I'm in the process of re-listening and re-evaluating my record collection, in no particular order. I'll be sharing the results of my evaluation and thoughts on the music in this blog.
Tuesday 6 August 2019
The Doors "Perception" (box set 2006, orig. rec. 1966-1970)*****
The Doors are one of those groups whose discography I've bought many times over: first, of course, in vinyl. I never bought original cassettes and I thankfully skipped the first generation CD's as mid-80's CD's were not only ridiculously expensive but also sounded awfully flat. They came with a disclaimer claiming that "because of its high resolution, Compact Discs can reveal limitations of the original analogue tapes" - to fool you into blaming the "higher resolution" for what was an inferior listening experience. I bought the complete Doors discography on CD when it was properly remastered in '99. I sold my LP's during The Great Vinyl Purge of 2004, while the CD's followed them to the second hand shops when I acquired the Perceptions Box Set in 2006 or 2007. I subsequently gave in to nostalgia, buying some of their albums in vinyl again, marking the 4th time I got them. I also skipped the "40th Anniversary Mixes" by original engineer Bruce Botnick and surviving members of the band, as I found out that they're based on the Perception DVD stereo mix, including the bonus tracks (every album comes with bonus demos or alternate takes as well as a few rare or previously unreleased songs). Further reissues have followed but they offer little of substance. Now if you log into specialist sites, everyone seems to have their own favorite mix but there's no denying that, unless you're a vinyl fanatic, this particular configuration is the best way to enjoy The Doors' studio recordings. Each album is presented in CD and DVD-A form. The CD mix is based on the '99 remaster with the addition of bonus tracks and few other alterations, while DVD's go all the way including new stereo and 5.1 surround mixes, plus videos, photos and exclusive online content including some for mobile phones (which I've never tried and don't know whether it'd work with modern phone OS). The surround mix is lively and adds to the listening experience, without being sensational or especially revelatory. The booklets are really beautiful, including informative notes about the recording of the albums, photos and complete lyrics. Seeing as an individual presentation of all 6 Doors CD's would fill many pages, I will focus here on the bonus tracks and other details unique to this specific version of the albums, by which I mean the box set as well as the identical 40th anniversary individual CD reissues (the ones with bonus tracks, currently the most commonly available format.)
Starting with the eponymous debut The Doors (1967), there's a bit of controversy on whether this is better than the original mix, and even on which should be considered more authentic. Apparently the original LP was initially mastered at a slightly slower speed because of a technical fault which is fixed here for the first time. Some don't like the new, slightly faster, versions, but I think the reason is that they're used to the older ones. It's true that some songs like "End Of The Night" had a darker, more Gothic, feel which is lost now. Then again, this is how The Doors always meant for you to hear it. Another difference is the "uncensored" versions of "Break On Through" (with the phrase "she gets high") and "The End" (with repeated utterances of the F... word). Some believe the offending words have been pasted over the censored version, probably from an alternate studio take, and sound unnatural. Had they heard these versions first, of course, they may have had another opinion. Bonus tracks include two very different versions of "Moonlight Drive" from 1966: one as a blues ballad with great bottleneck guitar, while the other is faster and poppier. The one used for the LP now sounds to me like a compromise between the two. Also from 1966 is an alternate take of "Indian Summer". Video