Therefore, I'm going to concentrate my review and whatever remaining attention I can steal from anyone who has been brought along this far to the additional tracks and outtakes that can be found at the end of each of the six reissued studio albums.
The highlight on The Doors is a surprisingly light, poppy, bouncy, and sweet "Moonlight Drive (Vers. 1 & 2)". It's quite a contrast from the darker, more sensuous version that shows up on Strange Days and really hearkens to The Doors' early pop roots. Ray Manzarek's carnivalesque organ really shows him off at his best, and it's a hell of a ride.
On Strange Days, we get a tiny feel for what life was like in the studio on "People Are Strange (False Takes and Dialogue)." An unnamed producer or engineer refers to the band as "gentlemen" with a surprising and amusing lack of irony by our modern standards. "Love Me Two Times (Take 3)" then provides an interesting sonic take on this classic track. There's an airier and more spacious feel to it then the version we're used to, and we get a nice isolation on Jim Morrison's lyrics. Once again, Manzarek's bouncy keyboard gets more play, as Krieger's normally dominant guitar twang is softened just a touch.
Waiting For The Sun brings us the heartbreaking and melancholy journey of "Albinoni's Adagio In G Minor." It's kind of a perfect ode to the best of the Doors' music – classic and mystic and modern and radical all at once. I'm more used to hearing this as a backdrop for Morrison's poetry on An American Prayer. It's very pleasant in a sense here to have the burden of Jim's heavy and troubled words lifted away. One line from his poetry will stay with me always: "Oh God, I'm sick of doubt." My lord, ain't that the case!
On an alternate version of "Not To Touch The Earth" there is some beginning dialogue that is a welcome light exchange where someone talks about things getting "psychedelicized." Morrison then affably welcomes everyone to get their headphones on. And then we're whisked into "Not To Touch The Earth," the most fully realized section of the much longer musical epic, Celebration Of The Lizard. The first version here is not nearly the best – Morrison's vocals are dry and raspy, though he does put in an effort. Take two is more compelling – Morrison begins far more subdued and mysterious, allowing the luscious and hypnotic psychedelic pulse to take front-and-center. Morrison's vocal powers then remain under control throughout the wildest sections. It's fascinating to listen to how songs build themselves in the studio, take-upon-take. What's not a little bit annoying is the fact that the studio version of "Not To Touch The Earth" is a far cry from its full powers. Take a listen to the version on The Doors In Concert and tell me I'm wrong.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
There are places where it makes a subtle difference " and this may spin audiophiles...
hey, you say that like it's a bad thing! ;-)
2 - Eric Berlin
Well, I must admit I was disappointed -- I really expected to be wowed and I just wasn't. I don't own high-end stereo/speakers, so maybe that would make a difference.
I should add that the DVDs include surround sound versions of the albums so that could make a significant difference.
3 - Mark Saleski
surround sound: icky.
it's interesting though, the results that can be had with remastered discs. to my ears, jazz releases have had better luck and treatment. a lot of rock remasters have just been made louder, with lots of compression added.
that's even happened with jazz albums though. the remastered Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, by Chick Corea actually has places where the piano distorts. just awful. makes me wonder if they listened to it after the remastering.
4 - Vern Halen
When the 1997 Doors box came out, I always suwpected there was more in the can somewhere. Now, if there were only some way to buy the extras... maybe these albums will eventually be available as single purchases and not just as part of the box set.
5 - DJRadiohead
Yeah, I am real happy to know the complete Doors box set wasn't quite exhaustive afterall.
6 - Eric Berlin
Vern, I suspect that in the not too distant future you'll be able to pick-and-choose from an iTunes or other online music source to fill out the actual and no doubt about it full-and-complete Doors collection. This will be a dark day for music labels, of course, who make huge bank off of offerings such as these.
7 - DJRadiohead
And might I add that it is damn good to have you writing some music, EB!
8 - Eric Berlin
Thanks very much DJR!
9 - Ian Woolstencroft
“surround sound: icky”
Sorry Mark but I don’t agree. Badly done surround sound may indeed be icky but try the SACD of Floyd’s Darkside of the Moon for an example of how it should be done. Or Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds, not to mention Fleetwood Mac. I’ll be picking this set up for the DVD-A’s as much as the rarities when it gets released, although with the Robert Plant box set due out the same day I’ll be on bread and water by the time payday comes around.
10 - Connie Phillips
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11 - Connie Phillips
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12 - reno faoro
I just got the box set this last week and was wowed to say the least. I've heard all versions of the 6 albums on 8track, cassette, original cds, remastered cds and now all in dvd audio. I loved it. You will find a lot of neat stuff that we missed through the mixes of old even from the remastered cds.
The s/t release isn't really in surround, but the back channels are basically ambient sounds. Though the front three sound great with great great bass sound. The "strange days" has limited surround tacks. The cuts Strange Days and Horse Latitudes stand out the most in surround. After those two the rest of the releases sound great in surround. Even some of the extras are in surround.
And Finally they released the song sung by Ray on "absolutely live","you need meat" on the LA Woman dvd-a. I feel this is well worth the $120 that they asking for. I did get it cheaper because it had a punch out hole over the upc label. I don't care, because I don't plan to resell it anyway. Maybe this release might get others out there to purchase a 5.1 system with a dvd-audio player.
13 - ghosttofu
what is the point of the review if you do not talk about the DVD's
14 - Eric Berlin
I would have loved to review the DVDs, but they were not included in my reviewer package.