in the Seventies) also uses a flipside to inform us all of a steam-driven banana and its tale of mushy woe (yeah baby). And the cod-Cockney accent in Turquoise's unissued "Sunday Best" is surely the reason it was left in a can marked 'unfit jellied eels - do not eat no matter what'. Whilst collectors will lick their lips for rarities like Sam Hutt's wonderfully named Boeing Duveen and The Beautiful Soup - a 45 outing that featured Tony Visconti in an early Production role or the first incarnation of the Crimson-like Prog band Czar in the shape of the impossibly rare Tuesday's Children - a Mercury Records 45 that would hurt your bank balance a little too much.

DISC TWO opens with an uber-rare seven I'll admit I've never seen, "Children Of Tomorrow" by Mike Stuart Span - a mere 500 copies of this 60ts hymn to youthful disillusion. Rarities continue with a truly obscure B-side from Londoners The Barrier on the tiny Eyemark label - their "Dawn Breaks Through" roaring into your living room like the sunlight depicted in its title. Speaking of forgotten heroes, John Du Cann would leave The Attack eventually and be part of "The Five Day Week Straw People" LP and the band Andromeda. Ray Royer of Freedom provides the Traffic vs. Family B-side "Trying To Get A Glimpse Of You" (a superb rare picture sleeve of it is featured on Page 16 of the booklet), while Guitarist and Vocalist Rod Lynon and Drummer Steve Brendell of the wonderful Rupert's People would both show up in 1971 on John Lennon's "Imagine" album (Marriott's Small Faces would have been proud to call RP's 1968 slice of Itchycoo grooviness "I Can Show You" their own).

Just before they hunkered down to 12-bar nirvana in 1970 with "In My Chair" and "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon", our very own Matchstickable Status Quo stumped up "Technicolor Dreams" which died as a single and indeed may have been withdrawn or export only, explaining its huge price tag to collectors (clever song choice though here, reminding us of their earlier side). Lizzy obsessives will note that Brush Shiels of Dublin's Skid Row (Gary Moore featuring) penned the fuzzed-up guitar barrage that is "Head For The Sun" for the obscure Irish band The Movement, a group that also contained Bassist Pat Quigley who would play for Lynott's pre Thin Lizzy outfit Orphanage. I've never seen this seven let alone heard it - hell Wells and Grapefruit have even managed (on Page 21 of the booklet) to find a 'New Spotlight' Irish Magazine article of the day reviewing it! WOW! Other goodies include the chipper B-side "Birthday" from Peter and The Wolves, Eddie Hardin doubling on vocals with The Spencer Davis Group for their excellent "Time Seller", Rick Wakeman later of Yes providing keyboards to the Tony Visconti produced Junior's Eyes single "Mr. Golden Trumpet Player" and The Alan Bown going all kick-ass Rock 'n' Rolla with their LP-cut "Penny For Your Thoughts" - ending Disc 2 in style.

DISC THREE opens with a hard-hitting geetar cover by Jason Crest of Rupert People's "Hold On" while Honeybus continues the Jean Genie-type riffage on Ray Cane's off-imitated "Girl Of Independent Means". Deep Purple fans will recognise Ian Gillan and Roger Glover in Episode Six's "Lucky Sunday" (the Ian Gillan sung B-side "Mr. Universe" can be found on Disc 3 of RPM's May 2017 mini 3CD box set "Night Comes Down: 60s British Mod, R&B, Freakbeat and Swinging London Nuggets"). Lead Vocalist Bob Catley of Paradox would later be in the hard and heavy Magnum while songwriter Clive John of the much-regarded Welsh band The Bystanders penned their Strawberry Alarm Clock-influenced "Cave Of Clear Light". Clever cover version choices come in the shapely bum-wiggler of "Come On Down" as done by Motivation, a sizeable hit for Every Mother's Son in the States. They weren't the first to hear UK potential in its US groove - Motivation's stab at the catchy tune following on from another British underground darling band The Gods (featuring Mick Taylor and Ken Hensley) who had a go on Polydor Records in June 1967. As if to hammer home Motivation's song and personnel pedigree, the band also featured Bassist Steve York who would later pluck strings for Deram's East Of Eden, Vertigo's Manfred Mann's Chapter and Island's Vinegar Joe).

