Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Just the 60’s in musical form.
De la pure folk, de celle qui définit le genre. Donovan déroule son album tel un conteur, un ménestrel hippie aux riches récits... On se laisse porter sans le moindre effort !
A period piece of early British psychedelia - sitars, tablas, hedgerows, ravens and dark forebodings.
feel like Donovan is super underrated
I enjoyed listening to this album. He's got a decent voice, the songs are catchy, but not exceptional, and have a nice mellow vibe to them without putting you to sleep.
Good, enjoyable to listen to. Have to say I am a bit biased.
Quite a great album actually, I didn't expect to like it so much. Having only been familiar with the title track so far, I had never listened to the whole album, but it was definitely worth it. 4.2/5, enjoyable experience all over, will definitely listen again. I would have never listened to the entire thing by myself, so I see this as an absolute win.
Spoopy sad
This album surprised me. Great melodies, definitely worth a listen.
What I imagine every hippie drum circle sounded like.
4.5/5
I thought I'd like this one more... Strangely I think side 2 was the better side. Especially with both "Season of the Witch" and "Fat Angel" on that side. (8.1) ★★★★
Pretty cool slice of early freak folk. The title track and "Season of the Witch" are obvious highlights, but pretty enjoyable throughout - 4 stars.
Groovy album. Fan of Donovan’s hippy dippy far out thing. 4 stars
I recognized the title song. this album is classic 60’s psychedelic music.
This record is so hippy-dippy, flower-power. It is corny and naive. But I love it for that. Can't we love something because it makes us happy? I can. Four stars.
Donovan is one of those artists who had a large following during his early years but seems like a more a footnote of the flower power generation today. To my knowledge, he only had a handful of really big songs (my favorite one, 'Atlantis' is sadly not on this album). Having said that, I genuinely like Donovan, or at least the little of his discography I've heard. He sounds genuine and passionate and cool in his own subtle way but without pretension. The music is heavily folk influenced with shades of psychedelia and sitar music. While that description could apply to any number of 60s artists, Donovan stands out as something special. One day, I think I should do a deep dive into his discography.
As much as I want to malign Donovan, I just can't. His tunes are catchy and enjoyable, if sometimes downright creepy (Sunshine Superman).
Very eclectic without losing that signature Donovan sound. A little pretentious sometimes but still an enjoyable listen
A really interesting listen. I can hear this influence of this album reverberate through the next nearly 60 years. From Jefferson Airplane, to the Doors, to Beck, to even Smash Mouth. Elements of this album feed the inspiration of bands to come. I already knew a few songs on this album, but it was enjoyable to hear the rest.
4.0
Psychedelic, folky goodness with served up by Donovan on Sunshine Superman. The title track and Season of the Witch carry this album for sure but everything else was hazy and hit the spot. Guinevere was a little medieval for me but otherwise this was excellent. 4 stars
One banger
Good album
Funny how I knew a lot of these songs without knowing who they were by. Fun album. Super retro and hippie vibes.
It took me a long time to enjoy Donovan but now I like him very much. It's playful psychedelic folk songs are often discreet to the point of passing for a filler or a dud. But repeated listens reveal its true charm. He's a bit underrated, I think.
Great album that I appreciate more and more after every listen.
A classic for the lovers of psychedelic folk like me. It's also kind of avant-garde, as it was released in 1966. Beautiful fantasy mood, a listen of Sunshine Superman is always a peaceful and mellow moment.
i’m a sucker for this stuff sometimes tbh
energy gets a little too low at points but will always be a killer album
Wistful, layered psychedelia. Perfect for a summer day.
60's psychedelia with some indian/eastern influences. knew some of the highlights on here, but never given it a full listen.
songs are like they are composed by Ilayaraaja :D Favorite Track: Legend of a Girl Child Linda other picks: sunshine superman, three king fishers (sitar), Bert's blues
Enjoyed this one a lot. Season of The Witch was the only song I knew coming in so I was excited to get more Donovan. It felt like he had a concept and executed it the way he wanted to. Easy to listen to and one I will come back to.
Sunshine Superman (the song) is like the go to '60s psychedelic meme song and I never knew the name of it despite hearing it a zillion times. This was a cool album, I especially liked the jazzy breakdown at the end of Bert's Blues.
Goed album, lekker psychedelisch, maar niet over de top. Prachtige arrangementen. Typisch voor de tijd, maar niet gedateerd.
Excellent album both in the quiet, gentle mode (Guinevere) and in the more rocking mode (Season of the Witch).
This is my style exactly. Everyone in the store looked exactly like me. The sales person said I was the only person they had ever seen pull it off.
Very groovy. Lots of excellent bops on here.
I enjoyed this record a lot more than I expected. A mention of Green Lantern is almost enough to bump this to 5.
Quite solid sixties rock album. Was not expecting this when I started the album. A couple tracks I recognized. Pretty catchy and a little psychadelic.
1966 Genre: Psychedelia, folk, psychedelic folk, raga rock Standouts: Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch, Others: Legend of a Girl Child Linda, Bert's Blues. 3.75
I gotta say, this was pretty good. Sure, there are a couple of duds: ‘Legend Of A Girl Child Linda’, and ‘Guinevere’ are just that little bit bland and musically uninteresting, but the rest is pretty great. ‘Season Of The Witch’, ‘Sunshine Superman’, ‘The Trip’, ‘The Fat Angel’, and ‘Three King Fishers’ are the highlights here on what is one of the better psychedelic albums from the 1001 Albums book and the era in general.
favourite song: season of the witch fantastic album. donovan is great.
great example of 60's psychedelia, would be perfect if not for a couple of filler songs.
A calm and in itself resting, well balanced work which luckily doesn’t feature too much of the 60‘s time colorit.
This album seems so far ahead of its creation. The Beatles influence is there, but there is more. Pretty amazing.
incredibly pretty Legend of a Child Girl Linda made me feel comforted, like I was being held and sung asleep just like when I was a baby
An enchanting album
I've always liked Donovan. "Mellow Yellow" is a track I remember my dad and I singing together when I was a little kid. This album has that same groovy feel. It definitely brings to mind images of flower power. The psychedelic nostalgia is lovely, and while a few of these songs sort of came and went with minimal fanfare, the overall sentiment it left behind is a positive one indeed.
This album reeks of 60s. Some good stuff. I’ve only heard the hits before this.
Um folk 'zinho' que me agradou bem com o uso de instrumentos hindus.
