The addition of multi-instrumentalist
Nigel Portman Smith in the bass chair enabled
Pentangle to employ a broader, more varied instrumental palette on
In the Round than on its predecessor, Open the Door. However, this more eclectic sound is also less unified than on the previous release.
Bert Jansch is in excellent form on guitar, and plays some nice banjo on "Play the Game."
Smith's electric piano helps make "Chase That Devil Away" one of the most overt jazz pieces in the
Pentangle canon, and
Mike Piggott's electric guitar is more pronounced here than in the past. In fact, there is more of a rock feel to the whole album than one would normally associate with
Pentangle, but there's still plenty of material to satisfy the folkie clientele, with
Jacqui McShee's vocals as beautiful and haunting as ever. ~ Jim Newsom