Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Bold, psychedelic, Donovan, music
3/5
It was a good classic album with some amazing songs. There are a few that didn’t do it for me but the rest was amazing.
3.5 couple of bangers
Fur sure this dude was high af when he wrote this
Interessante
Suave, dulce, un bodrio Nota: 2.7
Moody, spoken
OG season of the witch!! chill easy listening early psychedelic almost ish stuff but not too crazy about it if im being honest, 4.5/10
The songs you know from this album are pretty much all the songs you need to know. I was trying to figure out why Led Zeppelin and Cream can sing about dragons and mists and castles and I'm fine with it, but I had little patience for Donovan's princesses, and I think it's cuz those other songs are musically good songs and I don't care about the storytelling. Donovan's Neo-Raphaelite thing is more about the lyrics than the shapeless music.
I've heard the title track a billion times and didn't realize it. There are little touches on that song like the distortion and that key bent note that elevate it (is this the birthplace of Kevin Shields?) I don't know Donovan at all, and I was hoping for more like the title track, and so the sharp drop in energy on the second track was jarring. But there also he included little touches that belied simplicity. I was engrossed as various instruments and thoughtful arrangements and flourishes expanded the song past its sleepy exterior (though it didn't need to be almost seven minutes.) The whole album carried on like that. Songs that initially felt too folksy for my tastes caught my ear as the psychedelic and bluesy arrangements swept them into something infinitely more interesting. There were moments on "Season of the Witch" and "Celeste" that sounded very close to Lou Reed vocally and John Cale musically. I don't have many higher compliments than that. There was a short stretch near the end that felt like we were just hitting the same beats again, and I ended the album unsure what I thought but compelled to listen again, which often portends an album I'll be listening to for years to come.Maybe a few years from now I'll bump this down to a 3, but for now, I'm excited. My favorite discovery of this project so far.
Quintessential 60s psychedelia
waw je savais rien de cet artiste et j'avais des préjugés étant donné la date de l'album et le premier instrument qu'on entend qui fait très époque médiévale et pourtant je pense que c'est l'un de mes albums préférés que ce site m'est recommandé ? incroyable
I heard the sitar! Season of the Witch is breathtaking
Ret godt faktisk
3.7, some bangers some corny stuff too
Donovan is one of the best! Chill way to start the day.
3/10
Great album!
Two great songs. Pass on the rest.
Listens: Standout Tracks: Burt's Blues, Season Of The Witch This was a largely enjoyable entry on the List, for me. I enjoyed the variety of instruments present on the album. There's some jazzy stuff (saxophone?), baroque harpsichord, guitars, percussion. The end drags a little bit, but there a few great songs in the middle which make up for it. Season of the Witch is another one of those songs that sounds simply timeless, like Blister In the Sun by the Violent Femmes or Florence + The Machine's Dog Days Are Over. Pick a year, pick a decade between 1960 and 2025, Season of the Witch could have been written and performed at any time between then and now, and you would fool a lot of people into thinking its older or younger than it sounds. It sounds fresh in a way that other songs on the album don't. Bert's Blues is another interesting track. It's clearly blues in origin, but also harpsichord? It scene changes a few times across the song and it kind of feels like two or three songs stitched or jammed together. I liked it.
Boring
Quite liked this, especially Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch.
To slow for me and the mix feels very old (because it is). Not bad in any way but not something I would choose to listen to again.
There are two famous songs from this album, and there is probably a reason for that. The title track and Season of the Witch are both great folk/pop tunes. But the rest hasn’t really stood the test of time and I found the other eight tracks to be quite boring.
When this popped up, I had no idea what I was in for, even if the album cover kind of telegraphed it. I was guessing this would be all new, but to my surprise, I’d actually heard a couple of these tracks before. Admittedly, those two songs, Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch, are cool tracks. One of the other endearing things of albums like these is that you can hear all these imperfections and not be bothered by it. That said, the rest of the record is just ok. Not great, not bad.
Did not know he was Scottish. Unfortunately this does not gain him any extra points. A couple of good tracks - particularly Season of the Witch. Unfortunately I really dislike the title track - with the guitar really giving me a head ache - which makes it a 2 for me.
Sunshine Superman FYI I listened to the original US release. I always enjoyed the Donovan Best Of I used to have, but have never really delved into any of his albums. This is an interesting listen, if a little uneven. The psychedelic and folkish-mystical whimsy occasionally pushing things off course for me, Legend of a Girl Child Linda, Guinevere and Celeste being the most culpable in that regard. I think it fairs better when it marries Indian Instruments to folk-ish guitars or is more folk-bluesy. The double bass harpsichord combo on Sunshine Superman is excellent, it's obviously a great song, even if the recording sounds very very wobbly and the fade out is amateurishly abrupt. Three Kingfishers I really like, the folk guitars and Indian instrumentation work really well together. And it’s also the drinks order at an Indian restaurant, which nicely completes the yin and yang of time being a flat circle. I really like Ferris Wheel too, particularly the chorus. ert’s Blues probably edges too far into whimsy for me, the clarinet and harpsichord feeling a little too on the nose. Season of the Witch is the other obviously well known track and it is a brilliant bit of folky-bluesy- mid 60s British psychedelia, with some excellently toned bass. I like The Trip, powered by a nice bassline and some echoey guitars. I like the bass and sitars on The Fat Angel and the ‘far out’ lyrics man. It’s interesting how it is held up as companion to Pet Sounds and Revolver, having been recorded before Revolver, and while it has its moments, and is far more interesting than a lot of contemporaries self consciously dabbling in psychedelic music, it just doesn’t have the consistency of songwriting and song quality as the Beatles and the Beach Boys, and sonically it sounds very rough in comparison. I think that adds up to a high 3, it’s not quite something I will return to that often 🦸🦸🦸 Playlist submission: Season of the Witch
At its best it's beguiling. The blend of olde English romanticism, eastern-tinged mysticism and just enough psychedelia would have been impactful for 1966. There are some background tracks - 'Ferris Wheel' and 'The Trip' among them, but it's a tastefully arranged album that still holds up. I particularly enjoyed the hardcore stuff (Guinevere, Celeste, Girl Child Linda', Three Kingfishers), plus the obvious, the title track.
Such a nice man
This is decent, Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch are great songs and I quite like the Indian influence on some of the others. The King Arthur lyrics are a bit odd and I found the pace a bit too plodding to really grab me
Man, that is the most 60s album cover I have ever seen, and I mean that mostly in a good way. The music is pretty well represented by the cover too, not the most exciting thing ever, but still just a really solid folk rock album.