When looking back on Donovan in his heyday, its easy to draw comparisons between all of his contemporaries, and how they often rose above his output, to the point where his biggest namesake in the current day is a soda "probably" named after one of his songs, which to be fair, not many musicians can say, but you get what I mean. However, if you separate his work into its own bubble, there is quite a bit to enjoy. He's got an unconventional yet pretty voice, amateur-ish enough to feel genuine on most tracks, and his guitar playing is simple yet sweet, giving to a relaxing album to put on and enjoy in the background. I'll personally say that the hits here actually do very little for me, but the deep cuts are exactly what I'd want out of this era of folk, with great pop-production to make it feel mainstream without pulling out the roots, and a just solid theming throughout. It may be a tad stereotypical, but its still a nice time. Obviously this is no Bob Dylan, Tim Buckley, etc. etc, but on its own merits, this is a worthwhile addition to anyone's collection.
groovy maaaaaan
LP
This album actually aged pretty well. It's certainly a product of the time, but Donovan has an interesting vocal delivery, and the music and songwriting are interesting.
first listen wow this is great and also he looks like kristen stewart
Every artist has their inspirations that they either subconsciously or purposely take ideas from. But to influence someone into a new artistic direction is probably more of an honour than the aforementioned. Donovan achieved this fear with the Beatles. He is the reason for George Harrison to pick up the sitar and for the Beatles to approach Sgt. Pepper's in a way that they did. Needless to say, Donovan is the real deal. His song writing is really interesting. Lyrics are great and composition is fantastic. This record screams psychedelia. I get that this genre isn't for anyone. But I dont think anyone would be in right frame of mind to say that this record isnt good. It isn't perfect. But there is a lot to appreciate. Music of the 60s is hit and miss for this genre, but when it hits, it's fantastic. That being said, if you're sleepy.... This album will play to that. If you don't appreciate a non traditional band set up, and don't give a heck about pushing boundaries and trying new things... This album may bore you. But in the end, you'd be wrong. Not perfect, but purposeful.
An interesting album from start to finish as it transitions in style and instrument use and not all is for me. The best part about the later album is that by the time I got to The Fat Angel I found myself compelled to go and listen to the Prince of Parties by Flight of the Conchords.
I don’t totally love the sitar sounds on this album, but the middle 3 songs (Bert’s Blues through The Trip) are soooo good.
Again, a new discovery for me. I like the blend of folk, rock and psychedelic.
Another sixties pop record with a couple of standout singles. The remainder of the collection is pretty good. Not Byrds good, but it passes the vibe check.
3.7/5 Best Track: Season of the Witch
This is why I wanted to embark on this music challenge! Loved discovering Donovan’s music, especially gems like Season of the Witch and Sunshine Superman. I’m not usually a folk music fan, but Sunshine Superman has enough psychedelic rock elements to create a very interesting album and some killer songs.
Such a quintessential 60s rock sound in the US. Very easy on the ears and melodic throughout.
Influenced the start of Psych rock and set the stage for the Beatles. I think it is underrated by others. But It doesn't quite reach my 5star
I like the first song, Sunshine Superman. I found the variety of song styles refreshing. I also really liked Season of the Witch and Guinevere.
Great album. Obviously, Sunshine Superman is a classic tune - granted I never actually knew the name of it or who the artist was. I heard (and loved) Season of the Witch for the first time when watching "The Other Guys" - again, loved the song but never knew the artist. The rest of the album didn't disappoint. It has a "psychedelic folk" vibe. I also read that there is a shot of this album spinning in one of the recent Beatles "found footage" documentaries. It's easy to see why this album would have caught there attention.
It was really good. I think I only disliked one song!
Pretty decent actually
Listened Before? N Like... far ouuuut, man! This was a good album, for real. Total sixites bomb and it was awesome. Peace and love, man. I love that this was basically dedicated to a woman whom he was pining for and actually ended up marrying.. and they're still married. Donovan just killing it. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch
very interesting. liked it a lot
Donovan is clearly quite clever and versatile. Sitar, harpsichord, variety of styles are all appreciated. His voice is not his strong suit Sunshine Superman - solid Legend of girl child Linda- very long, gets old Three King Fishers- groovy, sitar,
4/5
I have always been a fan of Donovan going back to the early-mid 60's when I first started developing my own tastes in music. Donovan is first and foremost a poet that used folk-pop music as a vehicle to share his poetry to the masses. This is a lovely album to listen to and it bridges a lot of musical genres (folk-pop, psychedelic rock, blues). The sprinkling of sitar and harpsicord add really cool flourishes throughout. From psychedelic (Sunshine Superman) to dark and trippy (Season of the Witch) there are a lot of great songs to choose from. Favorite Songs: Sunshine Superman, The Trip, Legend of a Girl Child Linda, Season of the Witch
I was surprised at how vibrant this record sounded. Donovan really pours himself into these songs, as Sunshine Superman oozes personality, whimsy and somber psychedelic folk. I really enjoyed getting lost in the tales of Arthurian Knights and Merlin (as Donovan continuously "looks out my window" to see what he sees). I also kind of love the style of the album artwork. 3.5/5 Fav tracks: Legend of the Girl Child Linda, Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch Fav tracks:
I feel like Donovan gets slighted in critical reviews of the 60s, but it's a real shame to write him off. There's some really lovely, gentle psychedelic folk here. While a few tracks don't quite hold up to the test of time ("Three King Fishers" and "The Fat Angel"), this is a confident and understated exploration of the softer side of the peace and love era. And amid that softness, you get Season of the Witch, which just absolutely rips. Favourites: Season of the Witch, Legend of a Girl Child Linda, The Trip
All my adult life I thought I’d listened to this a lot when I was a 19/20, but turns out it was Donovan’s greatest hits, not this. This is still class, peak 60s drug folk. Mightve just made that genre up but I think it sums this up well. It does go on a while, and some songs couldve done with being shorter in my opinion, particularly at the start, but when its good it is excellent. Reminds me of being young in the Summer. Highlights obviously the excellent Season of the Witch and Sunshine Superman, as well as The Trip, and Berts Blues. Still blows my mind he is Scottish and not American.
Super psychedelic. Some of the tracks are extremely bland, some pretty special (Season of the Witch, Sunshine Superman, and Legend of a Girl Child Linda). Seemingly off his face when recording. Am verering towards a 3.5, but will round up as it was on the whole refreshing.
Listened Before? No I'm not usually huge into 60s folk-psych, but this one is better than most of that era. Also reading a little history on it, it appears to be considered among the first true "psychedelia" released. I found the title track to be one of the strongest on here. Cool period elements and psych vibes. There was another later in the album that reminded me a lot of a Beatles song in the way it progressed, but can't remember which. All said, this is a very enjoyable album that teeters between folk and psych. Amazing given the cleanliness that this was produced in the mid 60s. Beautiful mixing and vocals, more mature than would be expected for a 19 year old. This is a 4 / 5 in my eye. Added to Library? No
Definitely have heard Sunshine Superman the song a ton of times but would never be able to tell you it was Donovan. Great tune. This is really good psychedelic folk. Three King Fishers really shows the sitar. Noah Kahan totally ripped off Season of the Witch. Like this one better anyway. Was thinking The Fat Angel sounded like Jefferson Airplane then they said Jefferson Airplane which was weird. JA also covered the song later on so maybe I've heard that before. Random guitar parts in Celeste remind me of House of Cards by Radiohead. Sounds like the coin trick. This was an extremely pleasant listen. Donovan nailed down the psychedelic folk angle which is not usually my favorite but he does it so well.
