Sutras (album)

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Professional reviews
Sutras

Studio album by Donovan
Released	October 14, 1996
Recorded	1995 – 1996
Genre	folk
Length	50:51
Label	American Recordings
Producer(s)	Rick Rubin
All Music Guide link The Music Box link Rolling Stone link
Donovan chronology
Peace and Love Songs (1996)	Sutras (1996)	Sunshine Superman (1997)

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".

[edit] History

By the mid-1990s, the CD 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. For all its lack of commercial and critical 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.

[edit] 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.