Main menu
Fretplay home Submit tabs

The Doors
The Doors tabs The Doors discography

Channels
Guitar channel Bass channel Guitar videos Reviews

Message Forum
Guitar forum Bass forum Bands and artists Promote your band Recent discussions All categories

Fretplay.com

The Doors guitar tabs

CD reviews

The Doors

The Doors - The Doors Audio CD

A fair review of the The Doors "The Doors" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Doors reviews here, or go back to the The Doors tabs.

Band: The Doors
Title: The Doors
Rating:

Release Date: 1990-10-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks:

Classic debut album
In other words, pioneers and trailblazers were in short supply. Before The Doors released their debut album in 1967, rock and roll at that time was starting to sound more and more the same and just "typical" or run-of-the-mill. The Doors shook things up when they emerged on the scene playing at clubs in Los Angeles in 1965 and 1966. They were pioneers or "radicals" because of their unique sound. A bottleneck guitar player (Robbie Krieger) who used his fingernails instead of a pick, a jazz drummer (John Densmore), an organ player (Ray Manzarek) who played both the organ and organ bass at the same time, and an out-of-control singer (Jim Morrison) who was a poet and wrote poetic lyrics and was a student of film and was college educated, as Ray Manzarek was, also.

A unique lineup of musicians formed one of the greatest rock bands of all time, The Doors.

The Doors had no regular bass player, so Ray Manzarek played keyboard bass on this debut album, and also in concert. On later albums, session bass players were used in the studio, but during concerts the bass was provided by Manzarek's organ bass. The debut album was recorded almost all live - the band would play and Morrison would sing at the same time, so virtually every song was a one-shot recording, if you will. This album contains some classic songs such as Break On Through (To The Other Side), Soul Kitchen, The Crystal Ship, Twentieth Century Fox, Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar), Light My Fire, Back Door Man, I Looked At You, End Of The Night, Take It As It Comes, and the 11 minute epic, The End. I named the whole album!

The revolutionary sound of The Doors is what made them trailblazers. An eerie organ, keyboard bass, bottleneck guitar playing, jazz drumming, and the unique vocals and poetic lyrics of Jim Morrison. What's not to like? If you like bands that are different and think outside the box and don't fall into the same category as everyone else, give The Doors and their debut album a listen. They have remained my favorite band since I was first introduced to them at age 12. They might become your favorite as well, or one of your favorites if you haven't heard them before. .

A sound that has not fallen down
Although I would be lying if I said all the songs hit me like the greatest ones do (maybe it would have also benefited from a different sequence) and also I'd be lying if I said I have not drained most of the emotional truths from their best work long ago, but after all the subjectivity, what is really not to like here? Rare is the album where each song can stand as a microcosm of it's brilliance- be it the longer, literate jams I personally gravitated towards or the more traditional verse-chorus keyboard driven bluesy numbers which in itself stood far apart from comparative kind. 4 1/2

Undoubtedly one of the all-time classic rock debut albums, The Doors '67 self-titled release set the bar for their own specially formulated psychedelic blues awfully high, a level they were allowed to reach again, though arguably never surpass. Credit Manzarek and company for ushering in a radio-ready rock synergy that has stood the tests of time like such few bands have.

Nothing Like It
Most rock bands have been somewhat successfully imitated at some time or another, but what rock band sounds like the doors? There aren't any. One of a kind, totally inovative. The same could be said for the sound of the Who but otherwise I can't even think of any other bands with a more unique sound than the doors. Yes, almost every lead singer since Morrison has tried to somehow capture the presence, magnetism, and captivating personna the guy had, but they always fall short. When this album came out, it was like no other. Kreiger, Densmore, and Manzarek seemed to be born to create the stage for Morrison's lyrical theatre. They were all they have been said to be and more. I saw them live at the height of their popularity during one of the rare periods when Morrison was at least somewhat together and they were devastating to watch, and the memory of that night is seered into my brain. I had the same reaction to Hendrix. You would go to see these people and you thought that there was no way they could do live what they had done recording. Wrong! Like Hendrix, the Who, and a handful of others, they were magic. This first album has no weak link, and like the follow-up Strange Days, it is a masterpiece, a point in time where everything was kicked up a to a higher level, and the sophistication, mood, and quality of art has really never been duplicated. Certainly one of the five best albums of the sixties and a classic representation of what that era was all about. Country Joe, The Doors, Hendrix, The Airplane, The Byrds. . . man we have slid a long way from the class these bands represented to reach today's "MTV" awards. .

