Pentangle: Cruel Sister (1970)

Cruel Sister was the fourth album by this British folk group Pentangle. Before this album, the band would combine traditional folk material, non-folk material, and their own in an all-acoustic setting. The group had two guitarists, John Renbourn and Bert Jansch, who handled strictly acoustic guitars, while bassist Danny Thompson used his trustworthy double-bass that he named “Victoria”, while drummer Terry Cox tended to use drum brushes rather than sticks. And let’s not forget vocalist Jacqui McShee, who I feel was one of the great female vocalists! The band earned their reputation with their first three albums, their self-entitled 1968 debut, Sweet Child (1968), and Basket of Light (1969). Plus none of the members of this band were exactly strangers to the music scene when the Pentangle was put together in 1967, as people like Bert Jansch and John Renbourn released a few albums since the mid ’60s (as well as albums they did together), and Danny Thompson played in many jazz groups, as well as groups that featured Graham Bond, Ginger Baker, John McLaughlin, etc.

With Cruel Sister the band decided to try something a bit different. This time, they concentrate solely on traditional folk material, and John Renbourn started using electric guitars. Also a first: a side-length cut! Something you expect prog rock bands to do, but because folk music tends to be much more basic, there’s usually no need for side-length cuts (but then the Pentangle wasn’t your ordinary folk group). Thanks to the Pentangle deciding this time to concentrate solely on traditional material, many of the structures of these songs on Cruel Sister are much more folk based. But then the album faced lots of criticisms, many feeling the Pentagle finally saw their best days behind them, but I couldn’t disagree more, in 1970, they still had plenty to offer! “A Maid That’s Deep In Love” starts off, and while the music seems to stay the same throughout, the band includes some creative twists. And the next song, “When I Was In My Prime” could have spelled disaster, since it’s sung by Jacqui McShee with absolutely no band interaction. Instead I was completely stunned by the beauty of this song, it works great here! Then John Renbourn gets his turn to sing on “Lord Franklin”, a traditional song about traveling to Canada and of the seaman’s life. McShee sat this cut out, while Bert Jansch plays concertina and Renbourn handled the guitars (as usual). Next comes the wonderful title track, with McShee once again doing vocal duties. With sitar and dulcitone (apparently a keyboard instrument that uses tuning forks struck by piano hammers, and ends up sounding like a celeste), this piece would not have been out of place on the band’s predecessor, Basket of Light. Now comes the side-length epic “Jack Orion”. Back in 1966, Bert Jansch and John Renbourn recorded that song on their 1966 album of the same name. Now, in 1970, it’s time for the Pentangle to do their version, and this is truly the highlight for me! I really like how the music goes through changes, and I really like the solos, including some medieval recorders from John Renbourn, some dulcitone, and a wonderful electric guitar solo. Also Danny Thompson actually bowed his double bass on parts of this cut, and it sounds like Terry Cox was using regular drumsticks too (as well as his usual brushes). The band actually gets rocking in one part which I was rather surprised, but then the band goes back to the original theme at the end. On “Jack Orion” both John Renbourn and Jacqui McShee have their turn at singing lead on this wonderful piece.

While Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span might get more attention in the British folk-rock scene, the Pentangle certainly made their mark too as they made great albums. And while their reputation largely sits on their first three albums, I found Cruel Sister a surprisingly good and underrated album and very much worth having too!