Changes/Song For John/Curry Land/Joe Bean's Theme/People Used To/Celtic Rock/Riki Tiki Tavi/Clara Clairvoyant/Roots Of Oak/Season Of Farewell/Poke At The Pope/New Year's Resovolution
After somewhat slipping out of fashion troubadour Donovan re-energises his career by forming his own group for the album Open Road, providing a more rock orientated sound than his usual acoustic folk fare. (US:16 UK:30)
"At the time of this recording Donovan had recently parted company with producer Mickey Most, preferring to produce himself, and his exuberance at finally being in control of his own destiny shines through on every track. The lyrics dwell repeatedly on the themes of independence, anti-authoritarianism, freedom, and self-reliance. Musically, there are a couple of ballads, a bossa nova, a couple of tracks on which Donovan explores the blend of rock and traditional British sounds that bands like Fairport Convention and Pentangle were working with more extensively, and the remainder is a batch of tough, punchy, stripped-down rock & roll."
"My favourite Donovan album. Riki Tiki Tavi is the stand out track and with child like lyrics it's one of those really catchy songs that you can't help but sing along with. The rest of the album flows really nicely, and the more rock orientated Celtic Rock vibe really appeals to me."
"This is a decent surprising shift of focus for Donovan, with some surprising detours from an artist who has been multi-faceted. Here, where he does a full fledged rock record, it falls a bit flat in places."
"Probably his most underrated album. This time Donovan eschewed his usual session men and formed a real rock band. While acoustic guitar is still prominent, it's the raging electric that takes centre stage. A great bunch of songs too"
"Donovan fronting a rootsy, chest-thumping rock band makes little to no sense, even considering the winds of change blowing at the turn of the decade. His down-home drawl isn't any more convincing than it was on the debut, the Pope gets by with an 'edgy' critique bordering on juvenile, and attempts at invoking a Celtic past are equally thin. When so much of your album trades in flaccid Americanisms, it takes a lot more than misty buzzwords to supply an air of authenticity."
"As it all too often seems to happen, an artist produces his finest work at the same time his commercial appeal starts to slide. That doesn't mean the creative juices have dried up, only that the tastes of the mass market have shifted."
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