Sunshine Superman is a triple jump backward at this point. The record babyfaced, psych hardly denoting modernity any more, and a healthy Scottish dose of medievality. The openers on each side stand out, as does the sitar, early-sounding though I'm not sure how the instrument's history in Western music actually goes.
Very enjoyable album. Doesn't have Donovan's best work on it, but there's so much good here, that can be overlooked.
Miam miam miam on mange bien
Strong debut. Really enjoyed most of these songs and Season of the Witch is a knock out
As an opener, Sunshine Superman epitomises that 60s sound. Mellow Yellow - overplayed pop song. But, Catch the Wind was a really good track. After that, I liked 'There is a mountain'. Colours was quite decent. Jennifer Juniper was one of those 'pure pop' songs aimed at the Top 30. However, things bounced back with a brilliant track "The Trip". Never heard it before and really liked it. Another few decent songs: Hurdy Hurdy man and Superlungs My Supergirl By the end of the album I realised this was a lot more layered and complex than I had assumed to give Donovan credit for. The fact that I know I want to listen to this album a few more times makes it a very deserved 4
Sentí influencia de Norwegian Wood (un año antes) y me recuerda a las vibras brujosas de Stevie Nicks.
sounds straight out of the 70s. Love the cover art. I like the style.
definitely will be listening
Good
I liked it. Couple of classics I was surprised to hear. Would like to listen again, makes for a nice summer album
"The trip by Donovan" was quite good!! "Three King Fishers" also this one, I felt like I went on a trip "Bert's Blues" true 60s vibes "Superlungs my supergirl" (banned version) was written for flower childs "Superlungs my supergirl" (og version) was quite good!! An easy listen but not for every day. (Would consider getting it in LP though so I could enjoy the full Mono aspect of it)
Kinda nice
There is something that hits so right with all those Psychedelic Rock albums from those times. From the esthetics to the instruments and topics. It all sends you to a different dimension which I guess is what good art is about. Raw recordings of instruments and usage of classic music makes this extra lovely experience.
Mm funky trippy and soulful
Sunshine came softly, ah to my, ah window today.
Don't know any songs by Donovan, never actually heard of him. Nice album cover. What a great introduction to the album with sunshine superman. Love the sound he achieves throughout the album, especially the guitarist. The whole album start to finish feels like a psychedelic journey. Great vocals, use and diversity of instrumental sound is impressive for the 1960s, definitely ahead of its time. Very satisfying Personal Favorites: Sunshine Superman, Bert's Blues, Season of the witch
good
Bob Dylan meets Simon & Garfunkel meets The Beatles. Plus it has Season of the Witch on there. Pretty great.
Psychedelic pop classic
Peaks at the first track but the first track also happens to be one of the greatest songs of the 60s (also how do you follow up a track that features half of Led Zeppelin) The psychedelic and folky soundscapes also give this album a beautiful autumnal feeling Favourite tracks: Sunshine Superman, Bert’s Blues, Season of the Witch, Celeste
It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a '60s Donovan album. Full of folksy guitar and a dash of psychedelia. I don't think it's a masterpiece, but it's a solid album and worth a listen.
Sweet
Enjoyable, nice guitar sound
Groovy, whimsical, elegant when it needs to be. What I really appreciate about Donovan is that he was one of the few singers in the "psychedelic folk" vein with a strong pop sensibility and who also seems to be having fun. This is an album full of diverse influences, but Donovan still manages to keep a balanced, cohesive sound. Every little flourish and detail adds depth and value without ever sounding heavy handed, which is frequently not the case in albums from this era. Donovan's vocal is earnestly sweet and always engaging. Fave Songs: Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch, Bert's Blues, Celeste, The Trip, Ferris Wheel, The Fat Angel
A beautiful, mellow and dreamlike psychedelic and folk album from the mid 1960s. I love the arrangements on this album, particularly the sitar sound which was still wasn't really common in pop music at that time - Sunshine Superman was recorded at the same time as the Beatles' Revolver and before that, the first and only song in pop music which had sitar in it was Norwegian Wood by The Beatles. A great album overall that I really enjoyed listening to.
Absolutely spellbinding. I love this album, it’s a favourite! Beautiful, wistful and melodic folk pop.
So I can appreciate how this was groundbreaking at the time - one of the first psychedelic albums, early use of sitar on a rock album, etc. But man does it sound dated. Legend of a Girl Child Linda sounds like something that would cause John Belushi to grab Donovan's guitar and smash it ("I will bring you gold apples, and grapes made of rubies, that have shone in the eyes of a prince of the breeze - SMASH!! BANG!! TWANG!!!). Three King Fishers sounds like a parody - even though it was probably pretty unique at the time, it just sounds corny to today's ears. That said, there were plenty of great songs. Sunshine Superman has that dated sound, but is a pretty cool song anyway. I can totally see girls dancing in mini-skirts on Top of the Pops to this song (couldn't actually find a video of this - it just has that vibe). Ferris Wheel is a nice mellow song and Bert's Blues is a nice bluesy track, but both have cheesy lyrics. Season of the Witch is rightly a classic. Very cool song. The Trip is a good song to bop to - nice guitar riff - sounds like it could have been a good song by Bob Dylan. Even Guinevere had a nice vibe (the name made me cringe - I expected another cheesy song and the lyrics didn't disappoint from that perspective, but the music is not bad at all). The Fat Angel and Celeste both bring the album to a pleasant ending. Giving it a 4 as appreciation for its place in musical history, but can't go to a 5 given how poorly the lyrics and sound have aged.
Sunshine Superman is a good tune but has a weird fade-out, like someone just turned the knob down before the song was over. That said, a song should have an ending. Ferris Wheel, Bert’s Blues, Season,… The Trip sure had a lot of musical similarities to The Beat Goes On by Sonny and Cher, no? I’m really surprised how much I liked this record (with only a couple exceptions).
Beautifully dreamlike, though a bit vague at times.
You can smell the incense!