Being familiar with some of the tracks on this album ("Sunshine Superman", "Season of the Witch", and surprisingly "The Trip" because I didn't even know it was performed by him), this album took me by surprise. I was expecting sweet summer folk songs in the style of Don McLean (not my favorite), but instead was quite impressed by the instrumentation and lyrics of this album. Although undeniably trippy-hippie, it's a great revisit to those summer of love years when I wasn't even born. 4/5
I bet this is great on drugs
A cool mix of folk and psychedelic rock with eastern influences (a sitar was used), I enjoyed it and feel as if this was quite ahed of its time especially it coming out the same month as revolver and also including similar sounds to love you to. It does have that sound to it that makes it sound older and more medieval in a way which was a really cool production choice or maybe just a result of it being old. The lyrics were interesting with its inclusion of legends and folklore, it really does just sound like a medieval album sometimes. Favourites: title track, Ferris wheel, Bert’s blues, Season of the witch, the trip, celeste, Breezes of patchulie, superlungs for my supergirl and the land of doesn’t have to be. Overall, 7.5/10 (close to 8).
Not my favourite of this sorts of 60s music
I loved the sitar and bongo. Felt like a real hippie album
Meh
Scotland’s contribution to the psychedelic sixties wasn’t something I’d ever considered. And yet the songs on this record, like the boteh in a Paisley pattern – lifted from Persian tradition and repopularised for a Western audience in the 60s by the Jacquard looms of west Scotland – provide an intriguing semiotic puzzle. It’s equal parts eastern influence meets western tradition; inside spilling out; or the past meeting the future in a big long now. It’s the sound of the 60s tuning into what’s arguably its most thrilling frequency – patient but urgent. “Sunshine Superman” is a lushly kaleidoscopic record by one of those musicians who’s likely to be your favourite artist’s favourite artist.
A real good listen actually. Legend of a Girl Child Linda reminded me very much of Leonard Cohen, whom I LOVE
A bit too far out for me.
no van, donovan
Donovan is so timeless and unique. You’re telling me Subshine Superman and Season of the Witch are on the same album? That’s insanity.
When this popped up, the label that immediately came to mind was 'hippie-dippie' and sure enough, reading a review of this that is exactly the label the reviewer used. This is the epitome of the dreamy, far out, psychedelic 60s and it is not the slice of music from the 60s that I prefer. The title track is a classic, but there's not much else here that I really enjoyed listening to. Donovan has his place in music history and I respect that. I think my appreciation stops about there.
Way too sober to enjoy the intricacies of this album but Season of the witch is a banger so I’ll give him a 3.7
Reminds me a bit of Jesus Christ Superstar. Very cool to hear some early playing by Jimmy Page from before his Led Zeppelin days. Has a repetitive feel.
Great...pure nostalgia
Definitely a mixed bag of good (The Land of Doesn't Have To Be plus the singles) and extremely awful faux medieval type shit
Had a great Donovan moment in about '08, on a roadtrip playing his Best Of with Colo(u)rs up on deck, stopped for a tea and the coffee shop was playing the same song...shows his Magic. Anyway.. So many great.Donovan moments on this one - The lyrics to the title track which Fatboy used on a mixtape.to secure the bag with Ball, the "Beatniks out to make it rich" like on Season of The Witch, The Trip - guess it was de jure to have a song called this on any 66/67 album, the melody on "Fat Angel" gloriously "iterated" on BJMs Donovan Said..
One of my favourite albums of the 60s. A masterclass in sounding like you are from the west Coast of the USA, when actually you are a leading light in the St Albans folk scene. It’s fun, it’s playful, it’s tuneful. I was toying with a 5 star review but there are a few more folksy tracks which hold it back. Still, it’s a fantastic piece of music and one which encapsulated the era.
A couple big hits but the rest is average
Yes.
it is the season of the witch le sitar??? insane
A mixture of pretty fun tunes and kinda lame folk ballads. Season of the Witch is a jam. The Trip, Sunshine Superman and Bert's Blues are also fun.
Man was this boring. I just don't find psychedelic music interesting; maybe you have to do drugs to enjoy it?
2.5
season of the solid.
Rambly folky pop, with heavy kiddle eastern influence, using a kind of medieval setting? Very interesting mix
Couple of good songs
Fantastisk folk album fra Donovan. Gode psykedeliske undertoner
Uh I don't think I'm gonna like this. What is this cover. At least it says the title. Which is also weird. I think albums are fine to judge by their covers. No? I can tell exactly what this is going to be like just from the cover.
Great fall music. This is a vibe that isn't for everyone, but if it's for you, you will love it. Some absolute classics here.
Hidden treasure
This was really nice. Season of the Witch I would have placed in the mid 70's, so this was a surprise. A very pleasant time I know I would like even more with more listens.
Pretty cool album with a few bangers on it. I like the jangly sitar that shows up throughout.
I agree with the other reviewers, it really does seem like Donovan genuinely believes in flower power.
Some chill psychedelic tunes, I dig it!
dood was just vibing
2 very good songs. 1 or 2 ok songs. Several really terrible 'Renaissance faire' style songs.
Boring
Good but not great. Did not know this guy was the artist behind Season of the Witch, which is a song I really like. Rest of the album was pretty standard fare 1960s music. 3/5
Did not enjoy this one sadly. Very very boring and his voice grated on me 2 ⭐️
Has its main songs then the other fall very short
4,5/10 Pas vraiment mémorable
Eh not moving the needle for me
Fun album listen to, whimsical even
Psychedelic Folk being dreamy and playful (singing being in a light, intimate tone that feels conversational and inviting) leaning more toward mystical wonder (Strings and unusual timbres) than heavy experimentation. Good enough to relisten If I'm in the mood.
Vamos hoy con un artista que sólo ubico por su nombre. Sutilmente psicodélico, es un álbum folk-rock sesentoso con canciones más arriba y otras más trancas. Buen registro de una época. Sin nada más que agregar, me despido.
everything I encounter from donovan is just so lovely. this might be the best
delightful and I'm glad I got to hear it
This guy in the album cover and now (2025) looks like he fell out of LOTR (compliment)
Despite the rumours both Len Houmous & Ken Chutney tried to spread, Donovan is no relation to Jason Donovan. They were certainly not lovers! 2.9 1/10 Sunshine Superman
Very 60s sound. Nothing special, but a pleasant enough listen. A 3.
Stronger start than finish, with tracks like Sunshine Superman, Three King Fishers, and Season of the Witch. Cool sound, psychedelic, very 60's with a huge Beatles sound. Not shocked at all that Donovan joined the Beatles on their trip to India. He made frequent use of that sitar during nearly every track!
Fine. Sounds like music! Trippy lyrics and instrumentation. His voice and vocal delivery style remind me a lot of Nick Drake.
