Although it was a disappointing seller and signaled the start of
Donovan's commercial decline,
Open Road could have been a new beginning for the singer. Stripping down to a Celtic rock format that managed to be hard and direct, yet still folkish,
Donovan turned out a series of excellent songs, notably the minor hit "Riki Tiki Tavi," that seemed to show him moving toward a roots-oriented sound of considerable appeal. Unfortunately, he was derailed by record company hassles and perhaps his own burnout, and
Open Road turned out to be a sidestep rather than a step forward. ~ William Ruhlmann