Customer Reviews

Open Road

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4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you only have one album by Donovan, this is a crime.

If you only have two albums by Donovan you must have been pardoned somewhere down the line, but not by me.

I say this because if you like or liked Donovan then most fans of his most illustrious music own many albums of his, through many different periods, but if you do not have this on vinyl,8-track (snicker, snicker) or reel to reel, or now on CD you need to ask yourself why?

There are many periods of Donovan, the folkie from '64-65, the slick folk-popster of '65, the psychedelic pop-star '66-68, the revamping pop-star of '69, the often ignored and abandoned pop has been of '72-78, the recluse of the eighties, and the re-emergence of re-recognition at the middle of the Nineties.

But the period often overlooked by too many people, is this one disc/album, that is so singularly different from any of Don's previous or subsequent releases that this is truly the gem of his entire recorded output.

"Open Road" was the name of the band and its eponymously titled album, and as such a new direction for the Mighty Donovan to persue, unfortunately for whatever reason, and many are given by those whose know and those who only wish they knew, the 'Open Road' was not a new avenue of approach but just a dead end cul-de-sac. This was the chance for Donovan to be anonymous within a band line-up and at the same time to be autonomous in the studio. The aninimity never happened needless to say, I wonder why? But the autonomy within the confines of the studio really paid off.

Unlike the cut and paste ideals of the Mickie Most era, (which really seemed to hurt more bands than it ever helped, case in point The Yardbirds-Little Games, The Animals-AnimalTracks/Animalism/Animalization, just to name a few), allowed Donovan and the band the necessary freedom of time to complete a release, in this case a splendid one.

The one technical difficulty observed with this particular release has been mentioned in an earlier review, is that there is a bottom end that is way to heavy and plays out as a distorted bass part, not all the way throughout but in all the wrong places and most particularly in the songs 'Celtic Rock' and 'Poke at the Pope'. Both songs need to be heard, although with this being the best current edition of these songs the problem can be overlooked, at least until a true 'remastered edition' is released.

After this album Donovan can be found doing more story-based albums for film scores or childrens stories, which is by no means an insult to this incredibly talented artist but somewhat of a let down after the promise or rather the invitation to a promising avenue as "Open Road" was.

The line-up for this album, Donovan-guitar/vocals/harp, 'Candy' John Carr-percussion/vocals, Mike Thomson-Bass guitar/vocals/lead guitar, with Mike O'Neill-piano/vocals, is as classic a line-up as ever for a self contained Donovan band.

The track listing has only one light song in the old Donovan tradition which is 'Joe Bean's Theme' which is reminiscent of 'Jennifer Juniper or 'The Observation', some may state that the songs 'Song for John' and Curry Land' also reflect Donovan's earlier periods as well.

The best tracks are where Donovan gets the boot in as in songs like 'Changes', 'Celtic Rock', 'Clara Clairvoyant', 'Roots of Oak', 'Poke at the Pope' and 'Season of Farewell', characterize the "Celtic rock" feel throughout the disc, the whole idea behind this disc was for Donovan to have a stripped down bare-essential Rock band that played "roots" music and with that knowledge, he truly succeeded.

Of the other tracks 'Riki Tiki Tavi' is an upbeat tune that even became a small "hit", although the previously "unreleased" version heard on 'Troubador' is better, in that the real meaning of the song is heard.

Alas one more terrible distraction from this wondrous disc is the exclusion of the lyrics, why?

The last track on the album correctly titled 'New Years Resovolution' seems to be Donovan's attempt to take his fan base with him in a new direction, the song works, too bad the fan base didn't.

The lyrical refrain "Do what you've never done before for fear of losing face, you have nothing to defend now, in your state of grace. So get on your bike and do what you like. Love is the gift of man, yet he will not receive within, is the church of man. Yet he cannot perceive without is the realm of man, he yet cannot conceive man is the plague of man, yet he will not believe. There go you go I" says it all baby!