It's interesting, but it doesn't always work
Really interesting, I always think stuff from this era is so interesting, and I feel like its kind of in a bubble, where nobody has since made music like this, maybe for good reason as I don't think it would flourish it as much any time later. Its got the heavy Eastern Influence, which must have been happening around this time, as Revolver is the same year as this. The sitars (I think) are really well integrated into these songs, sort of used where others might use a banjo or just a lead guitar. It also has that mystical feeling, notably on the second song, where he's singing a Medieval-type story, almost like a fairytale or something. Favourite songs: sunshine superman, legend of a Girld Child Linda, three king fishers, ferris wheel, season of the Witch, the trip, Celeste. Overall around 7/10
It's an okay psychadelic rock album, but I don't think it was that special even in the mid 60s. I don't think that it aged really well, sound wise. As far as the songwriting goes, it's ok, and the songs are played very well. 3/5
не впечатлен.
Great psychadelic rock album. Thematically flows well, but not sure if I will be pulled back to listen to it. Def some songs to add on playlists
Superb songwriting
Surprise hit
Not my cuppa tea. Next.
I actually ended up listening to this a bunch because I tuned it out after the first song. My impression was that this was just another 60s album that sounded like the Beatles but turns out this inspired Sgt Peppers. I liked the last song
6/10 - It was alright. Season of the witch was probably my favorite song
Way too much mediocre 60s psychedelia shit on here. Album was fine, just kinda feels like there were a ton of artists hopping on this psych pop circlejerk in this decade making the same damn album over and over
I didn’t expect this one to be so good.
sitaar india mainittu.. kuultu ja taputeltu tämä on mestariteos . ei ihme että donovan on one of the yksi kaikista koskaan one of the greatest yksi influentiaalismmista merkityksellisimmistä koskaan KOSKAAN IKINÄ!! sitaar sitaar... vittu se on komee myös kato tota lärviä aijjaijjai kohoaa omg kuin hiivakonsanan alushousut kohoaa tllä hetkellä niinvitustii niinvitustiiiii... huoh... Donovan se pukkaa menemään ja syöksyttää kaikki siemennesteensä meikän pikkureikään pikkuaukkon menee donovanin kyrpäjuoma. ja iloitsen. kiitän. kiitos donovanni. verkackten. mitähän tuo tarkoittaa? hauska sana... heh... the trip
- 3/5
I enjoyed the variation in instrumentation.
Enjoyed the album had that psychedelic funky feeling to it. Favorite song on the album Sunshine superman
One hit
ISKRENO VRHHHH bas mi se svidia nekako misticno
Great 60’s rock!
I was struggling to get through this. It’s ok. It’s very 60s that’s for sure. I like the “Season of the Witch” and “Guinevere” but otherwise this was ok.
Always fun to go back to the peace and Love days of our lives. This was a fun trip down memory lane. Peace!
Donovan is very talented. No question. He had a run of great singles. From Mellow Yellow through to things like Barbajargl, he had the serious folk edge with a commercial sheen that appealed. Cat Stevens won the ‘war’ but Donovan can hold his head high. Season of the witch is a standout as is the title track. I was going to question this one being on the list but it belongs. 3.5 rounded up
Some kind of groovy gentle folk Psychadelic 1960's music that just sounds famliair easy to like. and yes its all new to me, as far as I can tell. I'd expect to be on the soundtracks of the era / Vietnam war films. "Season of the Witch", apparently his most popular track, is both groovy and immediately catchy - and for me completely unfamilair (except for occasional reminders of Sugarman). I wonder what he meant. [some marginalia: His live album from 1967 is very spacey, and so soft and gentle and calming, especially when heard from 2025. The intro by his proud Dad is very sweet.] FYI I have apobserved I am using a 3 point rating scale. 1=yuck 3= Meh, didnt especially excit me 5= I liked it/I wish to hear it again. (it was taking up too much itme and effort to get more granular)
It's a sign that little white dot. It means something really, really heavy. It means there's no more telly.
I always felt like Donovan's great talent was making sure he was at the right place at the right time, preferably standing next to someone more famous. There are a few decent songs on this record; title track, The Trip, Season of the Witch (although I prefer either the Lou Rawls or the Julie Driscoll versions), or Fat Angel (although, again, the live Jefferson Airplane versions are superior). But the filler tracks just drive me bats; overly twee, faux-medieval, semi-folk chamber pop is just so annoying I can't bear it. Seriously, though, I was looking at the track listing for the Donovan's Greatest Hits compilation, and it's a pretty solid listen and contains everything you could possibly need from Donovan (except for Barabajagal, which is a stomping single with the Jeff Beck band -- highly recommended). I see Greatest Hits from time to time in $2 bins, and will probably pick up a copy next time I see it. But I do not need a whole studio album of this self-indulgent hippie bullshit.
This album is mostly carried by its two heavy hitters, but those tracks are strong enough to make the whole record worth noticing. The title track, “Sunshine Superman,” is pure psychedelic pop brilliance, catchy and colorful without losing its edge. It is the kind of song that defines an era and still holds up today. “Season of the Witch” seals the deal. Moody, trippy, and full of atmosphere, it has that perfect mix of mystery and groove that keeps it timeless. Those two songs alone justify giving this album a solid rating. The rest of the album does not always rise to the same level, but with songs this iconic, the highs outweigh the lows. Sunshine Superman earns its place as a cornerstone of 60s psychedelia. Favorite song: Sunshine Superman
Mixed, enjoyed the first few songs. The later half was a bit of miss for me.
5/10 Like the arrangements, but the songwriting is meh.
Nice album. A couple of great songs.
6/10…psychedelic / pop-rock
can go back to only hearing donovan in movies, thanks
Fucking Donovan.
Besides Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch, this is just kinda snoozy, overplayed and/or dated.
I like the title song but was bored by the rest, except maybe season of the witch.
You can really hear how Indian classical music influenced the Brits in the mid to late 60's. Donovan's album is full of hypnotic percussion and sitar work. This is his best work IMO. His best songs like Season of the witch and Sunshine superman are right here. The comparison between him and Bob Dylan may be a bit too glazing, but Donovan is a fine musician in his own right.
Excellent psych rock album. Season of the Witch is a huge banger of course. Weaves amazong soundscapes while alluding to Hades, Arthur and other esoterics. Very enjoyable! 4/5
His third album. Rock / Folk / Psychedelic Rock. The opening track, Sunshine Superman is a Hippy, Swinging 60s classic. Another one of those whimsical and eccentric psychedelic albums I can't help but enjoy. Three Kingfishers is a stand out tune. This whole album is part of the peak 60s Flower Power scene.
