Flaming Lips, Sharon Van Etten to Cover Donovan on Tribute Album
The Flaming Lips, Sharon Van Etten, Lissie and more will join forces on a tribute album dedicated to Scottish folk star Donovan.
Gazing With Tranquility: A Tribute to Donovan will be released on October 16th via nonprofit label Rock the Cause Records and will feature a roster of mostly indie artists reimagining the singer-songwriter’s classic tracks. All proceeds from the LP will be donated to Huntington’s Hope, a charity that offers financial support to the children within families who carry the genetic disease.
Other performers on the compilation will include the Walkmen’s Hamilton Leithauser, Brett Dennan and Colony House. The Replacements’ Chris Mars is also featured under the name Mixd Up Kidz.
In 2012, Donovan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Guns N’ Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Beastie Boys. He performed his hit “Season of the Witch” with John Mellencamp during the ceremony. Donovan released his most recent album, Shadows of the Blue, in 2013, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame last year.
Outside of his own eclectic canon, Donovan helped contribute to the Beatles’ sound after teaching John Lennon how to finger-pick a guitar and contributing to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Last fall, the Flaming Lips released a tribute to the Beatles’ most psychedelic LP titled With a Little Help Form My Fwends. Miley Cyrus, My Morning Jack, J. Mascis, Tegan & Sara, Moby, Maynard James Kennan, Dr. Dog and MGMT’s Ben Goldwasser contributed to the compilation.
Gazing With Tranquility: A Tribute to Donovan track list:
1. Mixd Up Kids – “Atlantis”
2. Apollo Cobra – “Barabajagal (Love is Hot)”
3. Maudlin – “Epistle to Dippy”
4. Colony House – “Sunshine Superman”
5. “Hamilton Leithauser – “To Susan on the West Coast…”
6. Jillian Rae – “Superlungs My Supergirl”
7. Ivan & Aloysha – “Catch the Wind”
8. Sharon Van Etten – “Teen Angel”
9. Brett Dennan – “Colours”
10. Lissie – “Happiness Runs”
11. Little Man – “There is a Mountain”
12. Astronautalis – “Season of the Witch”
13. Savannah Smith – “Lalena”
14. Verskotzi – “Mellow Yellow”
15. The Flaming Lips – “Atlantis”