content includes a videoclip of "Break On Through" and an assured performance of "The End" for Canadian TV. Strange Days (1967) adds alternate studio takes of "People Are Strange" and "Love Me Two Times" as well as Black & White Danish TV '68 performances of "Love Me Two Times" and "When The Music's Over". Waiting For The Sun (1968) bonus tracks include their fabulous baroque-via-Ennio Morricone instrumental "Albinoni's Adagio In G Minor", 3 takes of "Not To Touch The Earth" and the 17-minute epic from which this piece descended, called "Celebration Of The Lizard". This was originally meant to close the album, just as "The End" closed their debut and "When The Music's Over" did with Strange Days. It would have made sense, but I have to admit that "...Lizard" is nowhere as good or cohesive as the other two. DVD Video contains an excerpt of The Doors' historic '68 Hollywood Bowl concert containing "Spanish Caravan". The band are in great form but the way the video is abruptly cut just as the intro of "Light My Fire" starts playing is really annoying. There's also a performance of "Unknown Soldier" from the aforementioned Danish TV show. Interestingly, the surround version of the album has no subwoofer action making it a 5.0 album instead of 5.1. The Soft Parade (1969) is generally considered The Doors' weakest LP, with the addition of the strings and horns especially poorly received by critics. The remix adds a bit more muscle in order to fix this. Regarding the bonus tracks, the album wouldn't have profited by the inclusion of "Who Scared You" (initially a 7' B-side and included here as bonus track) but I quite like the sea shanty "Whiskey And Mystics And Men", which is included here in two versions, the second being a bit bluesier. These two had previously seen the light of day as part of the Essential Rarities comp, but there's also a longer version of "Touch Me" and a completely unreleased Latin jam called "Push Push". Video extras include 1969 soundstage performances of "The Soft Parade" and "Tell All The People" - the latter as a medley with "Whisky Bar" and "Back Door Man". By this time Jim the pop star is replaced by Jim The Bearded Alcoholic Beat Poet. Morrison Hotel (1970) adds many different takes on "Roadhouse Blues" that, far from a sign of a difficult gestation, show the band enjoying immersing themselves in the blues. "Money Beats Soul" is a bit of studio doodling, "Carol" a Chuck Berry snippet, "Peace Frog false starts and dialogue" is what the title says, and "The Spy (Version 2)" is a faster, and indifferent, run-through. At least the lounge version of "Queen Of The Highway" is somewhat interesting. The DVD adds videoclips of "Roadhouse Blues" and "Wild Child". L.A. Woman (1971) includes two bonus tracks: "Orange County Suite" is a Morrison blues demo to which the rest of the band later added music, similarly to what happened with Lennon demos and The Beatles Anthology series. "You Need Meet" is a blues cover previously released as B-side of "Love Her Madly" which features Manzarek doing a half-decent job on lead vocal. The 5.1. audio mix is quite enjoyable, especially on "Riders On The Storm". Video content consists of a clip of "The Changeling" and "The Crawling King Snake" accompanied by footage of the Doors in rehearsal. BOTTOM LINE: If you don't already own the complete Doors studio output, "Perception" is the ultimate purchase. But if you can't spare the time and money to hunt down a copy, and don't necessarily care about the extra videos or the surround mixes, you're equally well-served with the '99 remasters or the 40th anniversary mixes. Sure, there are sonic differences between the two but both sound quite good and the winner is a matter of taste. "Perception" and the 40th anniversary reissues do offer a few bonus tracks but these are far from essential. Lastly, there's a viable budget solution in the form of The Doors A Collection, a mini Box Set featuring all 6 studio albums (40th Anniversary mixes) in simple cardboard sleeves without bonus tracks.
