lambchops's Full Review: Strange Days by The Doors
Over the last few years, Rhino has made it their business to expand, remaster, and re-release classic albums from a variety of artists. Consider for a moment the names in their recent repertoire—Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Ramones, INXS, Grateful Dead, Aretha Franklin, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, and T. Rex to name just a select few. Now The Doors have gotten the same careful treatment with the re-release of their classic discography from their self titled 1967 debut through Strange Days, Waiting for the Sun, The Soft Parade, Morrison Hotel, and L.A. Woman. What makes these discs extra special is that they have been restored to their original intended quality (40th Anniversary Mix) and they also include bonus tracks.
Strange Days (1967) is not among the albums I would consider to be the best of The Doors. The band’s striking debut along with Morrison Hotel and L.A. Woman rank among my favorites, but Strange Days still is vastly more entertaining than most of what bands ever release. The thing about The Doors is that they had a unique sound that mixed together spooky drug trips and evocative hard rock. What the foursome (and in particular the snake-like Morrison) injected into their sound was something that bordered on decadent. I find the music on Strange Days and the other albums to be relaxing on one level and stressful on another. I love this dichotomy across the majority of the songs.
1967 was a big year for The Doors. Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, and Robby Krieger hit it big with their debut. The same crop of songs that yielded that album also gave the world Strange Days. In retrospect it is clear that the best of those tracks appeared on the first album while those that were “left over” came to live on Strange Days. Even though this is the case, there are still songs that count among my favorites from The Doors.
Leading this album off is the title track. I must admit to liking the song even though it is basically a bit of Morrison spoken word set aside psychedelic melodies, organs, and guitars. The overall feeling is very dour. I prefer the songs on which the band is a bit lighter hearted, but overall I’m impressed enough with Strange Days to count it among the best of the album. The remasters here are nothing to scream about but they are still noticeable—especially if you are among the fans most familiar with the band’s work. My other favorites are pretty obvious. People are Strange and Love Me Two Times are archetypical Doors. People are Strange is a moody, magical piece of music. The album’s first single, it is brief but wonderful. The lighthearted approach works well in the context of the entire work—it is beautiful and theatric. Love Me Two Times is bluesy and mostly focused on the guitar rather than organ. The generally upbeat song is short but features great performances across the board.
One song that may seem like an obvious choice of favorites is the nearly eleven minute When the Music’s Over. As a song it is fine enough, but it is also much too indulgent for my taste. I don’t mind a dash of theatrics but in the case of this offering it proves too much. The live staple was a favorite among fans, but I don’t believe it has aged well—the improvisational nature of the song has lost its power. Fortunately there are plenty of other tracks on Strange Days to hold my attention between the first and last tracks. You’re Lost Little Girl is an evocative, thoughtful ballad with one of the gentlest arrangements ever put together by The Doors. I appreciate that the band could successfully write, perform, and record such a wide variety of rock songs almost all of which feel contemporary even forty years later. Unhappy Girl is similar in feel but has a faster pace accentuated by psychedelic instruments. It works fine enough even if there are better songs.
Moonlight Drive is a tightly assembled, swaggering song complete with mid-tempo grooviness, snare drums, slide guitar solo, and intense vocals from Morrison. It is also apparently one of the earliest original compositions from The Doors even if it isn’t a personal favorite. My Eyes Have Seen You proves repetitive in both melody and lyrically. I’m also disappointed by I Can’t See You Face which has a vague Eastern feel but unfortunately doesn’t really go anywhere.
Fans of The Doors will want to own Strange Days along with the other new remasters not just because of their improved sound but also because of the bonus material. The inclusion of People Are Strange complete with false starts and dialogue is interesting enough. It lasts under two minutes but sheds some light on the genesis of what would become a classic song. This peek into The Doors is both revealing and educational. Love Me Two Times (Take 3) is actually an alternate version of the song. It is fully realized even if it differs in tone, instrumentation, and pace.
Strange Days is worth owning—especially if you’re a fan. If you are just looking to complete your discography of The Doors then you should also pick this one up. It is definitely a good album. Classic? Maybe not quite in the same league as some other Doors albums but still worthy.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Strange Days
02. You’re Lost Little Girl
03. Love Me Two Times
04. Unhappy Girl
05. Horse Latitudes
06. Moonlight Drive
07. People are Strange
08. My Eyes Have Seen You
09. I Can’t See Your Face In My Mind
10. When The Music’s Over
11. People Are Strange (False Starts & Dialogue, bonus)
12. Love Me Two Times (Take 3, bonus)
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