Customer Reviews

HMS Donovan

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While "For Little Ones" is an intimate journey through the child-like looking glass of Donovan's Scottish Isles, "HMS" is painted with a broader brush. This is more the loving stumble into childhood via an attic of musicboxes and half-crumbled story books with turn-o'-the-century color leafs. Some things we've outgrown and some things we should never forget. Some unparalleled, great stuff here: "Seller of Stars", "Queen Mab", and "Henry Martin" - lovely melodies w/ haunting guitar accompaniment somewhere between Bert Jansch and Ramblin' Jack. The guitar throughout this recording is particularly crystalline and as full as harps in ancient halls. "The Voyage of the Moon" - who else, i ask you, possesses the musical legerdemain to make you feel the slight pause of the moon with her sail of gauze? "Song of the Wandering Aengus" - an ending that fades seamlessly into Yeats' celtic Twilight and your heart skips a beat. After hearing Donovan's version it will probably remain the only famous poem I can recite at will. Donovan is the undisputed master when it comes to reviving the vague stirring children have that there IS another world just past the trees and under the hills. (Am I completely nuts on this?) I respectfully differ with Markmatts opinion of "The Walrus and the Carpenter". For those uninclined towards "folk"-type material, I play this cut first as bait by establishing our man as a visionary in sound. The response is invariably amazement. I find it endearingly Felliniesque - the song of the oysters is a gem and you'll not forget their little legs trotting on...

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am the world's biggest Donovan fan, my collection is very extensive, and therefore I could be of much use in the reviews of his albums. Take it from me that adults as well as children will enjoy the psychedlic fairy tales of Donovan's HMS. Donovan shows his way with storytelling, peace, love and enchantment in this record. This record will take you to a place of happiness and joy. It's great to put on if you had a bad day or if you have children that you can't see making them watch Barney or Pokeman. Listening to this record at leat once a day will surely make you feel so much better. It is one hippie happy record to be cherished from start to finish by all who need a break from the monotony of the day.

Like fine wine, this album gets better and better with age. The first listen, don't know what to think. 2nd listen, "hey this is good". 3rd listen. "Wow". 4th listen, "this is a classic". It's simply too bad that the United States/England has not put out an album this good during the 80's, 90's and present. This is my favorite Donovan album. You will find no radio hits. Rather, you will find an album piece-mealed with aggregated with stories, stellar melodies, incredible accoustical guitar playing, and whimsically told (with touches of humor "The Pee Song", "Owl and the Pussycat", etc..) with a wee-bit of Scottish-flavor all joining together to create a masterpiece. I am also blown away with the amount of creativity that Donovan possesses. Many talk about Donovan being Britain's answer to Bob Dylan. Well hogwash on that. Donovan's much, much better than Bob Dylan was (or will ever be). I just don't understand the "superiority" of Dylan over Donovan. There is no way that Bob Dylan could remotely come close to achieving the inner drive/creativity to put out an album like this. I am not saying Dylan is bad. He's a legend. I just don't agree with anyone who claims Donovan to be a Dylan-wanna-be. In-fact, it should be the other way around. This album (along with many of Donovan's others like "Gift to a Flower" speaks as proof to that statement. This album is perfect for folks in their 30's, 40's, and 50's that want to break away from their busy stressful lives and return back to their innocent days of their childhood. I guarantee you that this album will take you on a journey and will allow you to escape your modern day duldrums and return to a place in your heart where you keep your fondest of childhood memories (Let "Mr. Wind" take you there). And it goes without saying that tracks like "Voyage of the Moon", "Celia of the Seals", "Henry Martin", etc.. are some of Donovan's best tracks ever.

For those who may listen to the opening track "The Walrus and the Carpenter" or "The Owl and the PussyCat" or "The Pee Song" and roll their eyes back, all I have to say is "You're not in the right frame of mind to allow the power of this album to take you away to a land filled with childhood fairy-tale dreams and such". Don't give up. Keep listening. Sooner or later, the power of the album will take you there.