As it all too often seems to happen, an artist produces his finest work at the same time his commercial appeal starts to slide.By the time this album was released in 1970, Donovan's string of hit singles was coming to an end. Riki Tiki Tavi was a minor hit on radio, and then...nothing.But, as I have said before, that doesn't mean the creative juices have dried up, or that artist is no longer relevant, only that the tastes of the mass market have shifted and are looking to something new. That's when an artist's fan base takes over and supports him
(or her). Concerts are well attended and albums continue to sell to some degree, but the artist in question no longer finds his face on magazine covers or mentioned in the same breath as the current entertainers. This album,"Open Road" was, and still is, a magnificent piece of work. Riki Tiki Tavi, Changes, Clara Clairvoyant, People Used To, New Years Resolvolution (no, that's not a misspelling) are wonderful,well crafted, intelligent songs
written and performed by an artist in his prime.It seems that Donovan went a little bit backward, toward his folkie style of music, but with a late sixties, early seventies twist. My opinion is that this is Donovan's finest album. If you know Donovan only as the guy who did "Mellow Yellow", then have a listen to the Open Road album. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
You'll find that life is so much more rewarding sometimes if you kill your own snakes, instead of depending on the church, the government, the schools to do it for you.

I have been in love with this album for 33 years. It's music has a way of staying with you. I've been chanting the refrain from "Roots of Oak" for 30 years as a personal affirmation.

"Let me hear not facts, figures, and logic,
Fain would I hear lore, legend and magic."

I'm so excited to see it available once again as my album is worn out. This effort represented a change for Donovan from folksy ballardeer to soft rocker. The mix and presentation are not up to modern standards, but the genius come through anyway. Gems in this project include "Changes" " People Used to""Celtic Rock" and "Roots of Oak."

Hopefully you will be as enchanted by this unique offering from one of folk music's great artists.

Rudyard Kipling, rather than Celtic archeology, sets the atmosphere to "Open Road". Once underrated, this album has now an opportunity to be reevaluated, as well as the whole oeuvre of Donovan. Funny how mainstream contemporaneous critical appraisal in the late sixties were manicheist and ruthless: one day Donovan is hype, everything his name appears on is gold; the next day the magic is over and he is the almost-Dylan hippyish-childish banana-smoker Victorian jester. Nevermind, time heals it all (and Mr. Leitch was sage to wait). After 30 years, only true values (music, poetry, performance) prevails, so the treasures from his ark are now being unearthed by the reissue of a string of CDs besides the standards of "Troubadour" box: "A gift...", "HMS...", "Essence...", and at last "Open Road". Here, Donovan tries to run from the flower-power cliché attached upon his work with a straightforward rock by a simple and well fitted guitar-bass-drums band, hauntingly beautiful vocal harmonies (Song for John, People Used To), and an array of touching melodies, from the martial tones of Curry Land to the sympathetic bossa rhythm of Joe Bean's Theme (with my thorough Brazilian approval). He visits East Indian and Kipling legends on Riki Tiki Tavi and Curry Land, telluric subjects on Roots of Oak, People Used To, Season of Farewell, Celtic Rock (latter Jabberwocky on HMS), and paints colorful characters on Clara Clairvoyant. You'll love it all, for sure. Plunge yourself into Donovan's finest poetry and sparkling melodies, a heartbound and timeless spell.

This is the one that got away. Ask anyone about this record and 99.9% will have no idea. In vinyl terms, the second side of this LP is among the best stuff Donovan ever recorded.
Remember, this came out in 1970 and if you listen close you can see a signpost pointing the way to the future of T-Rex. Close your eyes and you can hear it. If Donovan took this band on the road and toured to support this album when it was released he may have had a chance to to re-vamp his career and claim a spot with the great "Glam Rock" artists of that time. The band supporting Donovan was perfect for him. The only thing preventing this review from 5 stars is the annoying habit of overdone falsettos (especially on Roots Of Oak) through-out the record but that does not prevent one from enjoying the truly outstanding songwriting and subtle musicianship. Poke At The Pope is typical Donovan - a cross of folk & jazz phrasing mixed together: Great Stuff! Go out and buy it!!!

I bought the vinyl (twice) and had it pinched at parties (twice). I bought the tape (new technology then!) and well, you know what happens to tapes. When I went online, I scoured the internet for it. No luck. I even bought the sheet music just to prove to myself that I hadn't actually dreamed it.

I was just about to get a different vinyl album changed to CD for a considerable charge and I thought.....why not.......give it one more go on the internet. I looked for that album and Open Road and couldn't believe my eyes...

I can only echo what everyone else has said - you've not had the full experience of Donovan till you've heard this one. As much as I like his other, better known work, there was an extra magic here that infiltrates your mind and memory. Be warned! I hadn't heard the songs for 25 years but I could still sing them to myself so these are the type of songs you'll sing in the shower and hum in the supermarket.