Pretty great little psychedelic/baroque pop album. I only knew the title track from this guy (and it's probably still the best one on the album), but a pretty solid listen all the way through. 3.5/5
sounds very grainy, maybe that's part of the charm.. it's very 60's counter culture. 4
Another artist where I knew the big singles but not the album tracks. The stuff new to me was unexpected. More psychedelic and less poppy with certainly more sitar! I really enjoyed it. I can't quite believe I've not listened to it before because it's absolutely the sort of thing I love and by an artist I liked everything I've heard by. I'll definitely return to it again. I might even have scored it 5 if it wasn't for a couple of tracks which particularly outstayed their welcome (I'm looking at you, Guinivere)
Running it back to the 60s again today- It's been a great week for harpsichords, along with "Face to Face" by the Kinks. Holy heck- do I actually like Donovan now? I heard "Sunshine Superman" all the time at my part-time job during high school and both the melody & his voice grated on me. But now I see that Donovan wasn't the problem, it was minimum-wage drudgery after all. Still not my FAVOURITE, but it's catchy HL: “Ferris Wheel”, “Celeste”, “Season of the Witch”, “Guinevere” June 3, 2023
Really enjoyed Donovan's chilly, hippy, psychedelic sounds. Familiar with Season of the Witch (my favourite) and Sunshine Superman.
Donovan occupies a wierd niche in the whole 60s-70s counterculture/psychedelia vein for me. The inter-album swing between culturally relevant boho modernism as in the title track versus solidly neo-traditional (a genre I think is very difficult to get right) like Three King Fishers. Particularly interesting is the prominent strata of dark strangeness running through it, most prominent in the difficult to classify Season of the Witch. Whatever it is I'm on board for all of it.
I love a bit of Donovan. This isn't quite up there with Barabajagal in his canon, and doesn't contain anything as beautiful as Catch the Wind, but is a great outline of whatade Donovan alternately so fun and so moving.
A syrupy shit splashed across the back of the toilet bowl, that resembles a Jackson Pollock masterpiece, but doesn't get the acclaim. Where's the justice?
a classic,
I only knew "Sunshine Superman" and "Seasons of the witch" prior to this suggestion and I have to say: very cool, laid-back, chill album.
Psychedelic, chill and a fun listen overall.
Had ik al eens beluisterd...zeer hard genieten
Classic record from a classic artist. Great lazy Sunday listening, listened to this on repeat all afternoon.
groovy
Tough one to rate, this album has some really high highs but also a few pretty underwhelming tracks (that second track just goes on and on). Season of the Witch is such a banger though and is so well placed that it honestly elevates the whole thing. Overall I like the relaxing nostalgic psych vibes on this, so 4 stars
Not as good as hurdy gurdy man but still a solid record
Good album. I know the singles, but hadn't heard the album. I liked it. 3.75/5
I like Donovan, but I’ll admit, a lot of the deeper cuts test my patience for hippie music, as it’s usually not my thing. Still, he has a good voice and a way with lyrics, enough so to make it a solid experience. B
I was ready to dismiss this album as boring after listening to the biggest hit, which is a self-titled track "Sunshine Superman". I have to be honest, I'm not sure what's the appeal of this track, it was rather unattractive and simply boring. Fortunately, I gave it another go and listened to whole record carefully, and I'll admit, the rest of the album is much better! "Season of the Witch" is simply amazing. Combination of the blues and rock, with soft voices by Donovan, I fell in love instantly. Other songs weren't as catchy as this one, but still very entertaining and in line of the general feeling of the album. Very positive surprise!
I love psychedelic rock and this album is quite a cool mix of that and other genres. Good stuff Saved tracks: Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch, The Trip, The Fat Angel
When I was think of 60s hippies, Donovan is typically the first to come to mind. And in his landmark album, he showcases his acoustic-driven psychedelic sound in a variety of settings. Some songs like "Sunshine Superman" and "Season of the Witch" entice pop and rock fans with a hard catchy sound, while other songs put listeners in a trance. I think the transitions can be quite harsh. For example, I'm sure many listeners who know the titular song are quite shocked that the very next song "Legend of a Girl Child Linda" is the exact opposite. It's a good song, whimsical, trippy, and beautiful with the moody classical arrangements, but soft and story-driven (reminds me Leonard Cohen). There seems to be a dynamic between these two styles throughout the album that could push listeners away. Moving songs like "Season of the Witch" and "The Trip" toward the front would help alleviate this, but I can how having slow songs back-to-back could also get people to turn it off. I found most of the songs to be peaceful, groovy, and memorable. "Guinevere" and "The Fat Angel" were boring, but at least the sitar and lyrics kept me engaged if I were paying attention. My favorite thing about the album is how the instruments are used to illustrate the stories told (it's like they're talking or creating sound effects), and since there are so many of them, it makes a very colorful experience fun to trip to.
This is a pretty trippy album and you can hear he has influenced many artists
I love love love the instrumentation on this, and songs like the title track and Season of the Witch are just fantastic
Suprisingly good, me enjoy a bit
The first real surprise since I started to do this, I had never listened to Donovan properly, being put off my his image and only really knew Mellow Yellow. I'd been missing out. There is some hippy bollocks on here but it's enjoyable and some great harder edged psychedelic stuff like Season of the Witch. Sunshine Superman just pips that as best song. Really good.
Really liked it. Nice and clean easy listen
Love this album, great psych sound and Indian influence. Fav track: Sunshine Superman
Definitely enjoyable and a nice change of pace from Cohen
This was so outrageously sixties... Mostly in a good way but sometimes a little too ridiculous
I’ve listened to enough psychedelia at this point that I’ve grown quite tired of it. However, this album manages to bring an earnestness that doesn’t get lost in the weirdness for weirdness’s sake. Donovan employs fairly basic folk/blues/psychedelic instrumentation including some eastern sounds but he manages to center his voice at all times which grounds the album. Though the lyrics are at times a bit overkill replete with vaguely druggish and new age imagery, the overall effect is pleasant and enjoyable.
Fun sitar on the tracks, season of the witch is great.
If you put aside the fact that Donovan was suppose to be the "new" Dylan when he began his career as a acoustic folk singer, Sunshine Superman, as well as his other albums from the late 60's, really reflected the time period. He shifted his style to a psychedelic, folk rock sound and wore long flowery shirts, which of course, wasn't anything new as the Beatles, Stones, Hendrix, Byrds etc, experimented with the sound and concept. I must admit, I like Donovan's attempt, most of it was listenable and it sure beats his folky troubadour sound. It gets overindulgent at times and it wears thin after a while, but this album is a good positive time-capsule of his career.
great album ,very chill.
First song was an absolute banger. Second song too long, but the rest of the album was really solid. I like the psychedelic rock vibe.
I have a friend named Donovan
me re gustó!! fue bastante slay le doy 8/10 mis temas favs: season of the witch, berts blues y celeste
Really enjoyed this mix of folk and psychedelic music, lots of brilliant catchy songs. Though a few forgettable songs stops this getting a 5.
Really great. Encapsulates so much of what was so great about the 60s :) Will return
Delicious, chill jams. Upbeat vibes all over. Very easy to listen to.
great songwriting
Sometimes psychedelic, sometimes medieval folk-ish, sometimes both. I dug most of it. Best track: Sunshine Superman
I got into Donovan 'late' so to speak, that is to say I almost didn't hear of his music whilst searching for new bands in my youth. It took a couple of listens to get fully into the album, the standout track for me being 'season of the witch', but overall the album is a great listen if you immerse yourself in it
Nice. Another artist I'd only heard of, but really dig his music.