6/10
# 551 : Sunshine Superman by Donovan Sunshine Superman – Psychedelic Vibes, Medieval Cringe Donovan’s Sunshine Superman is vibrant, nostalgic, and groovy—until the medieval lyrics kick in and you start wondering if you accidentally wandered into a Renaissance fair. The rockier tracks are decent, and the sitar makes frequent appearances like an overly enthusiastic guest who doesn’t know when to leave. Some songs are a slog, and the lyrics occasionally sound like they were written by a bard with a thesaurus and no filter. But when it’s good—like on “Sunshine Superman” and “The Trip”—it’s really good. Just not good enough to justify the rest. Verdict: A nice enough time, but not essential. File under “3-star psychedelia with a lute problem.” If you have to listen to this, look out for : The Trip Listened: 21/08/2025
Only listened to first half, seemed interesting but not our main jam.
Very slow at the beginning of the album. Bert's Blues stood out to me.
meh
It wasn’t bad. Season of the witch was very enjoyable
Nice one.
I always find it a little charming when I get given an album that I had no idea exists. Never heard of Donovan, never seen this album. And then in playing it, I know a handful of songs. Still not my cup of tea, but not bad. Pretty good for the era. You can see the influence this had in the bands that came up within the following 5 years.
Yea this is pretty shite. Maybe 2 tracks pulling this out of the gutter. Wanted to skip most though.
Some good songs but quite a bit of filler.
Donovan exists in my consciousness entirely thanks to the constant references by Trevor and Simon on Saturday morning tv and even then this didn’t really extend beyond jennifer juniper. Given this Donovan is solely hippy shit in my mind, so was surprised how much i enjoyed Sunshine Superman (the track). Beyond this we revert back to the hippy dippy shit i expected until Season of the Witch, which is the one track i already knew. Whilst it’s a higher standard than most of the tracks the subsequent cover versions have definitely lifted it up.
Not expecting to be familiar with anything by Donovan, I was pleasantly surprised by track one - which I both recognised and enjoyed. Sadly, that was the only track I enjoyed - or that really registered with me. The rest was just that 60s psychedelic-y type thing that’s not my bag.
Donovan did the sneaky thing of putting the two songs I really like at the beginning of what would be side A and side B of the vinyl. Very cheeky, Donovan! I see your game! The rest of it was alright but nothing to write home about. And Catch The Wind is by far my favourite Donovan song and it's not on this album, so didn't make it onto the 1001 Album Generator at all, which is a travesty. Another 3/5
Didn’t think much of it to begin with but got better as it went along and really grew on me. Reminded me of Rodriguez
Giving me a lot of good albums - far out, man.
2 good songs on here - the rest is just troubadour 'meh.
Saccharine sixties swill. My reaction? Picture John Belushi going medieval on the guitar playing guy on the stairs of the frat party.
A couple of decent songs (title track and Season of the Witch) and a whole bunch of hippie-dippy nonsense. I figured this was the result of visiting India with the Beatles, but nope it was before all that.
First time listening to true hippy music. Not my vibe
A favorite of my parents, and now that I'm getting up there, it's something that I enjoy as a whole album instead of just the hit tracks. I know a lot of his fame comes from his associations with other more famous people, but Donovan was a quite gifted singer/songwriter in his own right. A trendsetter as well, as this album really predates a lot of the canonical psychedelic albums from the era.
I knew a lot of these songs but I didn't knew which artist was... So, after all this years, I'm glad that I had this opportunity! Overall, a master classic, really enjoyable album
This guy makes hard rock without it being hard or rock, amazing stuff
I’d give it a 2.5 if I could. Very strange, but had some decent songs.
"They're strange....so strange..." Listened to B4? No Tracks Already Saved on Spotify: 2 - Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch Standout Tracks: Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch, Celeste (50/100)
This was surprisingly good. Very psychedelic - before that was even really a thing, and it features what would become Zeppelin's Page and Jones on a number of tracks. Finally, Donovan's voice is fantastic in my opinion. 4.5/5.0: Excellent
interesting album but it really feels like he only had a few solid songs and had to record some of these as filler
Спокойная, душевная музыка, слушается прекрасно. 7,5 из 10.
The folky 60s generally agrees with me. Donovan is a far cry from Dylan, but this is still pleasant enough.
Ridiculously of its time. Some excellent songs - Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch - but a bit hippy self indulgent for me
A psychedelic staple of the 60s. Didn’t need to listen to an entire album of Donovan but Season of the Witch is one of the best songs ever written. Definitely deserves to be on the list but I don’t need to listen to it
Peaked where it started, unlikely to go back
4+ Stars (12/15)
I quality this as psych folk, and a masterclass in the genre. I love the album art, bringing back art nouveau. There are some well known standouts, like the title track and Season of the Witch. His voice feels like a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese. It's so warm and smooth. And I love the addition of orchestral instruments on most of the songs! Like yes! Give me oboe!! Give me harp! Imagine being 19 and literally changing music history. I love the lyrics, perfectly balanced stories that still have catchy hooks and interesting wordplay. This album is like what I imagine a traveling bard would write in an idealistic fantasy world. This album draws from so many different genres and time periods. There's eastern melodies and instruments, there's songs that sound like renaissance music, there's songs that sound like folk music, songs about the legends of Arthur. It's all perfectly blended together into one cohesive album.
Enjoyed some of the music but not all
Besides the two hits meh
A vibey psychedelic record. A lot of pleasant moments.
Very easy listen. I'm a sucker for 60s/70s
Couple of great songs, lot of others that were kind of mid
- 5 for the title track and Season of the Witch .... -
This is a hard one for me to rate. In February of this year, my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told she had about a year to live, but possibly more. Eight weeks to the day of that conversation, she was dead. She spent most of her final month in shared rooms in the hospital, but after requesting MAID, they moved her to a private room. My mom loved music and Donovan was one of her favourites. Once moved to the private room, I made her a playlist of her favourite music and asked her what she wanted on it. Some of the songs she requested were from this album. I recognized it from being on this list, but hadn't had it generated yet. Suffice it to say, there are some freshly painful memories attached to this album for me. I liked it, and I can see why mom did, too.
❤️
thoughts: finding out he recorded this when he was *19 years old* blows my mind. this is a time capsule record. some very groovy, some very folksy, some a little mix of both. very well produced. i like donovan’s voice throughout. the back half gets a bit long but nothing to ruin the record or anything. songs: “sunshine superman”, “bert’s blues”, “the trip” rating: 7.0/10
Won't listen to it again
I didn't want to give him that third star but he earned it whether I want to admit it or not. I like the hits Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch and their playful spirit but I don't think he and I are laughing for the same reasons. Fat Angel, which hiply name checks Jefferson Airplane and the title of which I just read is a reference to Mama Cass (😂) is by far the best of the rest to my ears. But still, SILLY is always the first word that comes to mind when I think of Donovan and this album doesn't change that. Props for being ahead of the psych curve, though.