Classic 60's Rock Nostalgia
Led by the late great Jim Morrison, The Doors are truly one of the greatest and most legendary rock'n'roll bands of all time, and they're also one of my favorite classic rock bands as well. For the most part, I'm a huge fan of heavy metal, but I also enjoy lots of classic rock as well including Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, Boston, Rush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Thin Lizzy, and of course the band that I'm reviewing right now, The Doors. Their legendary 1967 self titled debut released on Elektra is truly one of the most legendary and all time best debut albums in rock, and it's also The Doors's all time best album as well. Now for a look at some of my favorite songs on this album. "Break on Through (To the Other Side)" is a nice solid upbeat rocking opener. "Soul Kitchen" and "Twentienth Century Fox" are both great bluesy rockers that include some killer bluesy guitar solos. "The Crystal Ship" is a nice slow haunting piano driven ballad that also features some haunting melodic vocals. "Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)" is another favorite that features some really awesome keyboard licks and melodies while "Back Door Man" includes some more awesome bluesy guitar solos, and of course "The End" is a great epic 11+ minute album closer. Most importantly the crowning jewel of this classic album as well as the absolute best song on here is without question track six and the number 1 hit "Light My Fire". This was the first Doors song I ever heard in my life and it also got me into the band in the first place. That keyboard intro is just absolutely addicting, as well as those mesmerizing keyboard solos, and let's also not forget about that awesomely addicting psychedelic sounding guitar solo by Robby Krieger, and of course the ever so mesmerizing melodic vocals by Jim himself. The musicianship on here is of course pure utterly genius. Ray Manzarek's keyboardwork on here is I mean just absolutely dominating throughout. Robby Krieger's guitar solos are very cool and addicting, and John Densmore's drumming is tight and solid throughout. And of course topping all that are the ever so amazingly menacing yet melodic and poetic vocals courtesy of Jim Morrison. There's no doubt that Jim was truly one of the greatest singers in rock. Please read on for my song ratings:
Jeremy's song ratings:
1. Break on Through (To the Other Side) (2:29) - 5/5
2. Soul Kitchen (3:35) - 5/5
3. The Crystal Ship (2:34) - 5/5
4. Twentienth Century Fox (2:33) - 5/5
5. Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar) (3:20) - 5/5
6. Light My Fire (7:08) - 10/5 My Favorite Song, I Love It!!
7. Back Door Man (3:34) - 5/5
8. I Looked at You (2:22) - 5/5
9. End of the Night (2:52) - 5/5
10. Take It as It Comes (2:17) - 5/5
11. The End (11:43) - 5/5

There's no doubt that this album is without question one of the best debut albums ever in rock'n'roll and it will continue to go down as one of the absolute best albums ever, always. Just because I love metal such as Slayer, Pantera, Metallica, Dream Theater, Megadeth, Kreator, Sepultura, Death, Atheist, Behemoth, Suffocation, Nile, etc, doesn't mean I can't love classic rock, and these guys really do it for me and the same can indeed be said with the other bands I mentioned earlier. So anyways if you're a big fan of classic rock like I'am, you'll definately truly love this classic rock masterpiece. So I just have four words for you: BUY THIS CLASSIC NOW!! R. I. P. JIM!!.

excellent debut album by The Doors
" The sound effects are great; the electric guitar by Robby Krieger is awesome and Jim Morrison sings his heart out for this number. This debut album by The Doors instantly solidified their place in rock history; this album has some pretty awesome hits and just one listen proves it!

The track set begins with their classic "Break On Through (To The Other Side). Love that percussion by John Densmore, too! Most rock fans will enjoy this number if by some chance they haven't heard it already.

"Soul Kitchen" starts with great guitar playing in several different keys and when Jim comes in this number takes off like a rocket! "Soul Kitchen" sports a good, solid beat to make it a excellent number. Jim sings of how he wants to sleep one night in his girlfriend's "soul kitchen;" cool! In addition, "The Crystal Ship" deals with Jim's wanting another kiss from his girl before she goes to sleep--or could this be referring to a drug trip instead of sleep? In any event, Jim delivers "The Crystal Ship" with remarkable sensitivity; I am very impressed by the beauty of this fine ballad.

"Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" makes good use of the guitars; and the horn is really great! Love that percussion, too! Jim sings this number flawlessly; and I predict that you will like "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" very much. Of course, "Light My Fire" remains a classic for The Doors; I love those guitars and when Jim implores his girlfriend to spend romantic time alone with him you know he truly means it! "Light My Fire" is definitely one of the best rock songs ever written. The song also has a musical interlude that is a perfect example of 1960s psychedelic/acid rock. Excellent!

"I Looked At You" has terrific percussion as Jim sings this to perfection; and "End Of The Night" also seems to be a type of experimental rock number. "End Of The Night" is a song that begins in such a strong minor key it grabs your attention and holds it every step of the way.

The CD ends with "The End. " "The End," written with careful use of the guitars and percussion, sounds experimental and it is also very beautiful. Jim starts by singing of how his relationship with his woman is ending. Jim Morrison delivers this with panache and "The End" closes the album very fittingly.

The liner notes include the song credits for the songs not written by The Doors; and the artwork is excellent.

I highly recommend this CD for anyone who wants to hear classic rock at its finest; and this is also a good CD for people who want to get to appreciate the artistry of The Doors.

Great job, everyone!.

You can see a complete list of all The Doors discography, or go back to the The Doors tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.