The Doors: Strange Indeed

Recording a successful second album is one of the most difficult things for any band to do, particularly when the first album was a smash hit--the "bar has been raised", so to speak, and a lot of bands fail to live up to their debut efforts. Strange Days, the second album recorded by The Doors is admittedly not as strong as the self-titled debut album, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a charm all its own.

Strange Days still retains that carnivelesque, organ-driven sound of The Doors, but is somehow more dark and ominous. There is still a touch of the blues and a few hints of that infectious pop sound that were present on the first album, but Strange Days is a little more sophisticated and less primal than their debut offering.

The players and their contributions are:

Jim Morrison, vocals
Ray Manzarek, keyboards and marimba
Robby Krieger, guitar
John Densmore, drums

The tracks, and a few comments about each, are as follow:

1. Strange Days--The cover of the album, picturing various circus performers and freaks, sort of sets the tone for the "weirdness" of the first track. Morrison's vocals are filtered through an effect which makes him sound underwater, and the layered organ line adds to the eerie effect. The bridge resolves to a major key, which dissipates the dark tone which has been created, before moving back to the surreal-sounding verses. The title track sets up nicely the tracks which are to follow.

2. You're Lost Little Girl--A bass guitar riff opens this one, joined by a haunting electric guitar. Morrison's vocals sound mournful and full of despair, and when the keyboards enter, the song sounds almost Victorian. Robby Krieger's jazzy guitar solo is a nice touch, and the dark mood of the album continues. I believe this song was written for Morrison's girlfriend, Pamela Courson.

3. Love Me Two Times--The Doors are in full blues mode here--Krieger's funky guitar lick drives the song, and Morrison sings a sexy, smoky vocal line that would do a bluesman proud. The keyboard solo has a bouncy texture that contrasts well with the blues groove set up by the rest of the players.

4. Unhappy Girl--An organ playing what sounds like a Bach fugue opens this one. The loopy guitar lick and the keyboards give this song a strange sound--it really sounds vague and aimless. My least favorite song on the album--it streaks in at exactly two minutes, thank goodness.

5. Horse Latitudes--Morrison the poet makes his appearance on this track--I hesitate to call it a song. It consists of one and one half minutes of Morrison reciting his poetry against a backdrop of special effects and sound loops. Now back to the music.

6. Moonlight Drive--A piano and slide guitar, pushed along by the solid licks of John Densmore on the drums, give this one a touch of the blues, but it's really a pop song with an edge. Morrison turns in his best vocal performance on the album, literally screaming himself hoarse at times. Krieger's slide guitar solo is special.

7. People Are Strange--This song is in line with the theme of this album, and the players create the effect with some strong ensemble playing. Manzarek's organ line plays in counterpoint to the lead vocal line, and the drums accent everything perfectly. Krieger's lead guitar solo is gritty and real.

8. My Eyes Have Seen You--Some more fine ensemble playing makes this song work, and the contrast between the keyboards and the guitar line is interesting. Robby Krieger has always been an underrated guitarist, and this entire album allows him to showcase his talents.

9. I Can't See Your Face In My Mind--Another dark, restrained, weird sounding tune, featuring some haunting vocals by Morrison. The song has some unconventional changes musically, which makes it all the more interesting. The Doors understood that rock music could have movements just like classical pieces, and they utilized that idea to advantage in their music.

10. When The Music's Over--Although this is a great song, I feel that The Doors were attempting to revisit the glory of The End, from their first album. I don't think it reaches those plateaus, but I like it just the same, and it is more structured. This one's got it all--bluesy organ riff, psychedelic guitar and one of Morrison's finest vocal performances ever. His lyrical imagery is superb and shows us why he will always be remembered as a great poet and songwriter.

As second albums go, Strange Days stands up well The Doors' debut album. It certainly has an identity of it's own, and no one can say that The Doors reheated or rehashed the material in their first album. Give it a listen if you're so inclined.