Tull fans will probably already have the debut 45 with Mick Abraham's "Sunshine Day" on the February 1968 MGM Records A-side, but here's a chance to cop the Len Barnard and Ian Anderson penned flipside "Aeroplane" by Jethro Toe (long-standing Tull member Glenn Cornick says it wasn't a misprint, but a deliberate spite by the Producer who didn't think the band's agricultural character name was 'cool enough'). Speaking of weird flips, Clash fans will recognise Tymon Dogg associations with the band, but here Stephen Murray is (his real name) as Timon for his own "Rambling Boy" - a single on Pye that reputedly sold less than 130 copies. Keeping with cool future associations, Ice and their wicked "Ice Man" song would see members of the band blend into Linda Hoyle's much-vaulted Affinity on the newly minted Prog Rock label Vertigo. Singer-songwriter Philip Goodhand-Tait penned both Circus songs (produced by Manfred Man's Mike d'Abo) - a rare venture into Psychedelia for him who would share labels with Elton John on DJM. And on it goes to the delightfully titled Orange Seaweed and their "Pictures In The Sky" that give the box set its name…

Without doubt there will be even the most liberal-minded dude or dudette who will cop ears on any of these discs and go yuck – the 60ts may have been innovative – but it can stay 50 years behind. But I suspect they will be few and far between, because in my book, this is yet another reason why collectors and fans love reissue companies like Grapefruit with their passion, knowledge and need for us to explore deeper into an astonishing time in musical history.

Even if the hip 60ts men and women featured here can't shoot anymore and their guns are maybe in the ground (as Bob would later say in "Knocking On Heaven's Door") – for me it's never too dark, too dark too see. A fab reminder of a fab time -check this out and big time awards-city to all involved…

"The Albums" by PENTANGLE (October 2017 Cherry Red Records 6-Album/7CD Box Set - Nick Watson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

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1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 2 of 3 - Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

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Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

"...Strange Treasures Passed Me By..."

I'm struck with a thought as I wade through this boatload of musical brilliance - why aren't PENTANGLE monster - I mean absolutely friggin huge?

Celebrating 50 years since their formation in 1967 - Cherry Red's "The Albums" Box Set is a gorgeous thing to have and hold for sure. Superlative brick block presentation with Mini LP Repro sleeves for all six titles, best-ever sound (a new audio source for 1972’s magical "Solomon's Seal") and extras galore (22 Previously Unreleased). Chronologically you get five albums (1968 to 1972) from their initial productive blitz at the UK’s home for all things Folk and weird Transatlantic Records - along with their final on Reprise Records – a supposed comeback that cruelly turned out to be a false new dawn before the horrid and acrimonious spilt in the spring of 1973 (drunken phonecalls ahoy). Alongside all that reissue sexiness is a 20,000-word essay by MICK HOUGHTON (long-time associate with the band and Bert Jansch) in a beautifully laid out 88-page book (concert tickets, UK and US trade adverts and flyers etc). "The Albums" also includes a COLIN HARPER month-by-month band history timeline (worrying amounts of details and tour dates), NICK WATSON Remasters that breath new life into these largely Acoustic songs and a quantity of repro’d memorabilia that would make Bear Family of Germany twitchy in the lederhosen area.

But more than that - as you re-visit record after record here - you're filled with admiration at their originality – musical soundscapes and philosophical themes that still have a lingering influence in Folk-Rock, Acid-Folk, Acoustic Blues and even World Music. And all of it achieved without ever really getting the blue-plaque credit Pentangle so obviously deserve. There's a huge amount of info to slaver over, so let's get to those Reflections and Baskets of Light...