I’ve never heard mideval psychedelic music like this but it’s really good
The album gives a positive vibe, a spur in humaneness. I like the harpsichord and sitar sounds. I read Jimmy Page played on this pre Led Zeppelin
I feel like this is the sound of the 60s. He encompassed it and then influenced others. When the other guys (Who, LZ, Stones, Et al.) were trying to break out of doing ripped off blues Donovan was creating the sound of the summer of love.
As a student, I once spent a summer working in a purgatorial tourist trap shop in a seaside town, selling dinghies and pornographic playing cards to apathetic tourists. The music the shop played was from a 5-cd compilation; the staff (mainly 16-yr-olds) had been prevented from putting on their own music after the boss walked in to the sound of Eminem rapping about raping his own mother. Anyway, the best songs on that CD were one of the few reasons I didn't open my own wrists whilst working there. These included I Am The Resurrection, Ghost Town, The Model and Sunshine Superman (the worst included Bette Davis Eyes: who would want Bette Davis' wonky eyes anyway? They looked like Ygor's from Young Frankenstein). So, I have quite some fondness for Donovan from the outset. That the Happy Mondays paid homage to him on Pills 'N Thrills and Bellyaches also works in his favour. But I had not sat down and properly listened to an album of his before. This was no purposful evasion; I just hadn't. I probably would have given this a bash at some juncture in the future, but other acts have piqued my curiosity more over the years: Gary Numan has seemed more overtly intriguing to me than this trippy folk-rock troubadour. Listening to this album inevitably conjures the image of you-know-who. Yes, him. This causes a doubt as to whether Donovan is truly worthwhile, or just a capable xeroxing in lieu of the real deal. I'd like to dispel that scepticism. Although of course he was an influence on Donovan, it's unfair and reductive to dismiss Donovan as mere karaoke, and also you'd be missing out. You see, it turns out Sunshine Superman is highly enjoyable. Part of this pleasure comes from his distinction to Dylan; contempt might not be in Donovan's bag, but Dylan can hardly manage Donovan's feyness. Indeed, one can discern how this influenced Marc Bolan, particularly in the lightness and clarity of Donovan's voice. However, the best songs on this album (Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch, Bert's Blues, that sort) are, perhaps counterintuitively given Donovan's reputation, rather fierce rockers. The gentler, folksier numbers unfortunately tend to drag a touch, but not disqualifyingly so. As such, this album isn't perfect, but a great time should result anyway.
Gave me an experience I wasn't expecting. A little all over the place. The first song is good psychedelic rock, and then it feels like the album shifts. The second song onward are mostly these comfy, soft compositions. This isn't a bad thing, and I enjoyed the style of music played with here. Unfortunately it shifts again with 'Season of the Witch,' which is a good song, but again, it just felt a little all over the place.
Klasyczny album od pana Donovana z 65, jeden z moich ulubionych folkowo psychodelicznych materialow, calosc zamyka sie w 43 minutach na 10 trakach, jedna z unikalnych stron tego nagrania jest to jak laczy muzycke wyspiarska, gdzie czerpie glownie lirycznie nawiazaniami folklorowymi, z psychodelicznymi eksperymentami hameryki, gdzie nie tylko substancje psychoaktywne mialy pewnie wplyw na brzmienie tego albumu, ale sama egzotycznosc styli muzycznych jakie byly grane w stanach tamtych czasow no i rewolucja spirytualistyczna ktora z niej wynikla i powstanie ruchow pro wschodnich, ktore slychac rowniez w muzyce tamtych czasow, jest to takze pierwszy popowo rokowy album feaczurujacy sitarki, ktore kilka lat pozniej zostana sprzedane swiatu przez beatlesow, ale nie samymi sitarkami stoi album, bo pojawiaja sie komozycje bardziej rokowe z elektrykiem, czy kawalki pisane na organy, plyta byla nagrywana zarowno w hameryce jak i na wyspach, wiec poszczegolne traki maja rozne sklady, ale jednak jest to raczej minimalistyczne podejscie do tworzenia, czterech glownych czlonkow, gdzie pan Donovan gra na organach i gitarce, a Shawn Phillips od sitara, chociaz jeszcze ciekawe nazwisko pojawia sie wsrod muzykow z nagran na wyspach, bo jest tam pan Jimmy Page z Zeppelinow, ktorego mozna uslyszec chocby na epickiej solowce otwierajacego tytulowego traka sunshinowego supermana, tak w ogole najbardziej sprzedane traki prezentuja rokowa strone tworczosci Donovana, natomiast folkowe kawalki maja o wiele mniejsze spotifajowe czy lastfmowe odsluchy, wiec troche artysta zamkniety w definicji danego gatunku, a ten krazek swietnie pokazuje jak mozna syntezowac brzmienie folka z rokowa psychodelia, ktora slychac jeszcze lepiej na jego kolejnych plytach, ktore mam nadzieje, ze rowniez sie pojawia na liscie, a przynajmniej chocby hurdy gurdy man musi byc, na plejke dodam jedynie tripowy utwor, ktory jak sama nazwa wskazuje bedzie opowiadal o tripie po hamerykansku
Vibes, man. Opening track is a banger. Other than that, nothing off the charts here, but just a solid vibe-y sixties album. Could def imagine owning this on vinyl and mellowing out on a Sunday.
Didn't know this record on the whole, only a few of the hits, and so was skeptical of his reputation. Pop music distorts our perspective but going back years/decades later can redeem. It's really very good overall. The distinctive voice and delivery. Authentically psychedelic, with some madrigal vibes here and there, but much less cliched-seeming or caricature-like than many other records of this era sound today. Glad. to discover 50+ years on.
Not too bad.
I like Donovan, some of the songs were hard to listen to though
pastoral hippy and shots of lsd - title track is magic like a mushroom
Great album, a couple of stone cold classic songs in Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch, but the album as a whole was quality.
Folk-rock psicodélico. Un 4.
A bit hippy dippy but not all bad. Could possible like this after a couple more listens.
"Sunshine Superman" is psychedelic folk at his finest, from the title to the last note of the last track on the album. Donovan crafted a great album that still sounds fresh after 55 years. "Season of the Witch" is a masterpiece and the title track is also worth noting.
This is a pretty good album. Psychedelic-Folk is a calmer launching point into Psych music than I really got. This is especially true as a large 60s and 70s folk fan. I've been trying to get into more psych and really enjoyed this album. And "Season of the Witch" is a classic psych track that everybody should know. Even though I enjoyed it thoroughly I have fewer thoughts than I expected to.
