Solomon’s Seal

Weird to think critics and fans were so sniffly about Solomon’s Seal when it was released; it’s maybe not as immediate as some of the other, beloved Pentangle albums, but it’s a spindly folk-jazz treasure that rewards careful listening. It’s tempting to just bathe in the crystalline sound here, but treat it as ambience and you miss the quiet intensity and charm of the playing here – “Cherry Tree Carol” is dainty without being precious; “People On The Highway” is Bert Jansch and Jacqui McShee at their bluesiest, in one of the most off-handedly bravura performances on any Pentangle album. There’s something to be said for expecting quality and being disappointed when all you get is what you expected – Solomon’s Seal isn’t a strident breakthrough. But it’s a great example of a group whose music has reached an easy, unpretentious flow.