The Cavern
Rock & Words
MORRISON HOTEL (The Doors, 1970)
Artist: The Doors (B+)
Recording Date: Aug-Nov ‘69
Release Date: February 9th, 1970. USA
Record Label: Elektra
Producer: Paul A. Rotchild
Rating: 9
Era: Hard Rock (1968-???)
Subgenre: Hard Rock
Mejor Canción: Roadhouse o Maggie McGill
Canciones: 1) Roadhouse Blues; 2) Waiting For The Sun; 3) You Make Me Real; 4) Peace Frog; 5) Blue Sunday; 6) Ship Of Fools; 7) Land Ho!; 8) The Spy; 9) Queen Of The Highway; 10) Indian Summer; 11) Maggie McGill.
This is a spectacular return for The Doors . And a tremendous stylistic shift, the second in their career. While the first two albums were absolutely psychedelic, dark, and terrifying with those meticulously crafted apocalyptic atmospheres, the following two studio albums represented a shift that resulted in more complex and experimental songs on the one hand, and more pop and commercial ones on the other. The result didn't please the fans.
So, after all the legal troubles surrounding the Miami incident, Jim's distractions—his attempt to film a movie with former film colleagues, his attempt to publish poetry, his sadomasochistic relationship with Pamela Courson—or, in short, the suicidal and self-destructive spiral he'd fallen into, Jim hit rock bottom and decided it was time to refocus his energies. What captivated him this time was old-school blues, the blues of the Delta Blues masters and Chicago, and he decided without further ado that the next Doors album would be more focused on exploring these directions. Of course, Robbie Kriegger wasn't bothered in the slightest, and on this album, he's the absolute star, demonstrating why he's one of the greatest guitarists in history; quite underrated, it must be said. Manzarek doesn't disappear entirely, but it's no longer his monstrous keyboard riffs or his frenetic solos that drive the songs; they're mere exquisite embellishments that round out the tracks, but he's no longer the architect. The guitar is the leader here. And the bass, which wasn't played by Ray's Fender Rhodes Bass keyboard, but by several real blues bassists : Lonnie Mack, Ray Neapolitan, who share the songs, and John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful on harmonica. Manzarek only plays bass on "Indian Summer," and that's because it's an outtake recorded in 1967 that didn't make it onto the debut album.
This gave the album much more rawness and energy. In other words, the opening track, “Roadhouse Blues,” is possibly the most powerful opener on any album up to that point. The intensity of that guitar, the boogie piano , the harmonicas—everything creates that brutally hard-rocking atmosphere that makes you imagine yourself on your Harley Davidson riding alongside Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider. The rest of the album may not maintain the same intensity; it shifts atmospheres, featuring some more psychedelic tracks, some calm ballads, a more tranquil blues in “The Spy ,” and it's not until the end of the album that we encounter another mammoth track that overwhelms you, “Maggie McGill,” possibly the band's most brutally underrated song.
The album is less complex than its predecessors. We no longer find suites, nor epic tracks exceeding seven minutes that evoke a shamanic ritual. Instead, the songs are short and direct, none exceeding four minutes. The psychedelia fades somewhat, and if anything, we find glimpses of it in " Waiting For The Sun," a track originally intended for the album of the same name but ultimately discarded , though the album retained its title. One of the strangest and most inexplicable anecdotes in rock, isn't it? But the point is that despite being one of the Doors ' simplest albums , it remains remarkably complex for a blues-based record. The lyrics are also simplified, but Morrison generally conveys more than meets the eye, and this album is no exception. He maintains a certain cryptic and somber tone in his lyrics, rarely found on other blues albums .
The album was acclaimed by fans and critics alike, who were eager for something of the quality of the first two albums after the disappointment of " Soft Parade." Morrison Hotel climbed the charts, eventually reaching #4 on the Billboard charts , despite the fact that many media outlets had blacklisted the band due to Jim's scandals.
The tour for this album was a success, with the band in top form and giving some of their most memorable performances. By August, Jim was back in court regarding the Miami case, and the outcome was not favorable. Shortly afterward, he had more trouble due to a disturbance on an airplane, nearly facing another trial on charges of causing a disturbance while intoxicated on board, a federal crime that could have landed him in prison for 10 years. He narrowly escaped prosecution when a flight attendant claimed that Tom Baker, not Jim Morrison, was responsible. The Doors ' performance at the Isle of Wight Festival, where The Who stole the show, would be one of their last concerts, and not a particularly good one, with the band distracted by Jim's numerous problems.
The album is divided into two parts. Side A is called “Hard Rock Café” and side B is “Morrison Hotel.” Interestingly, there was a hotel in Los Angeles called the Morrison Hotel, and Jim had been toying with the idea of having their next album titled after it and taking the cover photo in the hotel lobby. As the album progressed, the band went to the hotel to ask the owners for permission to take the picture, but since they didn't want bad publicity with a band of exhibitionist, drug-addled hippies, they were turned away. The guys left disappointed, but returned the next day, sending Pamela Courson to distract the receptionist while they sneaked in to take the cover photo in front of the window. The back cover features a photo of a small restaurant called the Hard Rock Cafe that was in Los Angeles, unrelated to the restaurant chain of today. More than a true concept or a division in style and sound between the two sides, it was simply a joke by the band.