Yeah baaaby Fantastic psychedelic folk. Can't complain
You've got a love an album that can take you to the swinging sixties via medieval times. Guinevere and Cass Elliot, Merlin and Bob Dylan. Throw in some lovely sitar for good measure.
Ay… it’s fun. I love Donovan’s voice. It’s not particularly unique sounding to me but it does what it does very very nicely. I think it compliments the more unique instrumentation as well. I don’t consume a whole lot of this genre so I don’t have a ton to compare it to. I love the songwriting. It has some great hooks but also more laid back atmospheric stuffs. I’d listen again. I could dance to it. I could chill with friends to it. I can play it for my grandma. This album makes me feel like a goblin who gave up stealing and now wears sustainably homemade jewelry.
Po coveru se već vidi da se radi o nekakvoj psihodeliji, a pošto sam sucker u neku ruku za takav žanr, nije mi bio problem upaliti ga. Definitivno vrijedi poslušati, ovo je skriveni gem u moru psihodeličnog roka, ali u ovom slučaju bih više naglasio folka.. Sunshine Superman, Legend of a Girl Child Linda, Three King Fishers, Ferris Wheel, The Trip, Celeste...to name a few great songs!
A mixed bag but necessary given the zeitgeist.
Listened to on 2/16/22 4/5 Favorite Songs: Season of the Witch, The Trip If there was every a time to try psychedelic drugs, it’s definitely while listening to this album. I surprisingly really loved tot though and the way Donovan tells compelling stories in his songs. Plus Season of the Witch will forever be a Halloween bop
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Season of the witch, The trip
A little weird but I thinki liked it overall. Definitely good enough for a second listen. Season of the Witch and Sunshine Superman are obvious stand outs but The Trip is also good, and several of the songs deserve a second listen just to absorb the stories they're telling
Sublimely beautiful album. Truly under rated if you consider that most people know Donovan as a kind of novelty act from only hearing Mellow Yellow. Sunshine Superman shows he was a doyen of psychedelia and blending it with folk. It parallel what was happening in the Laurel Canyon scene at the same time but half a world away. I'd never listened to this album before but had a best of CD that I was given that I used to cherish which had most of the tracks on it. Great album which I need to listen to more.
Fun like, but I was expecting to like it more. Donovan's one of those artists I've always been meaning to get round to but I don't think I'll bother now.
I have a pretty huge crush on Donovan, but this isn’t my favorite of his. ‘Hurdy Gurdy’ all tha way. 3.5
expectations: sgt pepper-esque on legend of girl child linda, and so far i am accurate, it's like sad sgt pepper overall p good! but not a super memorable vibe muy pretty tho
þessi plata er bara helvíti góð, mjög skemmtileg lög og ekki eins og þetta sé frá 1966 alveg hátt í 9 honestly eftir fyrstu hlustun, 4 stjörnur
Origins of season of the witch - overall pretty delightful album, with some stand-out tracks.
Rock sesentero. Con toques de psicodelia. Está bien.
good donovan is good
Season of the witch!
Cool mix of folk, rock, and South Asian sounds even. The title track is a banger but the rest was good too!
Great combination of folk, psychedelia, West Coast style - a bit of Doors-style keyboards on "Season of the Witch" - all wrapped up in Donovan's voice.
I really like this- psychedelic and medieval! I found the rhymes and lyrics in ‘Bert’s Blues’ particularly pleasing!! ‘season of the witch’- rivals ‘Monster Mash’ as a great Halloween tune. ‘breezes of Patchouli’- great title! This song really appeals to me: ‘Darkness of my mind…’ ‘Museum’- also loved this!
Classic
Good 60s psychedelic rock.
Turns out twee 1960s folk is something I quite like. Who knew?
pretty good, liked it a lot
There are some great songs like "Season of the Witch" and "Sunshine Superman" but I'm not as into the more medieval-sounding tracks. Donovan is quite talented and I prefer him to some of the other psychedelic pop stars of his era.
asdf
Quintessential hippy sound, beautiful album. Primarily folk and psychedelic the tracks can feel like they're from another or a different realm.
Donovan's style had also assimilated elements of jazz and raga. The effect was to transform his medieval odes into small "baroque" chamber pieces, rich in colors, nuances and deviations. We would call it hippy (7/10) FT: Sunshine Superman, Seasons of the Witch
Pitched as an English Dylan when he emerged on the scene. There is a great scene in Don't Look Back where Dylan sings love minus zero and Donovan looks on wistfully. This album is pretty rad on its own merit though
Solid psych rock album, first and third tracks are great
Pretty nice grooves, stands out as something I could dig in an era full of unique musical innovation, a few iconic songs and decent grooves, 4 stars because it could be more exciting
021121 14:21 4
Donovan is one of those 60s pop rock acts that had a cool dark edge to him that I always liked. And then when his Hurdy Gurdy man was used in Zodiac, I was like "exactly". I love all this stuff.
Listened to the original US tracklisting. Good slice of 60s psychedelia
Nice psychedelic listen. Favorite tracks are Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch
So smooth. So soft. Sameeda has a killer solo.
Good.
Classic, Familiar, Groovy
Now we're getting somewhere. This takes me back....10 years old spinning my dads records, I have no idea who they are but my child ears loved all the different sounds. This was a favorite, I didn't get it but I loved it.
has some great songs by Donovan. I love listening to the lyrics of this folk singer.
Easy listening
I wasn't expecting to like this but it was good. Folky and trippy, with some good tunes in there.
Really enjoyed this! Proper surprised me, Donovan is someone I’ve never even gone near! But I enjoyed this and will be buying it! Don’t think it would be for everyone though, and hard to call it a classic. However, I’m gonna roll hard and drop a 4!
Great trippy 60s stuff, I recognized "Sunshine Superman" and "Season of the Witch".
Good tunes for relaxation or socialising
great
3.5/5 Delicate and oriental music, it could be a nice relaxing album sometimes interesting, others not so much
Toffe nummers, maar geen echte uitschieters. Toch een extra ster voor season of the witch.
I’m into it
Production: 11/20 Songwriting: 16/20 Innovation: 16/20 Bangers: 10/20 Emotional response: 15/20 =68 This is really nice but they should have included especially for you, at least as a bonus track #neighbourslolz
Ah I liked this! Excellent vibes even if the lyrics were a bit silly. Nice and chill but still interesting. Season of the Witch is groovy.
Pues sí hay ratos padres. Me gustó sobre todo la vribra de Season of the Witch y en general la instrumentación de Bert's Blues. Mood: de viaje en una van de hippies junkies.
A pleasant cross-section of 1960s sounds and influences: psychedelic lyrics, folk instrumentation, light roadhouse asides, muted Dylanesque freakouts, British invasion flavors, brief tinkering with sitars and Indian melodies. All added sparingly and tastefully to enhance the songs that are well conceived. It feels like pastiche but somehow it works.
