Donovan

This stateside title is the equivalent of the U.K. release What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid (1965) and comes from a cache of nearly three dozen tracks that the young Scottish folkie recorded in 1964. Prior to being erroneously promoted as a British response to Bob Dylan, a then 18-year-old Donovan Leitch had been spotted by regional scouts from the BBC-TV pop music program Ready Steady Go! and was given an outlet for his tremendous skills. Quite naturally the singer/songwriter's affective sincerity and genuine talent was lauded for its organic and rootsy delivery of cover material as well as his equally impressive original contributions. These earliest recordings feature Donovan (acoustic six-string guitar/mouth harp) accompanied by former Shadow Brian Locking (bass), Skip Alan (drums), and the artist's longtime mate Gypsy Dave (kazoo). Immediately, the depth of his artistry is revealed by the original love ballad "Josie" -- which sports a deceptively simple melody -- and the ageless imagery of the album's title track. A diversity of styles likewise comes through his choice and delivery of the obscure traditional blues "Keep On Truckin'." The hot-steppin' skiffle-influenced delivery is reminiscent of Jesse "Lone Cat" Fuller's one-man band and likewise hearkens back to its origins as Fulton Allen's "What's That Smells Like Fish." There is a Willie Dixon-esque upbeat arrangement to Blind Willie Johnson's "You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond," revealing Donovan's understated fascination with American subculture much in the same way that Dylan would embrace literates such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. The track "Tangerine Puppet" is a "fairy story" according to Donovan's brief spoken introduction. The hypnotically beautiful minor chord melody spins round and round revealing intricate motifs from within. It is likewise notable as Donovan's only original instrumental performance. Over the years there have been a multitude of reissues and repackagings featuring these early sides. The double-disc compilation Summer Day Reflection Songs (2000) gathers nearly three dozen tracks from the bountiful Peer Music sessions that were at the core of both the U.S. releases Catch the Wind and Fairytale. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide