Album Reviews

The release of “The Autobiography of Donovan, The Hurdy Gurdy Man,” last December, unleashed a publicity juggernaut that had the ‘60’s icon returning to the public eye with perhaps greater intensity than he experienced during the height of his original success (though without the #1 hits, of course).

Once unfairly pigeonholed first as a Dylan wannabe, thanks in part to his use of a harmonica bracket and his Dylanesque tune “Catch the Wind,” and in greater part due to his unfortunate UK backstage encounter with a viciously dismissive Bob Dylan captured on film in D.J. Pennebaker’s “Don’t Look Back,” Donovan went on to be later dismissed by many as a corny, caricatured “flower child hippie.”

However, as this Sundazed reissue of one of Donovan’s strongest Epic albums boldly declares, Donovan was a world music and jazz/rock innovator who adeptly fused various musical genres to create a unique, and oft copied sound filled with congas, sitars, harpsichords and other non-traditional (for rock) instruments. He was also a first-rate melodist and an evocative, unadorned vocalist.

And of course he did create a series of memorable hit songs like “Sunshine Superman,” “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” (not here) and of course “Season of The Witch” and "Mellow Yellow"(also not here).

While each side of this album begins with a super hit, it’s the lesser-known tracks that really shine. There’s no filler on this Mickie Most production, thanks in part to arranger John Cameron’s considerable finesse and a cast of accompanists including Jimmy Page, jazz drummer Bobby Orr and a small string section.

I don’t know which was written first, “The Trip,” or The Mamas and the Papas’s “Creeque Alley,” (“John was twitchy, getting’ kinda itchy….”) but they’re basically the same song. Side two’s final three tunes, “Guinevere,” “Fat Angel,” and especially the gorgeous “Celeste” are alone worth the price of admission to this intimately recorded album.

Despite producer Mickie Most’s reputation for “cheap and dirty,” this one is particularly clean and not at all cheap sounding. Everything is closely and clearly miked, and beautifully layered in the mono mix, which is filled with big, nuanced and delicate images.

Yes, there is a slight whiff of preciousness about Donovan that follows him through the decades but this album will get to you, I promise. Another Donovan album easy to recommend musically and sonically is Donovan In Concert (Epic BN 26386 stereo) very well recorded live at The Anaheim Convention Center. You’ll just have to look past ol’ flute playing Donovan on the back cover in his Nehru jacket, beads around his neck.

I don't care if Donovan's not considered "cool," this album is.