The Cavern
Rock & Words
THE DOORS (Álbum, 1967)
Artist: The Doors (B+)
Recording Date: 1966
Release Date: January 4th, USARecord Label: Electra
Productor: Paul Rotchild
Rating: 10 (ICONIC ALBUM, MUST HAVE)
Era: Psychedelia (1966-1969)
Subgenre: Acid Rock
Best Song: Light My Fire or The End
Tracklist: 1) Break On Through (To The Other Side); 2) Soul Kitchen; 3) The Crystal Ship; 4) Twentieth Centur Fox; 5) Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar); 6) Light My Fire; 7) Back Door Man; 8 ) I Looked At You; 9) End Of The Night; 10) Take It As It Comes; 11) The End.
There were many albums that preceded and laid the groundwork for the gigantic Summer of Love. Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited , the Rolling Stones' Aftermath , the Mamas and the Papas' self-titled album, the Beatles' Revolver, Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, among others, all from '66. The psychedelia and creative explosion of '67 began to take shape a few months earlier with excellent albums that transitioned the innocence of the early decade with the fury and psychedelic vibrancy that would revolutionize rock forever. But the first album of that mythical '67 that perfectly captured the spirit and atmosphere of that year and that generation was precisely The Doors , inaugurating a whole era with the new year, a Summer of Love that actually lasted 24 months.
The Doors ' debut album was a game-changer, a revolutionary album in its own right, creating a genre that hasn't been equaled in over 40 years. Dark, audacious, psychedelic, brimming with genius and daring, breaking down barriers and taboos, it's a debut many established bands would envy. Needless to say, from its very release, the LP catapulted Morrison and company straight to stardom.
The Doors had already spent almost the entire first twelve months of '66 forming and solidifying themselves as a band. Jim Morrison's tremendous voice and dark poetry, Ray Morrison's genius and vibrant keyboards, Robbie Morrison's bluesy guitar , and Densmore's jazzy drumming quickly catapulted them onto the LA nightlife scene, where they stood out in performances at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go club. Little by little, Jim Morrison overcame his initial stage fright (believe it or not , Morrison initially sang with his back to the audience due to stage fright, the same stage fright that landed him in legal trouble for masturbating in a Miami stadium—unbelievable!). When he finally dared to face the audience, the Doors became a force to be reckoned with on stage, and it wasn't long before they were signed by Electra Records for their first album. They entered the studio in November 1966 to record the songs that stood out most in their live performances, and the result is the legendary *The Doors *, released almost at the beginning of '67.
The album opens with a monster of a song that has become a classic: "Break On Through". A high-energy rocker with incredibly dark undertones. Here, Krieger takes the credit with a riff and guitar arrangements that defy major and minor keys, instead employing strange mid-range sounds that lend the song a dynamic yet dark quality—something that would become his trademark. I once heard someone say that psychedelia was like a rainbow , and that this song was like an oil slick on the floor, darkly refracting the colors of the spectrum: a dead rainbow . The truth is, it has tremendous energy. Jim's voice demonstrates from the very first note the power and depth he can achieve. The riffs are delicious, the drums are rhythmic, delicate when necessary, and devastating when called for, and Ray launches into solos that begin to define a whole generation. Nobody, absolutely nobody, had done anything like it before. The first time I heard this song on a compilation, the opening riff impressed me with its freshness, power, catchiness, and sixties feel. It sounded like it came from the soundtrack of some bad American movie filmed in Acapulco. Today, I obviously take it much more seriously, but the adjectives I used haven't changed over time.
Next up is "Soul Kitchen". It might not be the best song in their repertoire, but it's undoubtedly a Doors classic . The song became a concert anthem, always performed with much greater intensity, sometimes with altered lyrics to complain about the police. But focusing on the studio version, it's a mid-tempo song where the tension builds to a somewhat less powerful climax. The Doors ' signature sound begins to emerge in this track. It's not weak at all, but neither the drums nor the keyboards particularly stand out, making Krieger's riff and arrangements essential to keeping the song alive. Morrison's vocal harmonies also come into play, where you can hear two or three Jims singing simultaneously.