The album starts with a bang. The opening notes of “Roadhouse Blues” are pure dynamite. That riff (more of a roar than a riff) is almost a marvel in its simplicity and effectiveness. From the very first notes, played purely on guitar, you feel a rush of adrenaline from that dirty, raspy, aggressive, menacing sound. It had been a while since the Doors had played such a perfect riff. A venomous drumbeat and a little piano are immediately added. Boogie , a bass line that mirrors that fantastic riff, and a harmonica as devastating as the guitar. Jim does the rest of the magic, with a flawless vocal performance. From the epic intro “I woke up this morning and I got “Myself a Beer ,” which effectively transports you to the lonely, dirty, and gritty atmosphere of a bum's trailer. We have to thank Paul Rothchild, who knew from the start that this was THE song on the album and that they had to get a perfect take, so he made the guys repeat it endlessly until they got THE sound. “Come on, Robbie, we're in a trailer, not a public toilet,” he kept telling him. This led Robbie to use the perfect distortion pedal, with the perfect EQ. It doesn't sound like a trashy song, but it does sound dirty and menacing. Lonnie Mack played bass, and John Sebastian plays the spectacular harmonica. It's said that to achieve that carefree, hostile, and perfect aura, Jim downed a couple of bottles of whiskey, using the excuse that only then could he sing like a bluesman . The song is sublime. From that riff, which has a slight variation on the first and second takes, to the gigantic solo at 1:35, in the Jim yells “Do it Robbie, do it !” It’s one of the most incendiary and explosive solos you can find in under half a minute. Curiously, it’s said that Lonnie Mack himself played the solo, but he wasn’t given credit so as not to make Robbie look bad; Jim supposedly originally yells “Do It Lonnie! Do It !”, but the quality of the phrase was deliberately lowered so that it sounds like he’s saying Kriegger’s name. In the end, there were so many takes that it was never clear who actually played the lead guitar or some of the guitar riffs. The song is enormous, and I generally put it at least on par with epic tracks of more than 7 minutes. It would also be a symbol in concert. Those opening notes with the announcer proclaiming, “Ladies and gentlemen, from Los Angeles, California, THE DOOOOOORS!” are already part of the rock collective unconscious.
Then there's "Waiting For The Sun", a track that ended up being left off their third studio album of the same name. Because of this, it retains a bit more of the psychedelic spirit the Doors had in '68. A vibrant, harpsichord-like keyboard with heavy delay , followed by a kind of keyboard fuzz . The guitar plays clean, bluesy arrangements , joining in with a tremendous blast of fuzz on the monumental and merciless main riff: Boom- boom BOOM Boom-boom-BOOM!!! A chilling little masterpiece, half-slow , taking us through several fragments that have always struck me as a funeral march. The Doors' dark atmospheres have always seemed bright and multicolored to me, acidic and psychedelic like a rainbow , but at the same time dark and poisonous, like an oil slick on the floor refracting the colors: a dead rainbow . And this is one of the songs that most evokes that feeling in me. Monumental work by Robbie, who supposedly re-recorded all his guitar parts, which is why the blues influence is much more noticeable in this song, giving the final touch to that apocalyptic atmosphere.
The album maintains its perfect rhythm with the boogie-woogie of "You Make Me Real". Of course, it's not as big as the previous two tracks, but it's a really fun song, more upbeat, with a lighter, more party-like atmosphere, which takes away all the solemnity with which the album began, while still maintaining a good level of quality and without any clowning around. The keyboard riff is excellent, and I can just picture Ray wearing a bowler hat at one of those saloon pianos from the Old West. Densmore sounds phenomenal on the drums, and Robbie does a great job, although this time I think the keyboards steal the spotlight a bit from him. In short, a minor classic, not quite as monstrous, but still fun and very well-crafted, which would also become a staple of their live shows on that last tour.
Next comes “Peace Frog”, a funky , light, and playful song . Krieger’s guitar is heavily laced with wah-wah , making it crackle like a frog. Jim, for his part, repeats that exquisite trick of multiplying himself, perhaps not with as many voices as in “ Soft Parade,” but you can at least distinguish a couple of Jims answering each other. The bass is playful and very dynamic, and the guitar solo at 1:30 is well-constructed, holding a single note for a few seconds and creating the effect of a change when the string is bent. Then a false ending, and we return to that playful rhythm, with an almost disco beat. The lyrics are political, focusing more on American hands stained with Vietnamese blood, but a couple of lines hint at Morrison’s annoyance with the incidents in New Haven and Chicago, where the police threatened to stop the concerts, Jim refused, accused them in front of the crowd, and then almost caused a riot. A very rare and underrated song.
"Blue Sunday" follows with a waltz rhythm, a sleepy keyboard, and Jim delicately singing the ballad. The song is rather weak, very dreamy and listless. It's always struck me as if the whole band were just waking up and too lazy to play. A harmless two-minute filler track.