UK released Friday, 6 October 2017 (13 October 2017 in the USA) - "The Albums" by PENTANGLE on Cherry Red Records CRCDBOX41 (Barcode 5013929104105) is a 6-Album/7-Disc Box Set with an Extensive 88-Page Booklet, 22 Previously Unreleased Tracks and Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves. It plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "The Pentangle" 1968 Debut Album (72:12 minutes):

1. Let No Man Steal Away Your Thyme [Side 1]

2. Bells

3. Hear My Call

4. Pentangling

5. Mirage [Side 2]

6. Way Behind The Sun

7. Bruton Town

8. Waltz

Tracks 1 to 8 are their debut album "The Pentangle" - released May 1968 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 162 and November 1968 in the USA on Reprise Records RS 6315.

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Koan (Take 2)

10. The Wheel

11. The Casbah

12. Bruton Town (Take 3)

13. Hear My Call (Alternate Take)

14. Way Behind The Sun (Alternate Take)

15. Way Behind The Sun (Instrumental)

Tracks 9 to 15 are outtakes from the 1968 sessions and first appeared on the 2001 CD Reissue of "The Pentangle" on Castle Music CMRCD 131

16. Bruton Town (Take 5) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Session Outtake

17. Koan (Take 1) - 1968 Session outtake first appeared on the December 2007 4CD Box Set "The Time Has Come 1967-1973" on Castle Music CMXBX664

18. Travellin' Song - a non-album UK 7" single A-side released May 1968 on Big T Records BIG T 109 (the album track "Mirage" was the B-side)

19. Poison

20. I've Got A Feeling

21. Market Song

Tracks 19 to 21 are from their first sessions in August 1967 - "Poison" was issued on the 2007 Box Set "The Time Has Come 1967-1973" - the other two are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED. A re-recording of "Market Song" opens the "Sweet Child" double-album

Disc 2 "Sweet Child" 1968 Double Album:

CD1 (76:20 minutes):

1. Market Song [Side 1]

2. No More My Lord

3. Turn Your Money Green

4. Haitian Fight Song

5. A Woman Like You

6. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

7. Three Dances - Brentzel Gay/La Rotta/The Earle Of Salisbury [Side 2]

8. Watch The Stars

9. So Early In The Spring

10. No Exit

11. The Time Has Come

12. Bruton Town

Tracks 1 to 12 are Record 1 of 2 for "Sweet Child" - released November 1968 in the UK on Transatlantic TRA 170 and February 1969 in the USA on Reprise 2RS 6334. Record 1 was recorded 29 June 1968 LIVE at the Royal Festival Hall in London with "Bruton Town" being the only song from their past catalogue (Record 2 was studio recordings). It didn't chart in either the UK or USA.

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Hear My Call

14. Let No Man Steal Your Thyme

15. Bells

16. Travellin' Song

17. Waltz

18. Way Behind The Sun

19. John Donne Song

Tracks 13 to 19 were recorded at the same gig as Disc 1 - first appeared on the 2001 2CD Reissue of "Sweet Child" on Castle Music CMDDD 132

CD2 (78:04 minutes):

1. Sweet Child [Side 3]

2. I Loved A Lass

3. Three Part Thing

4. Sovay

5. In Time

6. In Your Mind [Side 4]

7. I've Got A Feeling

8. The Trees They Do Grow High

9. Moon Dog

10. Hole In The Coal

Tracks 1 to 10 are Record 2 of 2 for "Cruel Sister" (see CD1). The Studio set was recorded August 1968 with Shel Talmy of The Who fame producing.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Hole In The Coal (Alternate Take)

12. The Trees They Do Grow High (Alternate Take)

13. Haitian Fight Song (Studio Take)

14. In Time (Alternate Take)

Tracks 11 to 14 are session outtakes and first appeared on the 2001 2CD Reissue of "Sweet Child" on Castle Music CMDDD 132

15. A Woman Like You

16. I've Got A Woman

17. I Am Lonely

Tracks 15 to 17 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Mixes from the Bert Jansch January 1969 solo LP "Birthday Blues" on Transatlantic TRA 179

