Pentangle – Cruel Sister (Transatlantic 1970)

Utterly fantastic album! ‘Cruel Sister’ was the fourth studio release by this legendary band, and 100 percent based on old British folklore. The music is mainly very traditional sounding, but the band also took high risks with the truly adventurous, 17 minutes long ‘Jack Orion’. Folk rock doesn’t get any more epic than this composition, which is the reason why ‘Cruel Sister’ often gets tossed into the progressice rock category. But one could just as well call it baroque folk jazz. Genres aside (and genres, in any case, constitute only artistic limitations – especially for musicans of the calibre we’re dealing with here): The *music* you’ll find on this album is so incredibly tasteful, so wonderfully played and arranged that one just cannot help but fall instantly in love with it. ‘Jack Orion’ exemplifies all that this – in my opinion – unsurpassable folk band stood for: Wonderful and often very haunting melodies, sophisticated playing and arrangements, and not at least an incredible atmosphere. Also, the lengthy electric guitar solo by Renbourn gives me goosebumps every single time. Incredibly powerful! This composition alone makes the album totally unmissable, but it has so much more to offer too. The album opens with ‘A Maid That’s Deep In Love’, where you’ll hear the always incredible Jacqui McShee in all her glory. Has there ever been a better and more magical voice in folk rock? I don’t think so, and this in a genre that is full of incredible singers! On the next song, ‘When I Was In My prime’, she sings totally unaccompanied, and meanwhile the world stops. ‘Lord Franklin’, sung by John Renbourn, isn’t any less of a masterpiece. The melody is simple, but so utterly beautiful. Could this be the best this folk legend has ever done? Very likely. The title track follows, and this epic song – inspired by an old Scottish ballad – is the darkest moment here. It’s an incredibly haunting song, with a truly… cruel story to tell. And then it all rounds off with the aforementioned ‘Jack Orion’, that makes one hell of a finale. ‘Cruel Sister’ gets my vote as one of the ten best folk albums ever made. Completely essential stuff!