The second part of the album, called Hard Rock Café, opens with “Ship of Fools”, a minor track that manages to be decent, with a playful rhythm, excellent drumming (this time, let me give the credit to John), and delicious guitar riffs and Ray's circus-like keyboard work. At times, both instruments mirror each other, creating a dialogue. A minute in, there's an instrumental bridge where they shift gears and begin to build that delicious tension, even throwing in solos for a moment. The lyrics are contrasting and dark, speaking of the end of humanity with a somber cynicism that doesn't reflect the music's optimism.
"Land Ho!" continues with this series of not-so-bad filler tracks. A good beat, reminiscent of a galloping horse, Robbie again delivering a great riff, and overall, everyone creating a very country, or rather, western atmosphere. There are tempo changes, Jim joking around in the choruses with that "Land OH!!!!" after getting quite solemn in the bridges, and generally a carefree vibe. You can tell they're all having a blast. You just have to pay a little attention to the lyrics to see how serious they really are. But the truth is, it works out relatively well.
Then there's "The Spy", a very slow blues with a sharp, repetitive guitar riff, another great piece of rough piano work, a somber, deep bass line that feels like midnight, and Jim, who was possibly drunk again, because he sounds magnificent. The song is minimalist, with very basic, very bluesy sounds , and it effectively transports you to an atmosphere of a 1940s spy or gangster film. The excellent chorus at 1:40 comes in just the right time to prevent the song from becoming repetitive. The lyrics are absolutely delightful and voyeuristic : "I know the dream, that you're dreamin ' of, I know the word that you long to hear, I know your deepest, secret fear." I don't know if it'll work to seduce girls, but the idea horrifies me . Anyway, an excellent song, a very fine blues, with jazzy touches, and an almost desolate atmosphere.
“Queen of the Highway” is another biker anthem, featuring a strobing keyboard and a semi-funky rhythm . It has a very strange aura, suddenly playful and then veering to a somber extreme. The lyrics are also odd, at times seeming like a description of himself and Pamela: “He was a Monster, Black dressed in leather ” and “She was a princess , Queen of the Highway .” One of the album's most cryptic songs, but also boasting excellent instrumental work and one of its catchiest and most elaborate melodies.
Next up is “Indian Summer”, which is the only truly awful filler track on the album. A very ambient ballad , attempting to imitate Indian sounds. The song was an outtake from the debut album, and it's the only track where Ray plays bass with his Fender Rhodes. It's very repetitive and lacks depth. Not even Jim's lyrics manage to sound interesting. A hippie piece that pays homage to the Summer of Love… three years later, when it's already too late. Filler, though this isn't the only reason the album doesn't reach a 10.
The album closes with another massive song, “Maggie McGill”. an apocalyptic blues track where the riff is as devastating as it is simple. This time, it's not solely Robbie's doing. The tremendous riff is a triple combination of instruments. The slide guitar is useless without that brutal, driving bass line and that almost destructive drumming. While it's not quite the same, the rhythm section reminds me of the crushing effect Led Zeppelin would achieve years later with “ When the Levee Breaks .” Furthermore, this rhythmic foundation allows Robbie to break free from the initial riff and deliver a masterclass in blues, playing every possible variation of the basic riff, experimenting with slides , vibrato , making the guitar scream with a touch of fuzz , going back to the wah pedal , and so on. The keyboard is barely a backdrop until after the chorus, at 1:25, when Ray plays a rather simple solo compared to what we're used to from him, but it blends well with the song's raw fury. Then everyone stops and starts again with the deliciously crafted, destructive riff. Jim also displays a great fullness as a vocalist, a maturity he had already shown, but in this particular song, he sounds wild and achieves each of the intonations he was aiming for. I particularly love how he hits those " Really" " Like to, GET IT ON." The coda is also brilliant, with Jim practically pleading for Maggie, rounding out the song's bleak and hopeless atmosphere... In short, with "Maggie McGill" they return to colossal album closers, proving that epic, seven-minute-plus tracks don't necessarily have to sound colossal. In my opinion, it's the band's most underrated song, one that never appears on compilations, not even live albums.
A very complete album, where the Doors finally shake off the psychedelic aura they were becoming pigeonholed in, and join the global trend of albums more focused on their roots, on Hard Rock, Blues, and more basic, retro sounds . They succeed, and how! If it doesn't quite reach a perfect ten, it's because there are several harmless, even fun, filler tracks, but filler nonetheless. And then there's the boring "Indian Summer." It needs a bit more effort to turn those average fillers into good songs; not necessarily eternal classics, but simply good songs. They would take that masterful step on L.A. Woman, Jim's swan song. Even so, Morrison Hotel is worthwhile, as it comes close to perfection and is a good album to discover this new, bluesier facet of the Doors , once again dark, menacing, wilder, and more basic, without those pointless flirtations with pop that backfired so badly on their two previous albums. Fans and critics alike recognized their effort, and despite the fact that there were no smash hit singles (I don't know how "Roadhouse Blues" didn't reach #1), the album performed well and the tour for this album remains legendary and practically unbeatable.
By Corvan
Mar/14/2011