18. Poison

19. Blues

Tracks 18 and 19 are the released versions from the Bert Jansch January 1969 solo LP "Birthday Blues" - "Poison" features DUFFY POWER on Harmonica

20. Sally Go Round The Roses (Alternate Take No. 2)

Track 20 is a session outtake from the 1969 "Basket Of Light" album and first appeared on the July 2001 CD Reissue for that record on Castle Music CMRCD207. Chronologically it's out of order here - but it appears on this CD and not Disc 3 for space reasons only.

21. Moon Dog (Full Band Version) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED. Terry Cox performs the song Solo on the released double-album - here the Full Band joins him (liner notes advise that this is an 'imperfect tape source')

Disc 3 "Basket Of Light" 1969 Album (77:06 minutes):

1. Light Flight [Side 1]

2. Once I Had A Sweetheart

3. Springtime Promises

4. Lyke Wake Dirgs

5. Train Song

6. Hunting Song [Side 2]

7. Sally Go Round The Roses

8. The Cuckoo

9. House Carpenter

Tracks 1 to 9 are their third album "Basket Of Light" - released November 1969 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 205 and December 1969 in the USA on Reprise RS 6372. Produced by SHEL TALMY - it peaked at No. 5 on the UK LP charts (didn't chart USA)

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Sally Go Round The Roses  (Alternate Take No. 1) - first appeared on the July 2001 CD Reissue for that record on Castle Music CMRCD207

11. Cold Mountain - non-album B-side to the October 1969 UK 7" single for "Light Flight (Theme for "Take Three Girls") on Big Tree BIG 128

12. I Saw An Angel - non-album B-side to the May 1969 UK 7" single for "Once I Had A Sweetheart" on Big Tree BIG 124 (Stereo)

13. House Carpenter (Live)

14. Light Flight (Live)

15. Pentangling (Live)

Tracks 13 to 15 recorded March/April 1970 on UK tour - "Pentangling (Live)" released on the December 2007 4CD Box Set "The Time Has Come 1967-1973" on Castle Music CMXBX664 - "House Carpenter (Live)" and "Light Flight (Live)" are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Disc 4 "Cruel Sister" 1969 Album (72:48 minutes):

1. A Maid That's Deep In Love [Side 1]

2. When I Was In My Prime

3. Lord Franklin

4. Cruel Sister

5. Jack Orion [Side 2]

Tracks 1 to 5 are their fourth album "Cruel Sister" - released November 1970 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 228 and February 1971 in the USA on Reprise Records RS 6430. Produced by BILL LEADER - it peaked at No. 51 in the UK (didn't chart USA)

BONUS TRACKS:

6. Will The Circle Be Unbroken (Take 1)

7. Rain & Snow (Take 2)

8. Omie wise (Take 2)

9. John's Song [alias "So Clear"] (Take 7)

10. Reflection (Olympic Studios, Take 1)

11. When I Get Home (Alternate Vocal)

Tracks 6 to 11 are all March 1971 session outtakes for the "Reflection" album - all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Disc 5 "Reflection" 1971 Album (75:54 minutes):

1. Wedding Dress [Side 1]

2. Omie Wise

3. Will The Circle Be Unbroken?

4. When I Get Home

5. Rain & Snow

6. Helping Hand [Side 2]

7. So Clear

8. Reflection

Tracks 1 to 8 are their fifth album "Reflection" - released October 1971 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 240 and December 1971 in the USA on Reprise Records RS 6463. Produced by BILL LEADER - it didn't chart in either country

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Shake Shake Mama

10. Kokomo Blues

11. Faro Annie

12. Back On The Road Again

Tracks 9 to 12 are from the John Renbourn solo album "Faro Annie" (featuring the John, Danny and Terry trio from Pentangle) released January 1972 in the UK on Transatlantic TRA 247.

