Essence to Essence

Updated on Dec 11, 2024

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Released December 1973 Essence to Essence(1973) 7-Tease(1974) Release date December 1973 Genre Folk music		Length 42:24 Artist Donovan Label Epic Records

Recorded September-October 1973; Morgan Studios Producers Donovan, Andrew Loog Oldham Similar Donovan albums, Folk music albums

Essence to Essence is the eleventh studio album, and thirteenth album overall, from British singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in both the UK (Epic SEPC 69050) and the U.S. (Epic KE 32800) in December 1973.

History

By late 1973, Donovan abandoned the style of glam rock featured on his Cosmic Wheels album earlier that year. Andrew Loog Oldham was brought in (replacing Mickie Most) to co-produce Donovan's next album, which would highlight the subdued style of his previous work. Many of the songs were released on Live in Japan: Spring Tour 1973, but that album was not released outside Japan.

In a clear sign of Donovan's waning popularity, Essence to Essence became the third Donovan album after H.M.S. Donovan and earlier Fairytale to fail to reach the top 25 in the U.S. charts. Essence to Essence missed the UK album charts altogether and peaked at #174 in the United States.

On Essence to Essence, Donovan focuses on spirituality and meditative lyrics. The album art features Donovan clothed in white robes, kneeling as in meditation. While the album was derided as a critical failure at the time of its release, many of the songs went on to form a major part of Donovan's live repertoire throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Reissues

On January 26, 1998, Epic/Rewind Records released Essence to Essence in the UK (Epic/Rewind 489443 2), marking the first CD release for the album.

On February 23, 2004, Diablo Records released Cosmic Wheels/Essence to Essence (DIAB8051) in the UK on CD. This compilation includes all of Cosmic Wheels and all of Essence to Essence on one disc.