Next up is one of the album's most mystical songs: "Crystal Ship". It's a standout track, both for its poetic and cryptic lyrics, dark atmosphere, Ray's superb keyboard work, and incredibly complex harmonic structures. Ray excels not only on the keyboards but also on his Fender Rhodes bass, where he creates arrangements impossible to achieve on a standard bass. Perhaps this song marks the beginning of the electronic era with its characteristic sequenced bass. Not a single note is superfluous, the song doesn't drag, the atmosphere is dense and profound, and the vocals are perfectly suited to convey their intended message. The Doors manage to evoke dreamlike sensations with their melodic gentleness, Ray's soft piano playing, and a monumental solo that proves songs don't necessarily need to be over five minutes long to be great. In short, it's a level of musical perfection that even Duran Duran couldn't quite reach with their great cover , and this song has become one of my favorites by the band over the years.
The LP continues with a rather weak song: "Twentieth Century Fox". Ray and Robbie try hard to create supporting riffs, but frankly, they're very weak, including the guitar solo halfway through the song. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect is Jim's play on words with the song's title, a double reference to the stereotypical 20th-century vixen and the film production and distribution company of the same name. Nothing memorable, but it's not offensive either.
Next up is "Alabama Song", a cover of an old Broadway song from the 1940s. Their adaptation is simply exquisite. Someone not immersed in the Doors universe could swear it's an original by the band. From the very beginning, the group plunges us into an atmosphere somewhere between carnival and circus, but with dark undertones. Jim sounds perfect in that "Oh show me the way to the next whiskey bar…" as if it were written specifically for him, and you end up convinced by every line he recites. The Doors made this song their own in the same way the Beatles made "Twist & Shout " theirs. A delight from beginning to end, with changes in Manzarek 's keyboard textures , rhythmic shifts, a guitar that at times sounds like a strobe mandolin, a bass that sounds like a trombone… I particularly love Ray's bridge at 2:25, which precedes the entrance to a double keyboard and guitar solo. Phenomenal.
The band doesn't let the energy drop, and immediately after the last notes of "Alabama Song", a snare drum blast comes in, followed by that psychedelic intro that's already ingrained in the collective unconscious of every self-proclaimed rocker. "Light My Fire" is an all-time classic, and if it's not their best song, it's certainly the one that best represents The Doors, both here and everywhere. From the very intro, Ray begins to create a harmonically complex, yet deliciously psychedelic chord progression, with that Farfisa keyboard sound that would also become the band's trademark. Without a doubt, it's one of the most complex, yet most recognizable keyboard riffs in rock history, and it's still celebrated in any bar where it's played today. The song lowers in intensity, bordering on delicacy during the verses. Then come the choruses of " C'mon baby Light My " Fire " kicks in to launch into the keyboard solo. Despite being an epic song that clocks in at over seven minutes, the keyboard and guitar solos never drag for a single second. Although they're built on just two tones that repeat endlessly, and even though I find playing the bass part so repetitive for so long incredibly tedious, Ray's arrangements are tremendous. You end up memorizing every note of the Farfisa , rising and falling in intensity, creating tension, adding color here, darkness there, fading away after the three-minute mark to allow Robbie to work his magic. Krieger's opening notes are also now classics, easily replicated by any amateur guitarist who tries them. The rest of the solo isn't as straightforward, but it's always in harmony with the song's atmosphere, showcasing Robbie's virtuosity, leading up to that immense climax where everything explodes in a musical orgasm before returning to the keyboard intro , the repeated verses, and finally Jim's voice. Exploding like a jaguar's roar. Over 7 minutes long, but this song has become a rock monster thanks to its harmonic complexity at the beginning, Jim's ability to deliver power or delicacy as needed, the harmonic simplicity of the solos combined with the brilliance of their execution, the creation of tension, and its tremendous ending.
After such a powerful outburst comes "Backdoor Man", the album's second cover (originally by Willie Dixon), and another highlight. The song begins slowly with a bass riff, but Jim makes it clear that this won't be a lullaby. The keyboard and guitar kick in with full force, and the song begins to build in intensity almost imperceptibly. Jim delivers a masterful performance, stealing the show above any other instrument. It's pure blues, full of acid and arrangements that ushered in the era of psychedelic blues. Clapton had already done something similar with Cream a few months earlier, but his band didn't have any keyboards of that caliber. Jim Morrison has many detractors, but the fact that he couldn't play any instruments becomes secondary to vocal performances of this magnitude. Those who attack him so vehemently have clearly not heard this song, which undoubtedly helps solidify Jim's place as one of the greatest vocalists in rock history.