I've always had a soft spot for Donovan, largely because as a kid I loved his hit single "Mellow yellow" (without knowing any of the more adult themes in the song, although I just discovered now that "mellow yellow" was a reference to a banana vibrator, not a reference to smoking banana skins; and weird to find out too that Coke released their Mountain Dew competitor "Mellow Yellow" only a few years after Donovan's album came out). I was bummed to see that his defining hit wasn't on this album, but the title track is definitely familiar, as is the distinctive "Season of the witch", and it was kind of fun to hear very *un*familiar Donovan tunes on the rest of the album. I'll admit it was a bit disappointing to realize that Donovan indulged in that weird sort of mythical England genre (e.g. "Legend of a girl child Linda", "Guinevere"), as well as lots of Indian instrumentation on tracks like "Ferris wheel" and "Three king fishers", but this *is* a 60s album, after all. Not quite the album I'd hoped for, and a bummer that we couldn't get masterpieces like "Mellow yellow" and "Hurdy gurdy man", but still enjoyable enough, and the last few tracks are a nice way to end the album.
The title track is much much better than anything else on the album, which otherwise sounds almost like a parody of itself, except if it were a parody, it would be better. I think I heard Donovan yawn on the 2nd or 3rd track.
Great first listen! All the way through felt like summer.
Donovan is great
Season of the Witch is a good song
A brilliant blend of folk and psychedelic acid-soaked daydreaming. Track 2, ‘Legend of a Girl Child Linda’ overstayed its welcome with the same melody repeating verse after verse. But I believe this was a great start to my series of listening to a new album everyday. The use of sitar in ‘Three King Fishers’, ‘Ferris Wheel’, ‘Guinevere’, ‘The Fat Angel’ just made the album better. Perhaps that resonance stems with my nationality and an obvious ingrained bias. I can’t say for sure. Would I dissect the lyrics in the first listen? Probably not. Donovan really had fun playing dress up with words, throwing in crystals and more seagulls than I was ready for. It would take me a few more listens to figure what it all means. But one thing is certain, 60 years later, this album still sounds fresh - something that I’ll keep coming back to over time. Favorite songs : Three King Fishers, Season of the Witch, Sunshine Superman, The Trip Least favorite songs : Legend of a Girl Child Linda, Fat Angel (might change)
Psychedelic aura to this album, but certainly listenable. Some monotony. It would’ve been nice if he’d mixed it up a bit.
Season of the Witch is amazing. The rest of this album is pretty whatever to cheesy. It gets one extra star for Season of the Witch.
Donovan is the classic 60s hippie sound, and I am mostly here for it. (I just wish he had been a better dad to his kids, but that’s not what we are here for.) There are some ultimate 60s bangers on here, starting with the title track and right through to “Season of the Witch.” There are also a few duds, but even those have a special sauce that feels all entirely Donovan.
nice enough
Enjoyable listen, if not quite my thing overall. Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch stand out. The Arthurian songs feel right at home here, probably because of the influence they had on the movement.
I liked this, (we didn't listen to the creepy track). I liked the psychedelic folk even the Arthurian track, Sunshine Superman and season of the witch were highlights. 4
The psychedelic / spiritual songs with Indian instrumentation are good. But in between those are some forgettable folk songs / fantasy tracks about Arthur and the round table that don’t really work for me. I would recommend stopping at Celeste where the original album ends - as Superlungs My Super Girl is a creepy song about a 14 year old. Overall - some good tunes, but this doesn’t hang together well as a full album.
Great opener. The rest is interesting but not a compelling listen.
I love 60s psychedelic folk rock, so this is right up my street. It is a very rich sound full of sunshine and charm.
A very low 4 for me, i’m a big donovan fan and have been for 15 or so years but he really doesn’t have any amazing albums, this is one of his great ones but he is a rare artist i prefer to listen to via compilation,
Classic 60's psycadelic. "Sunshine Superman" and "Season of the Witch" are both good, but otherwise its just not all that interesting.
rated 79 on aoty july 17th 2025
A lot more varied than I expected. Manages to run the gamut of 60s psychedelic music with songs evoking pysch-rock, or pastoral folk, and even bringing in the more spiritual psych sound that became popular in the decade. What's impressive is that Donovan manages to fit so effortlessly in each mode.
Half of these are great and even iconic, the other half are a snooze fest that I struggle to get through. Not entirely true, but if the bangers weren’t spaced out like they are, I would have an incredibly difficult time with this. Anyways, I do enjoy it. 4/5
'I'll pick up you hand and / Slowly blow your little mind.' As if Revolver were orchestrated by Simon and Garfunkel but roundly corrupted by Pentangle, Donovan's Sunshine Superman is 60s thru and thru, the best of it (the title track, 'Ferris Wheel,' 'Season of the Witch') and the worst ('Legend of a Girl Child Linda,' 'Three King Fishers,' 'Guinevere'). I admire the innovative employment of non-Western instruments, but too much aspires to British revivalism w/ empty talk of princesses, magic, and Arthurian pastiche. As a vocalist, he's mostly understated tho unexpectedly theatrical at times, especially at the jazzy conclusion to 'Bert's Blues.' It's a classic of its era, but hardly a timeless statement. +, my guy looks like Kristen Stewart.
One five star song (Season of the Witch) and a bunch of two star songs (everything else) means I’ve giving Donovan a VERY charitable three stars.
Only giving it 3 starts because my edible kicked in at the right time
I think Donovan is best in smaller doses
i think I liked the title track the most I like Fat Angel and Celeste and the sitar gave them trippy feels title track was apparently tampura not sitar though so I guess I can't tell the difference Legend of a Girl Child Linda was fun and goofy overall fine album imo, kind of 🥱 at times decent summertime apartment hang while you're high
Very cool album. I like Donovan’s voice and this album was easy to listen to and had a sound that really agreed with me. It was nice and chill and a little bit weird. Great combo in my opinion 👍
medieval folktale vibes fr, love season of the witch and sunshine superman, and don't mind bert's blues. Otherwise don't care for the rest of the album. feels like a referenceable one to know of tho, glad to know Donovan officially
This sounds like a mix of velvet underground and bob dylan. It's not bad by any means, but at the end of the day I'd rather listen to either of them instead of this one.
mukava leppoisa pop albumi
Glad this album doesn't include Mellow Yellow. Whew.. sorry UK. Anyway, this album is great. Cool. Funky. Folksy. I love the Beatles. 3.5
Season of the Witch is a banger, good retro rock n roll
Sunshine Superman by Donovan shines in parts, especially with standout tracks like the title track “Sunshine Superman” and the hauntingly groovy “Season of the Witch.” These songs capture the best of ‘60s psychedelic pop, complete with memorable guitar riffs and an effortlessly cool vibe. However, the album struggles with consistency. At 19 tracks, it's a long listen, and unfortunately, not all the material holds up. Several folk-inspired songs, such as “Three Kingfishers,” fall flat and lack the spark found in the album’s stronger moments. The filler dilutes the impact of the hits, making the album feel a lot more average than it could sound. Sunshine Superman has flashes of brilliance, but those highs are surrounded by too many forgettable tracks. A tighter tracklist would’ve made for a more compelling listening experience. Favourite Track: “Sunshine Superman” – effortlessly cool and catchy but Celeste runs it a very close second. Least Favourite: “Three Kingfishers” – meandering and underwhelming. Album Artwork: A vibrant, very '60s cover – bold, colorful, and totally of its time.