13. Will The Circle Be Unbroken? (Alternate Vocal)

14. Reflection (Command Studios, Take 1)

15. John's Song [alias "So Clear"] (Take 5 with Fuzz Guitar)

16. Wondrous Love

Tracks 13 to 16 are outtakes from the "Reflection" album sessions recorded March 1971 and are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Disc 6 "Solomon's Seal" 1972 Album (49:17 minutes):

1. Sally Free And Easy [Side 1]

2. The Cherry Tree Carol

3. The Snows

4. High Germany

5. People On The Highway

6. Willy O'Winsbury [Side 2]

7. No Love Is Sorrow

8. Jump, Baby, Jump

9. Lady Of Carlisle

Tracks 1 to 9 are their sixth album "Solomon's Seal" - released September 1972 in the UK on Reprise Records K 44197 and October 1972 in the USA on Reprise Records MS 2100. Produced by PENTANGLE - it didn't chart in either country. The 2003 Castle Music CD reissued used a tape provided by John Renbourn (the originals were thought to be lost) - this issue uses a better alternate source for this 2017 Remaster

BONUS TRACKS:

10. When I Get Home (Live)

11. She Moved Through The Fair (Live)

12. Train Song (Live)

Tracks 10 to 12 are from an audience tape recorded November 1972. Selected by the band for this release - they're PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

PENTANGLE was:

JACQUI McSHEE – Lead Vocals

BERT JANSCH – Lead Vocals and Guitars

JOHN RENBOURN – Lead and Backing Vocals and Guitars

DANNY THOMPSON – Double Bass

TERRY COX – Drums and Percussion

A huge drawn out double-bass note eases in the Traditional "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme" - the Side 1 opener for their groundbreaking debut "The Pentangle" - and as Reprise Records was want to tell its sceptical US public - "...it is necessary to talk of "fusions of traditional folk forms"..." First up the audio is fantastic - the instrumental "Bells" sounding positively cathedral-like. The cover of The Staple Singers secular classic "Hear My Call" is given that Pentangle shuffle (no voices sounding). But little prepared May 1968 listeners for the sneakily clever twister "Pentangling" - seven minutes of go-go 60ts Folk with Jacqui McShee's vocals lovely and soothing at first only to be replaced with acoustic-guitar battles, a Double Bass solo and a Bert Jansch counter vocal that underpins the whole mad brilliant thing. Wow - is it any wonder the 'Ling' became such a concert showstopper. Other highlights include the Trad Blues of "Way Behind The Sun" - a song associated with Barbara Dane and her 1964 US Folkways album "Sings The Blues With 6 & 12-String Guitar" (The Byrds recorded a version during the "Sweethearts Of The Rodeo" sessions in 1968). Amazing audio too on the finisher instrumental "Waltz" which is more Guitars-Go-Dancing than Strauss with Thompson's Double Bass solo likely to kick her your speaker's teeth in. Of the Disc 1 Bonus Material my raves are the duo of "The Wheel" and "The Casbah" which sound like Jimmy Page goofing off on an Acoustic Guitar during the recordings of Roy Harper's 1971 Harvest masterpiece "Stormcock". The unreleased Take 5 of "Bruton Town" is getting close to the released version and is beautifully rendered here - while the alarmingly poppy "I've Got A Feeling" and "Market Song" make their debut here (what a blast). 

