The Doors
The Doors, man. It was a toss up between their debut album and their last, ‘LA Woman’. Actually, it wasn’t. The Doors are a bit like The Stranglers: something you should grow out of really (no offence and RIP Dave Greenfield). But ‘LA Woman’ still holds up, mainly because it’s shorn of all the psychedelic whimsy, bombast and bad poetry. It’s a great set of tight but loose, almost funky, songs. The lyrics are ‘normal’, none of the usual ‘weird scenes inside the goldmine’ nonsense. Back to basics.
The band kinda knew this was their last album and they had fun with it. They produced by themselves, playing live in a small studio, with a bassist to flesh it out (Jerry Scheff who went on to be part of Elvis’s TCB band). ‘The Changeling’ kicks it off with a drum beat before chugging rhythm swings in. Jim yelps before kicking in, setting the tone for his vocals on the album: gruff, loose, bluesy, Rawk! ‘Love Her Madly’ is swinging piano and drums, a great poppy tune. ‘Been Down so Long’ a straight beat 12 bar blues with slide guitar, Jim howling inna Blues style. ‘Cars Hiss By My Window’ is slooow Jimmy Reed 12 bar blues with brushed snares, Jim almost crooning, fluid picking by Robby Kreiger on axe. There are no histrionics apart from Jim impersonating a muted blues harp towards the end. Title track ‘LA Woman’ ending Side 1 is still perfection: a fast driving rhythm, the band locked. Jim was fat, bloated, bearded and apparently sang naked in darkness whilst recording vocals. It’s a great performance. His swansong.
Side 2 kicks off with ‘L’America’ with slowly picked guitar, then piano, then bass before picking up pace with military drums on a one chord almost Latin yomp before finally exploding into a boogie chug and back again. ‘Hyacinth House’ could almost be CSN&Y ballad with gorgeous organ. ‘Crawling King Snake’ is John Lee Hooker blues, Jim moaning over dirty guitar licks. ‘The Wasp’ is big chug guitar and big bass with Jim high in the mix, spoken word, the drums spitting and swinging. Slinky. ‘Riders on the Storm’ ends the whole thing. A masterclass in production, mood and atmospherics - the bass and Fender Rhodes piano alone making it special. The guitar patterns and shapes, beyond smooth. Jim’s voice calm and measured.
After recording, Jim went to Paris and died of an overdose. The songs on this album don’t sound like a man who’d given up.
The Doors
The Doors, man. It was a toss up between their debut album and their last, ‘LA Woman’. Actually, it wasn’t. The Doors are a bit like The Stranglers: something you should grow out of really (no offence and RIP Dave Greenfield). But ‘LA Woman’ still holds up, mainly because it’s shorn of all the psychedelic whimsy, bombast and bad poetry. It’s a great set of tight but loose, almost funky, songs. The lyrics are ‘normal’, none of the usual ‘weird scenes inside the goldmine’ nonsense. Back to basics.
The band kinda knew this was their last album and they had fun with it. They produced by themselves, playing live in a small studio, with a bassist to flesh it out (Jerry Scheff who went on to be part of Elvis’s TCB band). ‘The Changeling’ kicks it off with a drum beat before chugging rhythm swings in. Jim yelps before kicking in, setting the tone for his vocals on the album: gruff, loose, bluesy, Rawk! ‘Love Her Madly’ is swinging piano and drums, a great poppy tune. ‘Been Down so Long’ a straight beat 12 bar blues with slide guitar, Jim howling inna Blues style. ‘Cars Hiss By My Window’ is slooow Jimmy Reed 12 bar blues with brushed snares, Jim almost crooning, fluid picking by Robby Kreiger on axe. There are no histrionics apart from Jim impersonating a muted blues harp towards the end. Title track ‘LA Woman’ ending Side 1 is still perfection: a fast driving rhythm, the band locked. Jim was fat, bloated, bearded and apparently sang naked in darkness whilst recording vocals. It’s a great performance. His swansong.
Side 2 kicks off with ‘L’America’ with slowly picked guitar, then piano, then bass before picking up pace with military drums on a one chord almost Latin yomp before finally exploding into a boogie chug and back again. ‘Hyacinth House’ could almost be CSN&Y ballad with gorgeous organ. ‘Crawling King Snake’ is John Lee Hooker blues, Jim moaning over dirty guitar licks. ‘The Wasp’ is big chug guitar and big bass with Jim high in the mix, spoken word, the drums spitting and swinging. Slinky. ‘Riders on the Storm’ ends the whole thing. A masterclass in production, mood and atmospherics - the bass and Fender Rhodes piano alone making it special. The guitar patterns and shapes, beyond smooth. Jim’s voice calm and measured.
After recording, Jim went to Paris and died of an overdose. The songs on this album don’t sound like a man who’d given up.