DONOVAN
The EP Collection

Ah remember EPs, four tracks for 10/6 instead of 6/9 for a single. It seemed great value and a picture sleeve! Now when I think about it didn’t cost the companies much more to make them and most of the time they were tracks off existing singles and albums.

But at the time it was great to have them and none was more welcome than Donovan with his Universal Soldier 4 track offering of protest songs. It was a bold move and became an unexpected hit reaching number 5 in the charts. Other songs The War drags On, The Ballad of a Crystal Man and Bert Jansch Do you hear me Now.

Over next few year Donovan and many more released plenty of EPs with nice covers and this latest collection brings together 27 tracks all from the first couple of full length albums made in 1965.

The hits are there Catch the Wind, Colours and Turquoise (who remembers that one ,it only got to number 30)and there are some fine other album tracks and a couple of rarities.

But what make this package stand out is the great line notes written by John O’Regan giving a full account of Donovan’s career bring his story right up to date. Well worth a read and takes a sympathetic view Donovan’s world and career.

Donovan is still well remembed by the folk scene even if he never played much of a part in it and this collection is nice to have.

Its 60 years since these tracks were recorded and they still sound pretty fresh.