I'm a hoe for a good sitar. I listen to several covers of season of the witch regularly. Docked a star because I felt this was 75% bangers, 25% I was bored with and sounded the same.
I wasn't super optimistic going into this one but it had some sneaky highlights for me. I wasn't paying super close attention though as I was listening while driving.
UK + India = this. Trippy.
Boorderline 3, but if you listen actively it’s pleqsant enough
I only know about Donovan bc of Husker Du. I liked the song so much I actually looked up the writing credits. Donovan laid some of the track for punk rock. Working backwards from punk I’ve learned a hell of a lot about music. As far as the full recording, I’m not super into the medieval folk shit which occupies most of it, but I dig a lot of the bass and the echoey bongos. Bert’s Blues is cool. Make that bass fretless and lower D’s voice an octave and you’ve got a Morphine song. Season of the Witch will always rule. D was cool in a way that Morrison desperately, ostentatiously wanted to be. More proto-punk hiding in the jangly Eastern hippie shit. Also one of the best horror-related songs. Up there with Zevon. The Trip has a fun dirty groove. The second half of the record feels really different than the first. No more pastoral folk ballads. We’re rockin’ ahora. Guinevere: …I spoke too soon. The Fat Angel rolls up the medieval tapestry and fills it with Maui Wowie. Celeste - Self-excoriating emo lyrics on a bed of moog clouds and psychedelic violin. Really lush production. Sometimes I hear a prefigure of Stephen Merritt in his voice. He definitely deserves the indie forefather credit. Yeah, subtract the Guinevere-ish stuff and I’d spin this a lot.
This is oldies. Not for me.
I’ll be honest: my first thought was of the school bully in the Inbetweeners. Now that we’re past that, this was a really pleasant listen. I’d heard of Donovan before, but would never have been able to tell you any of his songs (or even what genre he is). However, listening to this made me realise that I had actually heard some of his songs before after all. This is super chill, and super hippy. Nice album.
Wetter than Dawn French out for a walk. Couple songs of bite then back to damp.
two great songs and mostly yawns.
Like mid-60s psychedelic vibes? Sitar and Harpsichord like sounds? Must be "Season Of The Witch" time...
Some are really really good, and season of the witch has such a special place in my heart as the best song for fall, but... hmm
This was fine
Season of the Witch!
Good but I found it quite forgettable so 3/5
Really only two good songs, but the rest wasn’t bad. I’ll probably listen to Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch again.
Listened while dancing in an overgrown field
Hippie for sure
That sure is an album from the 60s. The songs I liked from it I knew because of covers that I think are better than the originals.
Relaxing, even though I didn't listen to the lyrics all that much. My favorite melody was Legend of a Girl Child Linda.
First half = good Second half = good but not as good Low 4
This was dangerously close to becoming a 1, but the end of Bert's Blues and Season of the Witch saved it. Doesn't push it above a 2 though, too much of this is 60's psychedelic nonsense. George Harrison, I love you, but you did tremendous damage to music by introducing the west to the sitar.
I really enjoyed this album. Loved hearing the guitar and percussion which transported me to the 1960s. I also leant into the tribal/world music vibe in some of the tracks. Three King Fishers expressed all of these elements and I would say it was my favourite track. Elements of Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones were felt during this listening experience. I give this album a 4.5 rating.
There's an interesting medieval undertone to some of these songs, but overall it just sounds like average mid-late 60s music personified.
1.5
почему-то индийские напевы слышались
Not a bad album, but hippie-folk-psychedelia is kind of pretentious and goofy to me.
Very average 60s tweeness from Shaun Ryder’s ex father-in-law.
This is so very much the 60s. Sunshine Superman is pretty good, and I was surprised by how much I liked it. Then it all went downhill. Renaissance faire lyrics with what sounded like only bass and sitar for music. I don't guess the music was all that bad, but for almost every track? Too much. The lyrics were definitely not my thing, though.
Fav: Celeste Least Fav: Ferris Wheel Need to hear more songs like Celeste, that’s up there with the best Bob Dylan songs
I can see a parent playing this album to get their kid to sleep, then having a few drinks after, or maybe being played at an opium den.
This was very interesting. Loved the psychedelic vibes and the lyrics. His voice was really good on songs and just okay on others. Just a solid album all around
Thought this would be good from a novelty perspective but actually thoroughly enjoyed the album at face value.
“Donovan? Who is this Donovan? Yeah, right away I hate him!” I don’t actually think Dylan hated him, but the clip in Don’t Look Back where they’re playing songs in a hotel room does feel a bit petty and spiteful on Dylan’s part. Anyways, this is actually a wonderful album, but I’m usually pretty biased towards 60s psychedelic and folk music. This album actually has some of the best uses of sitar and tabla I’ve heard in western music; it doesn’t feel nearly as cliche or gimmicky as others. Favourite tracks: Sunshine Superman, Three King Fishers, Ferris Wheel, Bert’s Blues, Season of the Witch
Really good album. Season of the Witch is amazing.
𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯 is a fairly average album overall, but it does have its moments. What stands out most is the use of Indian instrumentation, which adds a unique psychedelic flavor to the otherwise laid-back 60s folk-pop sound. It’s more interesting in texture than in songwriting, but still worth a listen for its historical context and sonic experimentation.
An LSD soaked, naively childlike musical experience in the style of Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, some killer tunes (title track, “Season of The Witch”, “The Fat Angel”, “Celeste”) are interspersed amongst overly long hippy-dippy workouts (most egregiously, “Legend of a Girl Child Linda”. Most of the songs are simple and repetitive, which gives their 4+ minute running time an overlong feeling. An interesting exploration with some good tunes, but not a great album.
Decent psychedelic album.
Pretttty trippy instrumentation sometimes (it's amazing how much mileage you can get out of tabla, sitar, and bass), but the songs are interesting. I enjoyed hearing a clarinet in at least one track.
Great album that holds up to the test of time. Stands out for its early influence on psychedelic rock but blends this style nicely with singer/songwriter/folk styling.
A cannabis-tinged elixir of Bob Dylan and British folk, Raga, Ye Olde Fantasy imagery and proto-psychedelica. Complete with two all-time classics. Must have been a real mind blower.
deeply inoffensive...no strong opinions either way here
Light 3.5 for this one, 3 for purposes of the website. The title track and "Season of the Witch" are all-timers, and there are other assorted elements I dig, but it also ventures a bit too far into this sort of medieval folkiness that I don't love. 3.5/5
Donavan is a great songwriter
It took until Season of the Witch for things to get going but it just wasn’t enough
9/10.
