Music : Beat Cafe

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Rating:

- Sweet Cool and Tripper Vibe
Oooooh yeah...man. This is the good stuff. After hours and into the dawn. With or without shades.
Donovan's Temple is the place to be.
Thank you and...could we fill it up again? Soon?
Stay Free.

Rating:

- High-Water Mark for Donovan
Sunshine Superman morphs into Bohemian Batman on this superb outing by Donovan. When I heard about the concept of this album -- Donovan trying to recreate the sound and ambiance of Soho beat cafe circa 1962 -- I thought it sounded like a desperate gimmick by a fading rock superstar. But it works big time, thanks in no small part to the dream-team support of accoustic bassist Danny Thompson (Richard Thompson, Pentangle) and solo-Beatles drummer Jim Keltner, who swing and sizzle along with Donovan's acoustic guitar grooves. The only thing that doesn't really work is the recitation of Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle," (but it is a great theme for the record and one that Donovan seems to be taking to heart). Every other track on the album is a gem. This is Don's best album since the criminally overlooked Cosmic Wheels back in the early 1970s, and possibly the best of his 40-year career. I can't think of a single one my many favorite rock artists from the 1960s or 1970s (many of whom are still recording and performing) of whom I can say they trumped their catalog at close to age 60! Watch out world -- The Hurdy Gurdy Man is still crankin'!

Rating:

- Gypsy Muse
This is some fine music from Donovan. I remember his early music with Gypsy Dave. This new album is no match, but it is a worthy contribution to the style and spiritual nature of blending style, spirit. and nature. If you have not heard it you can sample some songs. If you have not heard early Donovan, then you have no idea of what you missed.

Rating:

- Not incredible,but fine
I can't agree that this is the "Donovan done it right" CD,or a magnificent return to form,...or even the comments about Donovan's "crystalline voice" seem a bit off to me.

#1 This is a pretty good album,and it's not too embarrassing in content.....for a better modern album buy "Sutras"!

#2 Why do older re-appearing artists feel the need to sing of "stepping off of this mortal coil"(so to speak),...or worse they feel the need to get all "sexy"(?) with some song's content? "Yin My Yang" is pretty palid,and the "groaner" of a track here. While "Do Not Go Gentle" is a bit out of kilter sounding,not to mention a bit tired sounding too.....not "horrible" but a bit sad.

#3 I bought this with a few of the new UK re-issues of "classic period" Donovan titles(Mellow Yellow,and Sunshine Superman),and his "crystalline voice" is not shining here on BEAT CAFE. He's got a bit of an "age-warble" and the potentially beautiful track SHAMBHALA is marred by Donovan's out of key voice! This is a sin that never would have passed by a younger Donovan!

All in all, SUTRAS is the revitalized Donovan album to get,or just scoff up a few of those re-issued classic CDs. Mellow Yellow,Sunshine Superman,and Donovan Live(the 1960's LP with the egg/bird drawing cover)have enough of that crystalline voice and beat-jazz stylings to keep you happy for days!

Get this album last. It's not all bad ,but it's not killer,either.

Rating:

- Espresso not included...
I have spent the last year of my life falling in love with Donovan. "Sunshine Superman"..."Breezes of Patchulie"..."Celeste"..."Atlantis"...I can't get enough of this guy! His soft voice with a charming accent, his blissed-out lyrics, Donovan just can't do wrong. Every album of his that I've purchased I've loved. But, those albums are all from his hey day in the '60s/'70s... I was a bit skeptical to purchase his new material. What if it was just rehash of old ideas? What if his voice just wasn't what it used to be? What if the album was just BAD all around?!

I shouldn't have been so worried. This record is wonderful. Words that come to mind to describe it: Delightfully weird. Eclectic. Enchanting... Almost hypnotizing. He has taken a retro idea and modernized it, making the whole "Beatnik" scene interesting for all of us who weren't there. I can almost see Donovan there on the platform, in his sunglasses and spotlight, singing and reciting his beautiful poetry to the cafe full of hipsters. After each song they snap their fingers in approval.

I shouldn't have been worried about his voice, either. It is just as rich and smooth as it was when he was 25 years old. But you will hear a maturity in his voice now that wasn't there in the `60s. The flower child has grown up. And I love the music of Grandpa Donovan as much as I love the pot-smoking flower child he is at heart. Donovan is eternally 25 years old to me.

I won't ramble on anymore. Just buy this record, You won't be sorry! It will take some getting used to at first, but once you give it a chance this music will really grow on you.
It will make you smile and forget about your troubles for awhile. Thank you, Donovan.

*note: I had a chance to see Donovan in concert a couple months ago and I missed it. I regret it.

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