Absorbing psychedelic record with medieval arrangements and beautiful melodies. It is child of an era and although it was probably made to enjoy in the mid 60s, listening to it now kind of takes you back then
This was a very surprising album. The art cover is awesome and the album itself was an amazing experience. For sure, I'll search other Donavan's albums to discover a little bit more about these songs. The Wikipedia article is also a good waste of time.
REtro total!
like it very much
Pues se le adelantó por un pelo a los Pink Floyd. Aunque acá hay unas percusiones más chiditas que el debut de los otros, yo digo. Disco chill, como que eso que es medio psicodélico no cansa y pues bueno, tiene ese hitazo que me gusta: "Season of the Witch". Me gustaron también "Sunshine Superman" y "The Fat Angel". ¿Es un disco que seguiría escuchando? Probablemente no, sólo en vagas ocasiones. 8/10
Pretty good. I apparently knew more Donovan songs than I thought. Very folky and mellow.
I love this record. It's like going back in time for a nice warm cup of tea.
This feels like listening to the Oldies station with my mom on car drives. :) Another pleasant listen, with the folk sound that I like.
Pretty darn good, especially for an album I've never heard of before
A couple of songs I really like.
Pretty good psychedelic rock
Donovan is not Dylan, but he’s great anyway
This is a fun album! Kind of folksy, kind of artsy and experimental.
Very enjoyable, varied and interesting, especially for 1966! I'd heard some tracks off this album, but never listened through it. Very fun.
Big Donovan fan. Simple yet powerful.
very beatle-y, and I don't like the beatles. but certain songs are very melancholy and pleasant. I like bert's blues (reminds me of the black keys). season of the witch is funky as well.
Interesting mix of melodic influences and textures. The mesasges weren't connecting with me all the time, but seemed genuine.
Good psychedelic classics
pretty good album and songs
n/a
Świetny album. Niewiele brakowało do tego, abym wystawił mu 5. Album na prawdę ma fajne proste brzmienie gitarowe(zwłaszcza bas) oraz miły, lekki wokal. Ciekawe jest użycie tych azjatycko brzmiących instrumentów, choć w pewnym momencie ich natłok i monotonia zaczynają męczyć i traci się zainteresowanie utworem.
szamanski 60s chill
Really good pop 3.5/4
test wow
I *really* wanted to like this more, primarily because I was hoping for/expecting a whole album of stuff like the title track and "Season of the Witch," both of which are in the Sixties canon for good reason (and because I've seen *that* scene in David Fincher's *Zodiac* set to "Hurdy Gurdy Man"). So I was a bit disappointed by how tentative Donovan sounds on much of this; the slower acoustic tracks feel unsure rather than contemplative like he's going for. Part of the problem may be that stuff like "Three King Fishers" is the sort of thing Lou Reed and John Cale would rough up so gloriously on *Velvet Underground & Nico*; having heard that, I'm bored by this. And at the same time Donovan sometimes doesn't lean hard *enough* into the England, In All Its Englishness stuff; "Bert's Blues" is a step in the right direction, with a harpsichord (?) solo that comes out of nowhere courtesy of John Cameron, but a few of the other tracks feel like he's going for something he can't quite articulate. The whole thing is worth a listen, and I recognize its historical importance, but I felt a little let down overall.
Besides Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch, this album is just kind of bland. Not much really happens, it's like psychedelic ambient music (with vocals). Mid 3.
It's... good? It's by no means special, but a solid record.
Okay
There are two distinct styles of music on this album. One is a set of "olde" English renaissance folk tunes and the other set is of 60's psychedelia. I much prefer the psychedelic songs. Sunshine Superman and Season Of The Witch are the highlights.
Enjoyable
I do like a lot of Donovan but surprised some odd songs in here that were far too dippy for me. 3.5
Tykkäsin! Enemmän mun tyylinen 60-luku tällä kertaa. Ei semmonen että kuuntelisin uusiksi ihan heti mutta oli hymyilyttävää ja hyvän polveilevaa.
just didn't like this very much. 2.5
I am curious if other people my age (eldest end of gen z) grew up knowing Donovan or if it's just because I knew a donovan growing up. anyway, sunshine superman: good. season of the witch: VERY good. the other songs: largely meh/mixed but i appreciate that the soundscape of this album is pretty consistent
High highs (Season of the Witch) and low lows (Legend of a Girl Child Linda)
Familiar with this one! I appreciate Donovan for his experimentation with sound, styles, and instrumentation. It doesn't always land for me- this album was a mixed bag with some hits and some songs that dragged. Overall good though
The musical equivalent of watching an old family video where everyone looks really high. It's like he couldn't decide if he wanted to be a flower child or a bluesman. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Sunshine Superman - Season of the Witch - The Trip
Kiinnostava albumi! Voi olla että kuuntelu mutkaista tietä valmiiksi huonovointisena vaikutti kyllä cocktailiin kielteisesti 🫣 Et toisessa hetkessä trippi ois voinut kääntyä neloseksikin! Season of the Witch oli kova! (Jälkikäteen vasta selvis et siitähän Lana Del Raylla versio jonka oonki kuullu hiljattain - tykkäsin kyllä äkkiseltään alkuperäisestä enemmän. Ilahdutti myös että Guinevere johdatti yhtäkkiä Camelottiin ✨
I like the first song, I find the style and cadence unique and captivating but the rest doesn’t make me feel the same way.
2.8 A decent song or two, but a bit too much sitar for my tastes
its ok i guess i enjoyed some of the fairytale type concept but overall it wasnt a very memorable experience 6/10 Favourite: Season of the Witch Least Favourite: The Fat Angel
Donc, Donovan… je connaissais Mellow Yellow et c’est tout. C’était un album qui fait vraiment très années 60, avec beaucoup d’arrangements avec des instruments à cordes et aussi du sitar discrètement placé çà et là. C’était vraiment chouette, mais pas sûr que j’y mettrais plus de 3 sur 5. Peut-être avec plus d’écoutes, mais c’est pas le genre de la maison !
Anashexardo.
T’was just a matter of time until Donovan popped up. At one point Donovan was accused of copying Bob Dylan’s style, and that is evident in “The Trip”. The rest of the album is folk/pop/psychedelic (standard Donovan). Lots of sitar. Side note: Wikipedia mentions that in 2011 Donovan performed this album from start to finish at the Royal Albert Hall. Not quite good enough for four stars, but still decent.
It's okay. I have heard some of these songs before, mostly in The Simpsons*. 60s scene-setting, but not in an annoying way. With the exception of - Lowlight: 'Ferris Wheel' (horrible squeaking noises) *I finally bookmarked this lovely website, which is more useful than Wiki on such matters: https://www.simpsonsarchive.com/guides/music.html
Very of it’s time, it was alright but not something I would return to.
Folky and calm. Not bad at all. Although I did not like the screeching metal sound in the Ferris Wheel song. Yikes!