Really enjoyed this album
Must say I really like the tone of this album. Definitely has those late 60's oriental rock music vibes, a feeling further enforced with some sitar in 'Threee King Fishers', and 'The Fat Angel'. Also hearing some The Beatles similarities in 'Sunshine Superman', but that's also where the similarities end for me. I prefer the more uptempo, or "rockier", songs of this album, like 'Sunshine Superman' and 'Season of the Witch'. But the calmer songs still deliver, 'Three King Fishers' is probably my favourite one of them. Overall I really liked this album. It has a lot of interesting elements and surprises, with songs containing rockier elements, more psychedelic tones, and even some old Victorian vibes in 'Legend of a Girl Child Linda'. Never heard of Donovan before, and though I think the last three songs are a bit of a letdown, the rest of the album was very fun to listen to!
This starts really great with Sunshine Superman which I really enjoyed. The general feel is really good on this album although it’s still a bit hit and miss for me. The “hit” is when it goes in to more rock or blues influence like “Sunshine Superman” or my abosolute favourite track of the album “Season of the Witch”. The “miss” part is the many lofty songs and songs which overuse indian instruments. Just falls short of a 4 for me. A very strong 3.
Started to get bored pretty quickly
British singer-songwriter from the 60s, painfully British. His most successful album. Loads of Indian instruments, loads of floaty tunes. Not unpleasant.
I love this Scottish weirdo and his psychedelic folk music. There’s that one greatest hits album of his where he’s like shirtless on the cover of something, and I swear everyone who bought a record player post-2000 has that album. Sunshine Superman is a great album, and the title track is one of his best songs. “Celeste,” “Season of the Witch,” and “Legend of a Girl Child Linda” are the other highlights, but if you’re like me and enjoy Donovan, you’re going to like every song here. Honestly he has better individual songs on other albums, but as a whole this is probably his strongest album.
There are some amazing moments on this album, but I found the mix of psychedelic, pop, folk, jazz, medieval and Indian music more a mess than a melange. Liked Songs Added: Sunshine Superman Season Of The Witch
Classic - PEACE
This was a bit of a let down to be honest.
This one was good. It makes good use of interesting instrumentation like the sitar, and it was psychedelic without going too far beyond pop songwriting. Favorites were Sunshine Superman, Bert’s Blues, Season Of The Witch, and Celeste.
Har svårt att placera detta riktigt, men i helhet känns det faktiskt jäkligt välgjort och himla intressant att lyssna på!
Äntligen något jag gillar! Kände inte till denna snubbe men känner igen Season of the Witch.
Garden of the Witch is a great song. Sunshine Superman is a good listen as well. But Legend of a Girl Child Linda is a complete slog…who made this the 2nd track?!?
Pfoe, wat een ontzettend zaad album is dit zeg... De zang is ver-schrikkelijk, ik ben vast en zeker niet intelligent genoeg voor de teksten en instrumentaal..? Ik begrijp dat het uit 1966 komt, dat is ook echt wel ziek hoor, maar het klinkt gewoon echt niet goed. Donovan komt ontzettend zeikerig over met het fluitsterzingen van hem. Uitzondering is Season of the witch, dat klinkt wel iets beter maar niet dat ik denk "Wauw dit gaat hard! Blij dat ik dit luister! " Nee, dit is totaal niet mijn vibe, ontzettend saai album, blij dat het niet zo lang duurt. Compleet een half uur later eigenlijk al alles aan dit abum vergeten. Misschien ook beter zo. Enige reden dat het geen 1 krijgt is omdat ik niet elke seconde me doodergerde. Het was meer dat het aan stond maar ik echt niets er van onthouden heb.
how quaint
A little too minstrely for me. Interesting psychedelia, though.
This took me up a Ferris Wheel to see The Fat Angel. It was quite The Trip.
3.5 stars
Fun 60's psychedelic pop. Standouts: Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch
Ok, there are the classics everybody knows. I never realized that the title track and Season of the Witch were by Donovan. The rest of the album is quite listenable, with nothing really outstanding, except perhaps Celeste and Guinevere.
Not very accessible
Really interesting album. Didn't really connect with the more flowery or psychedelic folksy songs but the rock-ier songs were really interesting and catchy. Pretty cool sound with heavy use of sitar too. Top tracks: Bert's Blues, Season of the Witch, The Trip
Sunshine Superman and Season of the Witch take me back to car rides with my parents, listening to the Columbus oldies station. I still love this kind of music. The pop psychedelia of the time is so much fun. That this came out right around the time of Pet Sounds and Revolver makes a lot of sense. It doesn't have as many classic songs as those, but I'd stack Season of the Witch right alongside Good Vibrations and Good Day Sunshine.
I imagine if I were high as shit on opium in the 1960s I would dig this more, but as it is not for me
It's solid background music. Didn't hurt but didn't love it. 4.8/10
Felt like an Austin Powers skit that turned mushy and weak.
One good song (Season of the Witch) The rest is very meh 60s psych rock.
Yeah I liked this, I’ll mark it as a 4/5 because I want to relisten to it at another point
60s music that would have been good in the 60s. Today not so much
They aren't all bangers, but Season of the Witch and Sunshine Superman are both pretty great. I enjoyed this album more than I had expected.
Fav songs: 'Sunshine Superman' and 'Season of the Witch' obvious choices. The album is archival tape of the '60s. Or at least what artists like Donovan made later generations think the '60s were. The album is a bit everywhere which keeps it interesting. However all the songs with a woman's name in the title tries my patience. 'Legend of a Girl Child Named Linda'.... Wtf. Nearly 7 minutes of all the twee in the world smashed into one song. The sitar was good in 'Three King Fishers' and effective. Using it over multiple songs made it lose its punch. My favorite Donovan song ever is 'Hurdy Gurdy Man' (1968) - slightly edgy, cool drum fills, a little electric guitar, weird lyrics sang with a bit of the sinister. Good stuff! The '60s aesthetic got better the darker it got. SS is uncut Flower Power.
Couple of bangers in there, U enjoyed sunshine superman and Season of the witch
Fav tracks: Sunshine Superman , season of the witch, the trip, Celeste I liked it throughout , sounds like 60s folk can get a bit samey after a while
3.5ish
I guess he no longer lives in a van.