Released only months after the truly innovative opening salvo - the double "Sweet Child" offered more of the same - and yes - more. One LP was live (all songs new except "Bruton Town") and the other studio and it had a Pentagram on the gatefold sleeve. Virtually unrecognisable from their initial 1967 session - "Market Town" opens proceedings in slowed-down mellow mode. Things really start to cook with "No More My Lord" - Jacqui confident and strong as she belts out the secular cry for help. Furey Lewis' "Turn Your Money Green" sounds like Fred Neil and Band live in England whilst the two Mingus covers "Haitian Fight Song" and "Goodbye Pork-Pie Hat" allow Thompson to show off some serious Jazz swing chops. They give an early outing to Anne Briggs on her "The Time Has Come" - a smart choice you wished had produced more interest in her CBS Records album of the same name. Shel Talmy of Who fame produced the Studio LP that opens with the lovely title track "Sweet Child" - Bert and Jacqui sharing vocals. The three Traditional covers "I Loved A Lass", "Sovoy" and "The Trees They Do Grow High" are all transformed into Acid Folk-Rock - each sounding amazing on this new Remaster. I'm loving the Previously Unreleased Mix of "A Woman Like You" - a Jansch "Birthday Blues" solo album track that features the 'trio' - him, Thompson and Cox. Sporting gorgeous audio too is "I've Got A Woman" which comes without Ray Warleigh's saxophone solo that made the released version. And another prize is surely the solo 'Acoustic Guitar and Voice Only' take on "I Am Lonely" - as lovely as you're ever likely to hear English Folk be played. 

"Basket Of Light" would become their most commercially successful album (No.5 in the UK) and when you hear the Jacqui lead ""Once I Had A Sweetheart" and the Jansch lead "Spring Time Promises" - joyful Folk-Rock with that Pentangle rhythm section giving the Acoustic Guitar duelling a swing that's hard to resist – you can hear why the public dug it. You could say the songs are all expanded Acoustic workouts, but the number of musical ideas for instance going on in the 4:47 minutes of "Train Song" is utterly brilliant - Jacqui giving it some bah-bah vocals while Bert sings about burning loins. Church-like Name Of The Rose vocals open the gorgeous ye-olde-England "Lyke Wake Dirg" - the combined voices and quiet Terry Cox hand drum giving the religious mood a subtle bottom end. Lyrics from the brilliant "Light Flight" title this review.

The whole 1971 "Reflections" album takes their sound forward - banjos, sitars, violins and those ever-present Danny Thompson Bass lines - a very accomplished album. "...Prettiest thing you've ever seen..." Jacqui sings on "Wedding Dress". There are the traditional tales of woe and longing - promises of marriage blight the poor gal in "Ornie Wise" while Indian Sitar rhythms make things perkier for the lass with cheeks like a red rose in "Rain And Snow" - a girl who isn't going to be treated this way.

And while the first four LPs will be well-worn territory for fans - how good is it hear "Solomon's Seal" sound this good. Apparently the tale goes that the masters have been missing for decades and in a story that I want to be true - when asked to help with the 2003 Castle Music CD reissue Renbourn only went and found a tape box at home propping up a table somewhere. Well, although they're coy as to what they've found, Cherry Red tells us they're using 'an alternate source' here and it sure sounds fabulous. Of the 9 tracks - five were Traditional Song covers with Cyril Tawney's "Sally Free And Easy" being the sixth. "People On The Highway", "No Love Is Sorrow" and "Jump, Baby, Jump" are band compositions that will delight lovers of Sitar acid-based folk. Jacqui and Bert alternate lead vocals (Jacqui on "The Cherry Tree Carol" while Bert handles "The Snows" and so on) - but on the three band songs they share duet vocals - particularly effective on the gorgeous "People On The Highway". And it all ends on an audience tape recorded at the Guildford Civic Hall in November 1972 - three Previously Unreleased. And while the vocals are distant (the other instruments are good) - there is a lovely ballad vibe to the concert - their playing Joni Mitchell-sweet and you can so hear why the remaining members of the band would have chosen these songs to finish up this fab Box.

"...My own darling jewel sat smiling by me..."- Jacqui McShee sang wistfully on "Once I Had A Sweetheart". I'm going to be smiling and dipping into this amazing box set for years to come – I know it.

Well done to John Reed, Adam Velasco, Dave Timperley and all the other good eggs at Cherry Red Records for giving PENTANGLE the send off they deserved - inside of the 'whimpering' one they got in 1973.

"...Sit thee down and put them own..." we're advised in the 'receive-they-soul' "Lyke-Wake Dirge". Amen to that Acid-Folk advice baby...