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Absolutely Live was released during July of 1970 when The Doors were at the height of their creative and commercial power. The album remained the definitive document of their concert style for years. It was not until the CD era opened the flood gates of unreleased material that this album was superseded by better releases.
My only real complaint with this album is the method in which the songs were assembled or, I should say, put together. I have always preferred to hear a concert in its entirety, the good with the bad, as it presents an accurate picture of the artist live. Such is not the case here. Not only do the performances come from many different shows, but the actual songs are pieced together. Separate parts of the same song were originally spliced together in the hope of creating the perfect track. Legend has it that hundreds of song bits were used to create this double album. It all adds up to The Doors live but without a true concert feel.
The band's choice of material was consistently excellent and interesting; it was not just a regurgitation of their greatest hits at the time. A number of rarely performed tracks made the album, which made it unique in The Doors' catalog at the time. They also included complete versions of two of their lengthy pieces.
Their version of the old blues tune “Who Do You Love” gets the album off to a strong start. The ominous lyrics fit Morrison well plus the band was able to demonstrate their improvisational skills. Other rarely presented gems included “Love Hurts,” “Build Me A Woman,” “Dead Cats, Dead Rats,” and “Universal Mind.”
Among their well known songs to be included were “Break On Through (To The Other Side) #2" — featuring some creative guitar work by Robbie Krieger — as well as“Five To One,” which is always welcome no matter what the format. This early live version of the latter finds The Doors at their best. A seven minute “Soul Kitchen” then brings the album to a nice conclusion.
The two long tracks probably sum up the live Doors best. “When The Music’s Over,” at sixteen minutes, and “Celebration Of The Lizard,” at fourteen-plus minutes reveal Morrison, Robbie Krieger, John Densmore, and Ray Manzarek at their most powerful. Morrison’s charisma, stage performance, and lyrics move front and center while the group expands the material into unexplored territory.
Today there are a number of other live performances by The Doors that are equal too or superior too Absolutely Live. Still it remains a nice look at the career of one of rock’s classic bands circa 1970.