The album starts to slow down a bit. Next comes “I Looked at You”, a song without much to write home about. It maintains a decent mid-tempo pace. There are no standout riffs or solos, but Jim once again battles his vocals, unleashing perfectly tuned and furious screams. You end up humming along and enjoying the song while listening, but as soon as it's over, it's completely forgettable. Perhaps the best part is the false ending at 1:50, where they start the song again out of nowhere and finally finish with a short coda of “ Too late, too late, too late…”
"End of the Night" is another of the album's weaker tracks. It attempts to achieve the mysticism of Crystal Ship, but falls short. Jim doesn't make much of an effort to deliver a powerful vocal performance, and the musicians don't do anything particularly memorable either, aside from a few dissonant vocal riffs from Robbie and Ray that occasionally stand out, but nothing worth remembering. It's too slow for my taste. They could have used more effective arrangements or tailored it better to Jim's voice so it wouldn't sound so low and bland. The best thing about it is undoubtedly the lyrics, once again poetic and striving for the depth that characterizes Jim's writing.
The album's finale picks up the pace a bit with "Take It As It Comes". While not one of the Doors ' greatest hits , it at least serves to wake us up a little. Based on a sequence of three chords that follow one another without interruption until the end (literally and in every sense, haha), the song features solid work from the musicians and vocalist, but it's not very well conceived from the start. While catchy while you're listening, it's another one that's easily forgotten as soon as you hear it. It lacks magic, although in terms of professionalism, no one is lacking. The highlight is the section where only the bass and a hint of drums support Jim's whispered vocals before exploding again just before the song's end.
The album's closing track is phenomenal. "The End" is another epic song that feels like it lasts forever, but in my opinion, it's a phenomenal finale for this album. The most psychedelic piece on the record begins with a slow, sitar-tinged slide guitar. Robbie starts weaving a web of sound, a slow current of notes that envelop you like a snake. The Eastern atmospheres envelop us in a delicious stupor, Jim's poetry fills everything with a psychotic air, Ray's notes add a touch of psychedelia without straying from the Indian sound. But Densmore... Densmore steals the show on this track. Staying true to his bluesy style , he carries the entire song on his shoulders, creating the necessary atmosphere, adding drum rolls just when you're about to get lost in dreamlike imagery, providing cadence and timing, lulling the listener, giving space for Robbie to weave his spidery guitar work, Ray his slow rivers of acid notes, and Jim his litanies, complete with Oedipal complex. Incidentally, we reach a section where Morrison is reciting rather than singing. Some might say this section is superfluous because it lengthens the song too much, but upon closer inspection, there's no other way to reach that mini- Oedipal orgasm where Jim shouts, " Mother ... I want to Waahhha! " lieeewaaaaaaaa " kaaaaaaa ." The song then drops almost to silence, sustained only by the " C'mon baby take a chance with "us " and slowly builds in intensity again, guided by the drums that provide structure and shape. The tension grows through the guitar (as I've already mentioned, the Doors are masters at this) and before you know it, the song is a musical chaos that ends in Densmore's cymbal rolls . We return to the main sequence, and the instrumentation slowly fades away until Jim is left alone with a tambourine on the classic: " This " It's the end ." Those with turntables will confirm this by watching the needle rise .
A massive, classic, and revolutionary album. The Doors ' album broke taboos in terms of lyrics, band lineup (by not including a bassist), fusing three or four practically opposing individual styles, and presenting a dark, delicate, wild, and psychedelic proposition… Brilliant. The Doors would surpass themselves with their next album, but they wouldn't make too many changes to the formula presented in this LP. Thanks to this album and the tremendous impact it had, we have other bands like the Velvet Underground and Jefferson's. Airplane , Love, etc. These are very different groups, and ultimately, very distinct from and inferior to The Doors , but record labels opened their doors to them thanks to the success of the psychedelic sounds on this album. A classic. And until 1967, the best debut any rock band could have had.
By Corvan
Aug/3/2008
