My favorite Donovan period is 1966-71, all albums from "Sunshine Superman" to "Open Road" and songs like "Hurdy Gurdy Man", "Atlantis", "Jennifer Juniper" and "Barabajagal". His early US inspired singer/songwriter period doesn't grab me the same way fifty years later. At the time it seemed important and fresh for us not yet fully aquanited with the American tradition. Today I hear more of the copying in songwriting and style and a lot of respect for the transatlantic forerunners. So from that perspective this debute could be dismissed as dated or uninteresting, but there are other qualities making it a keeper. The basic setting - acoustic guitar, double bass, drums and occational kazoo - which together with the natural audio creates a close and cozy atmosphere. Also the backing crew has a very interesting combination where then former Shadows bassist Brian Locking and drummer Skip Allen - who just after the recordings would replace Viv Prince in Pretty Things - plays together. But the main reason I still cherish it are the vocals. Eventually he developed an inimitable "breathy", very soothing song style. You can hear that here already, not fully fledged but enough to make me close my eyes and relax. First US on Hickory (LPM/LPS 123) as "Catch The Wind". Premiere UK was also issued as "stereo" for export only, which in fact only was an alternative one-channel. Mono had label as shown here with "Recording First Published 1965", thick unflexible vinyl and laminated flip/back cover with Pye ad inner. (SYSÖ*) (TÖW*) (PÖY*)
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