If ever an album deserved to be considered an "unknown" or "lost" masterpiece, it's this album. Right up there with the best of the Beatles. Listen to "Seargent Pepper" and this album and ask yourself if you don't agree that this album may in-fact be better. If you love accoustical guitars, incredible melodies, wonderful lyrics, you're missing out if you don't get this album. Definitely a desert island album (ie, which few albums would you take with you if you were to be stranded on a desert island). Donovan, with this album, you're a legend and a genious. This album may be on the low-end of the totem pole in terms of Amazon sales but I think it deserves to be in the upper 5% of the best all-time albums that are listed in Amazon's amazing collection of cd's.

I've played my vinyl copy until I can hear both sides at once. First released only in the UK in the early 70s, this is the best Donovan I've ever heard. He does the mystical Celtic/rock/folk sound perfectly for an entire double-length album, and does the best Walrus and the Carpenter ever recorded anywhere by anyone.

It's mostly children's songs, and adult songs that sound like children's songs.

If you like folk/folk rock, you'll probably like this one.

This cd should be required listening for everyone over the age of 50. The gentle rhythms, stunning guitars and beautiful vocals will definitely lower your stress level and could, if listened to daily, add years to your life.

I have been a Donovan fan ever since I first heard "Catch The Wind" with its hauntingly understated strings on my transistor radio back in 1965. I have always made a point of grabbing every Donovan album as soon as it hit the market. However, the first time I ever saw this album was in 1973, and it was an imported copy. I can't believe this album was ever released domestically because in all these years I have never once seen anything but imported copies, and I have looked very hard. Considering the fact that "A Gift From A Flower To A Garden" was a big success in the U.S, I find it incredible that Epic apparently never saw fit to release H.M.S. Donovan.

There have been so many excellent reviews of this cd, there is no need for me to restate how wonderful the songs are. I would like to point out that my personal favorite is "Coulter's Candy" which features a group vocal sound similar to "Happiness Runs", only better.

If you love quiet but powerful songs performed with taste and flair, you must get this cd. You won't be sorry.

"HMS Donovan" was indeed meant to be the follow-up to the very successful "Open Road" LP of 1970 in the US. Donovan, however, had already signed on the dotted-line with Warner Brothers even though he was still contractually obligated to Columbia's Epic Records imprint. The predictable Big Business lawsuits ensued, Donovan became ensnarled in a kind of Record Company lock-out, and "HMS Donovan," for all intents and purposes, was lost at sea -- an excellent LP simply cast adrift in the US market. A kind of sequel to 1967's "A Gift From a Flower to a Garden" double-album, "HMS" is well-worth checking out, even 30-plus years down the road.

If you like Donovan's music and have never heard HMS Donovan, get it immediately. This is a wistful, melodic, gentle, and dream-like homage to the childhood you never had but always wished for. Absolutely beautiful and highly recommended.

I've always had a strong preference for Donovan's quieter, more reflective works, and this recording is one of his strongest in that respect. However, in my opinion the album a bit of a hodge-podge, and could have used a strong editor. The songs in general fall into one of two categories: childrens or adults. Both categories have some representitives which could have been culled to make a stronger whole, and some of the songs just don't fit the general mood (especially "Homesickness" and "Celia"). Omitting 3-5 out of the 27 tracks would have tightened it up quite a bit. Some of the tracks seem like they were truncated, possibly to fit a single CD (I've never heard the LP version).

It's too bad, because much of the work here is absolutely wonderful. The guitar work is outstanding on many of these tunes, the melodies beautifully crafted, and the lyrics well written or chosen (Donovan arranged a number of poems, either well known or deserving to be). Since it's on CD, skipping the clunkers is easy, and HMS Donovan has become my most-listened-to album.

I'd rate this as a must-have despite only giving it 4 stars. I also wish Donovan would consider a return to performing for children. There's a huge industry of children's recordings. i believe this is superior to the vast majority, and would like to hear more to match it.

I love pleasant things, and Donovan brings melody to the places we have never emerged from. Some say this is childrens music; indeed, it is fit for a child (fairie tales abound), but where do we draw the line between nature's music and adult fantasy? He has a way of bringing our aesthetic ideals to our ears. This is a fantastic album...no matter what your background or musical preference. If you believe in pure goodness.....buy this cd.

If you enjoy Donovan's early music, like Fairytales, you'll like this folkie, acoustic driven album. He is an amazing lyricist and is amazing with melodies.