Donovan Catch The Wind

I had to sit down and write a quick review for this gem. I have yet to grow tired of this disc as much as I play it. There are so many rare moments that I treasure and most were filmed not long after release. The audio quality is very good from these German TV shows and even the B&W tracks are clear. The video quality seems to get better with each one but all are exceptable.

Upon his emergence during the mid-'60s, Donovan was anointed "Britain's answer to Bob Dylan," a facile but largely unfounded comparison which compromised the Scottish folk-pop troubadour's own unique vision. Where the thrust of Dylan's music remains its bleak introspection and bitter realism, Donovan fully embraced the wide-eyed optimism of the flower power movement, his ethereal, ornate songs radiating a mystical beauty and childlike wonder; for better or worse, his recordings remain quintessential artifacts of the psychedelic era, capturing the peace and love idealism of their time to perfection…

This 1967 concert recorded at the Anaheim Convention Center, just a few weeks after his Hollywood Bowl show, was recorded in its entirety and released as a single LP with a total of 14 tracks. This double-disc CD reissue contains 23 tracks, and is, as it survives, the entire gig. In addition, the sound has been painstakingly remastered; the result is a brilliant sounding document…

Epic's Greatest Hits may not be a perfect collection – for instance, it contains re-recordings of his earliest folk songs, "Catch the Wind" and "Colours," not the originals – but for many casual fans, that may not matter since the remaining nine songs offer an excellent summary of his hit singles…

Bearing the same name as the 2004 compilation The Essential Donovan and containing every one of that disc's 14 songs, the 2012 double-disc set The Essential Donovan – its release timed to coincide with the singer/songwriter's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…

Upon his emergence during the mid-'60s, Donovan was anointed "Britain's answer to Bob Dylan," a facile but largely unfounded comparison which compromised the Scottish folk-pop troubadour's own unique vision. Where the thrust of Dylan's music remains its bleak introspection and bitter realism, Donovan fully embraced the wide-eyed optimism of the flower power movement, his ethereal, ornate songs radiating a mystical beauty and childlike wonder; for better or worse, his recordings remain…