Sutras (album)
Encyclopedia
Sutras is the nineteenth studio album
, and twenty-second album overall, from Scottish
singer-songwriter
Donovan
. It was released in the UK
(American Recordings 74321 39743 2) and the US
(American Recordings 43705) on October 14, 1996. The US version does not contain the final track, "The Garden".
reissues of Donovan's 1960s albums and the Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964-1976
boxed set
reacquainted Donovan's fans with his music. These releases also introduced Donovan to newer generations, which helped rebuild his fan base.
In 1993, producer and American Recordings founder Rick Rubin
contacted Johnny Cash
to record a set of songs featuring Cash with sparse instrumentation. Cash's American Recordings succeeded both critically and commercially, and signaled a fresh start in his career. This success prompted Rick Rubin to search for other artists who would benefit from the same model. While in the studio with Tom Petty
, Rubin mentioned that he would like to work with Donovan. Petty suggested that he call Donovan, which he did.
Donovan agreed to have Rick Rubin produce his next album, and prepared over one hundred songs for the recording sessions. The sessions were to feature sparse instrumentation, much like the sessions that made Cash's American Recordings such a success. Rubin insisted that Donovan listen to the folk material that Donovan recorded for Pye Records
in 1964 and 1965 for inspiration. The recording sessions commenced in 1995, and the deeply meditative Sutras was released late the following year.
Sutras received mixed reviews and failed to achieve the kind of commercial success Johnny Cash's American Recordings had. Donovan did not receive a longer contract, and Sutras became his only collaboration with Rick Rubin; it is now out of print in the US
. Yet for all its lack of commercial success, Sutras galvanized Donovan's fan base by reestablishing him as a current artist releasing new material. The internet in particular served a vital role in uniting Donovan's fans after the release of Sutras. Donovan paid close attention to this movement, and spent the next five years reorganizing his business around the internet to better reach his fans. Sutras can be seen as one of Donovan's most coherent solo efforts, since his creative period shorting after learning Transcendental Meditation and the period he spent in India with the Beatles (1967-1971).
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, and twenty-second album overall, from Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
. It was released in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(American Recordings 74321 39743 2) and the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(American Recordings 43705) on October 14, 1996. The US version does not contain the final track, "The Garden".
History
By the mid-1990s, the CDCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
reissues of Donovan's 1960s albums and the Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964-1976
Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964-1976
-External links:*...
boxed set
Boxed set
A box set is a compilation of various musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related items that are contained in a box.-Music box sets:...
reacquainted Donovan's fans with his music. These releases also introduced Donovan to newer generations, which helped rebuild his fan base.
In 1993, producer and American Recordings founder Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
contacted Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
to record a set of songs featuring Cash with sparse instrumentation. Cash's American Recordings succeeded both critically and commercially, and signaled a fresh start in his career. This success prompted Rick Rubin to search for other artists who would benefit from the same model. While in the studio with Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
, Rubin mentioned that he would like to work with Donovan. Petty suggested that he call Donovan, which he did.
Donovan agreed to have Rick Rubin produce his next album, and prepared over one hundred songs for the recording sessions. The sessions were to feature sparse instrumentation, much like the sessions that made Cash's American Recordings such a success. Rubin insisted that Donovan listen to the folk material that Donovan recorded for Pye Records
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
in 1964 and 1965 for inspiration. The recording sessions commenced in 1995, and the deeply meditative Sutras was released late the following year.
Sutras received mixed reviews and failed to achieve the kind of commercial success Johnny Cash's American Recordings had. Donovan did not receive a longer contract, and Sutras became his only collaboration with Rick Rubin; it is now out of print in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Yet for all its lack of commercial success, Sutras galvanized Donovan's fan base by reestablishing him as a current artist releasing new material. The internet in particular served a vital role in uniting Donovan's fans after the release of Sutras. Donovan paid close attention to this movement, and spent the next five years reorganizing his business around the internet to better reach his fans. Sutras can be seen as one of Donovan's most coherent solo efforts, since his creative period shorting after learning Transcendental Meditation and the period he spent in India with the Beatles (1967-1971).
Track listing
All tracks by Donovan Leitch, except where noted. The US version of Sutras retained the same track sequence, but deleted the last song on the album (The Garden), making it a 14 track album.Original UK Release
- "Please Don't Bend" – 4:14
- "Give It All Up" – 3:09
- "Sleep" (traditional; arranged by Donovan) – 2:47
- "Everlasting Sea" – 3:33
- "High Your Love" – 2:31
- "The Clear-Browed One" – 3:20
- "The Way" – 2:16
- "Deep Peace" (Donovan, MacLeod, Walton) – 3:11
- "Nirvana" – 3:31
- "EldoradoEldorado (poem)"Eldorado" is a ballad poem by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in April 1849.-Summary:The poem describes the journey of a "gallant knight" in search of the legendary El Dorado. The knight spends much of his life on this quest...
" (words by Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
; music by Donovan) – 3:06 - "Be Mine" – 3:28
- "Lady of the Lamp" – 3:53
- "The Evernow" – 4:09
- "Universe Am I" – 4:46
- "The Garden" – 2:51