The Doors (2017 Remaster)

I first bought the Doors eponymous debut along time ago as an LP [that dates me] and then, along with the rest of my vinyl sold it a few years back and somehow didn't get around to replacing it. That was until now, and I'm being reminded how very good this album is, it's so much more than just its two big singles "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" and "Light My Fire" that book-end side one and remain staples of rock radio. After opener and first single "Break On Through", the second track "Soul Kitchen" has a dated sixties pop-rock sound to it that's its strength [or perhaps it's weakness if you're too young to remember the sixties]; the ballad "The Crystal Ship" has a similar feel and with its strange twisted lyrics it's excellent and I find myself wondering why don't they don't write songs like this anymore. "Twentieth Century Fox" is a rockier number and another with a driving beat; as has the Brecht/Weill cover of "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" but there is something about this song that I don't like [and that goes for the Bowie cover too] but I have to admit that the musical arrangement is superb. And then to close side one it's the nearly seven minute album version of the sublime "Light My Fire" with an extended instrumental break, this is aural magic [and it's abundantly clear where the Stranglers got their sound from], and worth the price of the CD alone. Side Two opens with a cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Back Door Man", a song that the Doors made their own with their up-tempo blues rock revision; "I Looked at You" is another very-60s song with a rocking sounding, a bit like the Beatles circa '64/65 even down to a faux stop/start ending. "End of the Night" is very different, it's full-on hippy trippy with Jim Morrison borrowing from William Blake for his psychedelic lyrics. "Take It as It Comes" is another rocker and then it's the sprawling eleven minute opus maximus that is "The End" with Morrison's difficult poetry and Oedipus reference points, and Robby Krieger's Indian raga guitar sound, what more can I say, you'll either love it or hate it. And that's it. For many "The Doors" album marked the band's creative peak, although for me a it's a close-run with their more bluesy finale "LA Woman". But whatever, and while it may sounded dated now that's the point, "The Doors" is a psychedelic-rock highwater mark and one that should be in every record collection.

My favourite album what more can I say.

A great album by a great band

This is one of the best records I've ever heard and perhaps heard in a long time. I highly recommend it for somebody who wants to get into alternative '60s rock

Utterly classic LP. Great pressing. Only criticism is the cover quality was poor. Like a bad photocopy. For that it loses 1 star. Unfortunately many represses suffer from this too.

every song is a gem, the arrangements are to die for, Morrison's voice is a one of a kind deal and this is a classic of the era and one of the greatest albums ever

Doors great album as always.

Nothing to dislike about this album a must for " Doors of Perception" fans The Doors and The Incredible String Band are the apex of psychedelic music of this era still my favs to this and always will be , they speak truth, truth always will triumph, love always wins , the I.F.I.F. ( International Federation for Internal Freedom ) is still here always was and always will be. ...... very ify ehhh.....see ya.