I waited a long time to see this recording reissued in CD format, and eventually I was not to be disappointed. As a vinyl record I liked it from the start but, as with all these discs, it began to show the effects of time and use. There were tantalizing tracks used on other CDs, the infamous 'compilations', so I knew the original masters were out there somewhere! It seemed only a matter of time that my patience would be rewarded.
This album has a few frivolous (but worthwhile) tracks, but two or three serious pieces of music. 'Roots of Oak', 'Season of Farewell' and 'New Year's Resovolution' (as it's spelled on the original sleeve) are the examples I would give here. They stick in the memory and create a mood for the entire CD. Strangely I always play this CD when I'm driving up the Northumberland coast to Howick, Craster and the Farne Islands, but don't ask me why!
This is a collection of songs I can recommend to the budding Donovan fan as being entertaining and at times thought-provoking. I think you'll like it.

Open Road is a brief glimpse at Donovan's road not taken. Open Road was not only the title of the album but the name of the group, which was supposed to be Donovan's regular working band. It consisted of Donovan on vocals and guitar, John Carr on drums, and Mike Thomson on bass and guitar, augmented here by Mike O'Neill on piano. For some reason Donovan didn't continue recording with this band; instead, he followed up this recording with a trio of albums featuring outstanding studio musicians.

At the time of this recording Donovan had recently parted company with producer Mickey Most, preferring to produce himself, and his exuberance at finally being in control of his own destiny shines through on every track. The lyrics dwell repeatedly on the themes of independence, anti-authoritarianism, freedom, and self-reliance. Musically, there are a couple of ballads, a bossa nova, a couple of tracks on which Donovan explores the blend of rock and traditional British sounds that bands like Fairport Convention and Pentangle were working with more extensively, and the remainder is a batch of tough, punchy, stripped-down rock & roll. Of special note is Poke at the Pope, which devout Catholics will probably find offensive but which most other people will find hilarious- even those too young to remember this particular Pope.

The original inner gatefold, which featured the lyrics, more complete musician credits (Donovan plays lead guitar on Clara Clairvoyant and Poke At the Pope, Thomson on Song for John and Season of Farewell), and photos of O'Neill and engineer Mike Boback, has been replaced with a perfunctory overview of Donovan's career that scarcely mentions this album. If you own a copy of the original vinyl album you might want to keep ahold of it to preserve this material. There are no bonus tracks.

If your previous experience of Donovan has been confined to his hits and you've found him too fey, coy, sweet (or saccharine) for your taste, give this one a try. You might be surprised.

By 1970 the music world was changing. Just a year or two earlier music was being tye-dyed in peace, love and flowers. Psychedelia ruled the world. Donovan was the prince of psychedelic music, releasing numerous albums and enjoying top chart success. With Open Road he made a radical change in the sound of his music. But you need not worry, this album is pure delight, from start to finish. You won't hear sitars or finger cymbals on this album, but instead a pretty powerful band knocking out one pop gem after another. Picking a "favorite song" on this album is pretty much impossible. The only real filler song on the whole album is "Joe Bean's Theme" and maybe "Song for John." Unfortunately, there are no real mega-hits on this album. The rural, under-produced feel of the Open Road album suffers the same radio-neglect fate as Paul McCartney's eponymous first solo album. The lyrical flow of Open Road is quite crafty, especially on "Clara Clairvoyant." The final song on the album, "New Year's Resovolution" with it's "do what you've never done before" mantra could have easily appeared on a 1967 Donovan release. Otherwise, it's all about "changes." And the changes will not get you down with this sturdy 1970 release.

I thought I had all of Donovons good albums already, but I took a chance on this and I couldn't be happier - I've played it for 4 days straight since it arrived and there's really not a bad track. Like most Donovan it's relaxing but upbeat, but this features some of his best lyrics, themes that remain important 32 years later such as "People used to pause to think and contemplate... he who hustled was the fool." Give credit to drummer John Carr and guitarist Mike Thomson. The harmonies and melodies sound like Wings or Badfinger, but Donovans experimental brilliance remains evident in songs like Celtic Rock (a heavy version of Irish folk). 1970 might seem like "old" Donovan, but he was only 22. However I do wonder just what he is holding on the cover...