Starting with the eponymous debut The Doors (1967), there's a bit of controversy on whether this is better than the original mix, and even on which should be considered more authentic. Apparently the original LP was initially mastered at a slightly slower speed because of a technical fault which is fixed here for the first time. Some don't like the new, slightly faster, versions, but I think the reason is that they're used to the older ones. It's true that some songs like "End Of The Night" had a darker, more Gothic, feel which is lost now. Then again, this is how The Doors always meant for you to hear it. Another difference is the "uncensored" versions of "Break On Through" (with the phrase "she gets high") and "The End" (with repeated utterances of the F... word). Some believe the offending words have been pasted over the censored version, probably from an alternate studio take, and sound unnatural. Had they heard these versions first, of course, they may have had another opinion. Bonus tracks include two very different versions of "Moonlight Drive" from 1966: one as a blues ballad with great bottleneck guitar, while the other is faster and poppier. The one used for the LP now sounds to me like a compromise between the two. Also from 1966 is an alternate take of "Indian Summer". Video content includes a videoclip of "Break On Through" and an assured performance of "The End" for Canadian TV. Strange Days (1967) adds alternate studio takes of "People Are Strange" and "Love Me Two Times" as well as Black & White Danish TV '68 performances of "Love Me Two Times" and "When The Music's Over". Waiting For The Sun (1968) bonus tracks include their fabulous baroque-via-Ennio Morricone instrumental "Albinoni's Adagio In G Minor", 3 takes of "Not To Touch The Earth" and the 17-minute epic from which this piece descended, called "Celebration Of The Lizard". This was originally meant to close the album, just as "The End" closed their debut and "When The Music's Over" did with Strange Days. It would have made sense, but I have to admit that "...Lizard" is nowhere as good or cohesive as the other two. DVD Video contains an excerpt of The Doors' historic '68 Hollywood Bowl concert containing "Spanish Caravan". The band are in great form but the way the video is abruptly cut just as the intro of "Light My Fire" starts playing is really annoying. There's also a performance of "Unknown Soldier" from the aforementioned Danish TV show. Interestingly, the surround version of the album has no subwoofer action making it a 5.0 album instead of 5.1. The Soft Parade (1969) is generally considered The Doors' weakest LP, with the addition of the strings and horns especially poorly received by critics. The remix adds a bit more muscle in order to fix this. Regarding the bonus tracks, the album wouldn't have profited by the inclusion of "Who Scared You" (initially a 7' B-side and included here as bonus track) but I quite like the sea shanty "Whiskey And Mystics And Men", which is included here in two versions, the second being a bit bluesier. These two had previously seen the light of day as part of the Essential Rarities comp, but there's also a longer version of "Touch Me" and a completely unreleased Latin jam called "Push Push". Video extras include 1969 soundstage performances of "The Soft Parade" and "Tell All The People" - the latter as a medley with "Whisky Bar" and "Back Door Man". By this time Jim the pop star is replaced by Jim The Bearded Alcoholic Beat Poet. Morrison Hotel (1970) adds many different takes on "Roadhouse Blues" that, far from a sign of a difficult gestation, show the band enjoying immersing themselves in the blues. "Money Beats Soul" is a bit of studio doodling, "Carol" a Chuck Berry snippet, "Peace Frog false starts and dialogue" is what the title says, and "The Spy (Version 2)" is a faster, and indifferent, run-through. At least the lounge version of "Queen Of The Highway" is somewhat interesting. The DVD adds videoclips of "Roadhouse Blues" and "Wild Child". L.A. Woman (1971) includes two bonus tracks: "Orange County Suite" is a Morrison blues demo to which the rest of the band later added music, similarly to what happened with Lennon demos and The Beatles Anthology series. "You Need Meet" is a blues cover previously released as B-side of "Love Her Madly" which features Manzarek doing a half-decent job on lead vocal. The 5.1. audio mix is quite enjoyable, especially on "Riders On The Storm". Video content consists of a clip of "The Changeling" and "The Crawling King Snake" accompanied by footage of the Doors in rehearsal. BOTTOM LINE: If you don't already own the complete Doors studio output, "Perception" is the ultimate purchase. But if you can't spare the time and money to hunt down a copy, and don't necessarily care about the extra videos or the surround mixes, you're equally well-served with the '99 remasters or the 40th anniversary mixes. Sure, there are sonic differences between the two but both sound quite good and the winner is a matter of taste. "Perception" and the 40th anniversary reissues do offer a few bonus tracks but these are far from essential. Lastly, there's a viable budget solution in the form of The Doors A Collection, a mini Box Set featuring all 6 studio albums (40th Anniversary mixes) in simple cardboard sleeves without bonus tracks.
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