The glaze for this album goes crazy -- I definitely see the influence and importance though. Did this album singlehandedly create flower power, psychedelic rock, and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band? No freaking way. But it's definitely a pioneer. Some true bangers on here, and some very odd attempted-Eastern duds. Fave tracks: - Sunshine Superman - Bert's Blue's - Season of the Witch - The Trip - Celeste
Lowkey ik dacht dat dit een veel leuker en psychedelischer album ging zijn, beetje teleurgesteld (3)
- I've heard the title track and "Season of the Witch" in various places over the years, but everything else is much folkier and medieval-sounding than I expected. it's interesting that the British folk that became popular in the mid- to late 60s included instruments that were very much not British in origin (e.g., sitars), although I suppose you could make a point that the instruments from places the U.K. colonized are just as much a part of the its folklore as anything else - the mix of instruments in "Bert's Blues" at the end was very interesting and unexpected - even though "Season of the Witch" is just two seventh chords back and forth, it has a mystical quality in the verses that takes it squarely out of the rugged, straightforward blues sound of other bands of the time, like the Rolling Stones - it came out more than a decade later, but the "I really want to know" lyric from "The Trip" immediately called to mind the Who's "Who Are You" chorus (and hearing "what goes on" was hard not to associate with the Beatles' track that came out a year prior to this album) - Donovan has a great voice for both folk tunes and psychedelic rock, for what it's worth
listened before
Season of the Witch.
Really interesting and smooth
It captures psychedelia before it hardened into cliché. It still feels curious, elegant, and slightly improvised, like a gifted songwriter discovering how far he can stretch pop without snapping it.
Well... overall, there are a couple of great songs. He has a pleasant voice and singing style. But overall, it feels like total psychedelia. For its time, it was definitely a 100% hit.
Interesting, and sporadically good foray into 60s psych folk, but never great as an album, and there's a lot from the year that has aged far better.
from the limited amount of him that i knew of, i kinda thought that he was a JV Dylan. this showed he was more than that. but why did everyone from this era have to have a Hobbit style song??
Really boring in parts, kinda hypnotic in others. About as 60's as it gets. 5/10
So whimsical 🔮🪄🎱
Season of the Witch is an old favorite of mine, the rest of the album doesn’t quite spark joy in the same way.
Pretty cool for it's time, I guess. A little too hippy dippy for me, but that goes with the territory.
I got into this album on the 1st song, which I knew. But didn’t know it was D…..loved the Indian sitar songs, took me back to my parents in the 1960s, amazed to see he’s still alive🙌
I don't get the hype this album received. It might be that in time it's eclipsed by so many other artists that it doesn't generate the same emotion as when it came out, but I don't feel the need to listen to it again
Ja dieser Minnengesang.
My rating 2.5. Not my bag.
Mit Sunshine Superman vollzog der schottische Singer-Songwriter Donovan – bürgerlich Donovan Phillips Leitch – einen der eindrücklichsten stilistischen Wandel seiner Generation: weg vom akkustischen Folk-Protestsänger, hin zu einem Pionier des Psychedelic Folk. Aufgenommen in zwei der damals bedeutendsten Studios – den Abbey Road Studios in London sowie den Columbia Studios in Hollywood –, vereint das Album die Intimität britischer Folk-Tradition mit dem experimentierfreudigen Klanggeist des amerikanischen Westküstensounds. Produzent Mickie Most und Arrangeur John Cameron schufen dabei ein Klangbild, das Sitar, Cembalo und Bass-Läufe von Jimmy Page zu einer eigenwilligen, luftig-schwingenden Textur verwob. Das Eröffnungs- und Titelstück „Sunshine Superman" lieferte Donovan seinen einzigen Nummer-eins-Hit in den USA und blieb dort über ein halbes Jahr in den Charts. Daneben entfaltet das Album eine erstaunliche innere Vielfalt: „Season of the Witch" schleicht dunkel und hypnotisch dahin, während „Celeste" und „Legend of a Girl Child Linda" märchenhafte Verlorenheit beschwören, die eher nach Tolkien als nach Swinging London klingt. Dass Donovans Veröffentlichungen in Großbritannien durch einen Verlagsstreit über ein Jahr blockiert waren, hat seine künstlerische Wirkung kaum gemindert – wohl aber dazu beigetragen, dass das Album oft als amerikanisches Phänomen wahrgenommen wurde und in der Heimat des Künstlers bis heute unterschätzt geblieben ist. Die britische Ausgabe von 1967 auf Pye Records kompiliert Tracks aus Sunshine Superman und seinem Nachfolger Mellow Yellow – ein editorischer Kompromiss, der dem Werk eine gewisse Hybridnatur verleiht, seinen Zauber aber kaum trübt. Auch wenn die Begeisterung für das Mittelalterlich-Phantastische in manchen Stücken an Grenzen stößt, ist Sunshine Superman im Kern ein Album von echter Erfindungskraft: einer der ersten kohärenten Ausbrüche psychedelischer Ästhetik in der Popgeschichte, aufgenommen, bevor das Wort selbst zum Schlagwort geworden war. Ein Werk, das klanglich seiner Zeit weit voraus war und erst im Rückblick die volle Anerkennung erhält, die es verdient.
Solid 60s psychedelic pop. 3/5.
Donovan’s albums have always struck me as disjointed. There are invariably layers of extra production cluttering the mix - sitars, orchestral strings, harpsichords, additional percussion, and more. The overall impression is of an artist who set out to make an early-60s British folk record in the vein of Dylan, only to have the label get their hands on it. You can almost hear the notes being passed down: make this one feel more like Revolver, give this track a Stones edge, polish this one up for radio. The result is an album that never quite settles into its own identity.
Bert's Blues!
🎧I’m giving this a 3 pretty much entirely on the strength of Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch.
It’s fine, I like the 60s sound which bumps this up a notch maybe.
Oh, I don't know. It's obviously hippy nonsense, but I can't help liking it. At least a little bit... Although he did name his children things like Astrella and Nebula, poor sods. Harmless I guess, but I bet they had the piss ripped out of them at school 😔
kinda nice. tbf, i wasnt really in the mood today.
Perfectly 1960’s sounding album, almost too on the nose. This cover art is the style people now replicate when they’re really trying to portray that 60s flower power energy.
Two really great songs. But honestly, that's about it.
Even if Sunshine Superman was groundbreaking in 1966, it doesn’t really stand out to me. It just feels like another entry in the book’s long stretch of late-60s psychedelic rock—where artists drop some acid, throw on a very loud paisley shirt, and add a sitar or a harpsichord to a handful of tracks. Most of it barely earns a passing grade in my book, though I did recognize a couple of songs—which at least suggests it left some kind of cultural footprint.
This is just fine. It's nothing extraordinary. Typical 60's psychedelia.