Ik vind het een wat lastig te raten album. Ik vind het best oké muziek en ik vind het sfeertje ook echt leuk, maar tegelijkertijd heb ik er al meerdere dagen niet echt zin in. Ik denk dat het komt door het goede weer, daar past dit niet helemaal bij op de één of andere manier. Hoewel de liedjes eigenlijk prima zijn lijkt de tijd compleet tot stilstand te komen wanneer dit album aan gaat. En dan niet op een lekkere manier. Ik kan op dit moment niet hoger geven dan 3 sterren.
this album was not very good to me. it was very odd. i liked that each song was different but it just didn’t do it for me. classic season of the witch, and title track redeems it for me. also if they do a movie about donovan, kristen stewart should play him just based off the cover of this one album.
I wanted to like it more than I actually did. The title track is an all-timer for me though. Rating: 3.1
Hahah oh this guy okay. Oh this song okay. I didn't know this song was called "Sunshine Superman" or that it was by Donovan, which is pretty funny. I don't know anything about anything, I suppose! Good song. Classic oldies station song from my childhood. Season of the Witch > Bert's Blues > Sunshine Superman > Ferris Wheel > Celeste > The Trip > Three King Fishers > Guinevere > Legend of a Girl Child Linda > The Fat Angel Some of these songs kind of a slog, and the lyrics are terrible at times, but the songs that are good are real good. A bit too much sitar for my tastes but had a nice enough time. It's a 3.
proto Jon Brion, proto velvet underground, proto many modern music genres??? I wonder if the Seinfeld effect should've been called the Donovan effect. honestly some great tracks here. don't know if I will ever listen again but I'm glad I did this time!
Boy, if there was ever an artist from the 60's... And the same, if there was ever an **album** from the 60's... I mean, yeah, this thing's dated as hell to 1966 exactly. I imagine that to most people that's the big turn-off. But, y'know, whatever about other people. To my ears, there's nothing wrong with getting a slice of the exact sound of a decade every now and then. That's not an issue to me. What more is just that... Oh, goodness, I didn't have much to think about while I was listening to this thing. It's absolutely not bad, but it ends up being one of those records that's so crushingly "fiiiiine" that I can hardly bring myself to care. Y'know, sure I like the sitar, and I'm not someone who recoils at the sound of a harpsichord, but other than that — goodness me... I'll tell you right, my problem with this album is the "renaissance fair folk" of it all. If he wants to write about medieval times, about the King Arthur mythology and all that, sure. It's just that the compositions around them often aren't anything to write home about. Maybe my problem is that I'm too used to my psych music being, y'know, psych music, and rock on top of that, 'coz those songs actually have an energy and feel like they're not hitting the same note over and over again. Honestly, with the way I listen to music, there were times I legit could not tell if I was hearing the first minute of the song or the last. Which is like, hey, some of these instrumentals are actually really pretty, but goodness me, when you don't do **anything else** around it... At least regular singer-songwriter folk, for the most part, keeps their accompaniment spare to focus on the lyrics. With this — I mean, it fits, and I don't find it insincere, but dammit, could you please actually **do something interesting**? I'm not mad at this album. It's just... Not to my tastes, is all. I can hear how it could be, but I don't wanna rate this album for what I wanted to be rather than it is. And it's just fine. Nothing I can get all too excited about. I mean, if you wanna hear the platonic ideal of 60's hippie folk music, here yah go. Me, though... I'unno. I might just go listen to ARE YOU EXPERIENCED.
Love me some psychedelia. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump down to a 3. Not too much to say; pretty solid psychedelic folk. I liked 6 of the 10 tracks here a lot, so batting 60% on “pretty good” is a fine enough bar to hit. However, this album is just glacially slow, which is why I can’t give it a 4 in good conscience. It’s not because it’s a bad album – in many ways, I’d honestly recommend it as a showcase of psychedelic standards of the time with more Bob Dylan-esque folk sensibilities. It makes for a really cool soundscape when it’s at its most upbeat, and even on a lot of these slower tracks, there’s something about the tone of his vocals and the imagery produced by some of the lyrics that makes each track feel just a little bit intoxicating. It is THAT damn slow though. A number of tracks loop the instrumental to the point of losing the luster, and a good chunk reuse lyrics in a way that enhances a feeling of deja vu that persists throughout the 40 minute runtime here. There’s not even a bad track, or a bad soundscape. It’s really a fine enough album that’s dragged down by how often it spins the wheels. Each track overstays its welcome by just enough to feel consistently bothersome, and the 4 tracks I didn’t click with enhance that “bothersome” factor by a lot. Again – nothing is bad here, and in terms of playlist stuff, a lot of this is super easy listening that would feel great at an individual level. It just drones on as an album. Hence, the bump down to a 3. I still liked it, though. “The Trip” really should’ve been a bigger track, by the way. That one was rad.
Интересно, оригинально, но монотонно
Pretty okay. Not gonna win any awards but inoffensive
This album made my hair grow 10 inches and now I can't stop saying "flower power"
I literally thought "That's over, that's good" when it ended
I really enjoyed this.
UK psych's stranglehold over 1001 Albums' sixties selections reigns supreme. at least this time we've got a Scottish take on the sound, and one that's actually pretty singular. Donovan's particular brand of surrealist poetry, paired with some exceedingly strange songs (with even stranger arrangements and orchestration), makes for an album that's pretty hard to mistake for any of his many psych contemporaries at the time. the bluesy title track was apparently a #1 hit here in the US, but I can't recall if I had ever heard it before. it's one of the more obvious highlights, with its sticky, chromatically descending melodic phrases and its variation on the three-chord blues form. it's hard not to think of the psych era of the Beatles in the face of some of this material, but remember that Sunshine Superman hit store shelves a full 9 months before Sgt. Pepper's! it's easy to forget that this was a collective of artists all trying to achieve a similar aesthetic. there's also "Season of the Witch" which feels like a more polite version of what bands like Led Zeppelin would go on to do just a few years later. (incidentally, a pre-LZ John Paul Jones plays bass on the title track.) beyond that, the rest of the material can be a little bit hit-or-miss, but I really enjoy a lot of the sounds this album presents despite that. decent 7/10.
Really enjoyed. Slice of 60s peace & love.
I think a lot of folk might not be for me
A great story teller with soft lyrics. Reminded me of BJ Thomas in certain ways. Great album.
A great piece of psychedelic rock
A couple of better songs, but a lot that didn’t resonate with me.
Dang, this is pretty good. Great folky-psychy-hippy vibes. I deny all rumors that my rating is due to name sharing bias.
Sorry Donovan, you have some very good songs but honestly I could probably make do with like a best of. Anything I hadn’t heard before was deeply underwhelming.
I have a particular fondness for Donovan. We have a handful of records of his. I recall one evening, Shea and I were playing cribbage and listening to records and I randomly threw on on. When it was done we both sort of went. “Should we just play another of his?” Since then, he has been a favored musician in our home. Sunshine Superman is one of my favorite his, and Season of the Witch is great. The rest is good, but doesn’t meet those levels. Realistically, this is a 3.