Donovan - Open Road (1970) {Epic} 24-bit/96kHz Vinyl Rip plus Redbook CD Version

is the eighth studio album, and ninth album overall, from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. Allmusic 3/5 stars George Starostin 12 After splitting with Mickie Most during the sessions, Donovan decided to move back to the UK against the wishes of his management, who most likely objected due to the heavy taxation in the country and the distance from the American market. There he began recording and producing the tracks that would form his next studio album. Donovan's production was much rougher and more organic than Mickie Most's cleanly polished production on Donovan's hits of the 1960s. During these sessions, Donovan assembled the band Open Road with drummer John Carr, keyboardist Mike O'Neil, and bass and guitar player Mike Thomson. The band played a style that was dubbed celtic rock by Donovan. Many of the songs on ponder the negative side of industrialization and the lost peacefulness of a previous time. While some of this had been touched on in Donovan's previous work, this is the first album where the topic is expounded at length. After the release of this album, Donovan left Open Road to focus on his family and finish recording his next album, H.M.S. Donovan. After losing Donovan and subsequently Mike O'Neil, Mike Thompson and John Carr reformed Open Road with Barry Husband on guitar and vocals and Simon Lanzon on keyboards. They recorded and released one more album in 1971 (Windy Daze) before disbanding. Open Road subsequently became part of Donovan's canon, and the band Open Road was largely forgotten.

LP track listing
All tracks written by Donovan Leitch

Side One

1. "Changes" – 2:56
2. "Song for John" – 2:43
3. "Curry Land" – 4:38
4. "Joe Bean's Theme" – 2:52
5. "People Used To" – 4:09
6. "Celtic Rock" – 3:37

Side Two

7. "Riki Tiki Tavi" – 2:55
8. "Clara Clairvoyant" – 2:57
9. "Roots of Oak" – 4:53
10. "Season of Farewell" – 3:25
11. "Poke at the Pope" – 2:47
12. "New Year's Resovolution" – 4:45


Released: 1970
Recorded: October 1969 - 1970 at Morgan Studios, London
Genre: Celtic Rock
Length: 42:37
Label: Epic
Producer: Donovan Leitch

Personnel

* Donovan Leitch - guitar, harp, vocals
* Mike Thomson - bass, guitar, vocals
* Mike O'Neill - piano, vocals
* John Carr - drums, vocals