Waiting For The Sun provides a full version of Celebration of the Lizard, something that the band strove for but could not quite achieve during the album's original creation. It's always a treat to hear a different rendition of this strange, transitive musical journey. "Is everybody in? The ceremony is about to begin." However, the version revealed here doesn't add a lot to the journey, unfortunately. It's somewhat flat and overly mellow and doesn't create the peaks and valleys of excitement, emotion, and energy that The Doors are famous for.
It's really too bad that "Who Scared You" never made it onto any of The Doors' studio albums. In my view it's head-and-shoulders better than some of The Soft Parade's "softer" numbers, which are arguably among the worst pieces the band ever produced. (Yeah, "Do It" doesn't really do it for me, sorry).
"Whiskey, Mystics and Men," also included at the end of The Soft Parade, is a wonderful sea shanty, and Jim's commanding yet soulful take at the helm gives Version 1 particularly a rollicking and playful quality. Version 2 builds more slowly, with the
instrumentals joining Jim as the song develops. While Version 1 works more as a whole, there's a truly joyous and ethereal section in the middle of Version 2 that builds up to an explosive climax that's really worth a check-out.
On "Push Push," you can almost imagine stopping into a local dive in 1964 and
hearing Ray Manzarek fronting his Ray and The Ravens, UCLA students drinking beer, rocking away to beach-flavored party tunes. "Push Push" is an ode to The Doors' very early influences, but not an extraordinary piece of music. Finally, on "Touch Me (Take 3)," there are a few subtle touches that differentiate it from the polished studio version (such as a groovy jangle to Krieger's guitar at the outset) but not much more than that.
Morrison Hotel's extras begin with "Talking Blues," a minute long little ditty with Morrison playing bluesman. Fun stuff. There are then several lengthy versions of "Roadhouse Blues," which kicks off with great frustrated producer talk: "Come on Robbie, start that song, from out of the closet you started it! We're going to the roadhouse, not the bathroom, now come on now, let's cut it!" Later: "Let's make it nasty, man!" Meanwhile, Morrison is blues-talking obscenities to himself in the background. In between takes of "Roadhouse Blues," Morrison kept up chatter about how money beats soul. He expands a little bit on "Money Beats Soul" with blues-drenched backdrop, stating things such as, "Your soul's worth about as much as you can get on Wall Street, my dear." Overall, the multiple takes of "Roadhouse Blues" don't do a lot to add to the legacy of one of the classicist classic rock Doors' hits of ever.
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.