STRANGE DAYS

Now we're getting somewhere. While the beloved Doors debut gets so much buzz, it is here where the band begins to interest me more. The songs of "Strange Days" blend psychedelia with their own west-coast rock to create a unique, pleasant semi-darkness. The tracks and the playing are less obvious and more adventurous making the album more enticing to proggers, even though many of the songs were written in the same early period. I think they chose the more obvious hits for the first album, leaving the weirder cousins available for this one. That combined with their developing skills and likely increased hallucinogenic intake made a big difference. The first album bores me while this one still grabs me. "Strange Day" supposedly features some of the first Moog in rock and roll, not sure if it was the very first example though.

Side one is very strong, "Unhappy Girl" might be the only soft spot. "You're Lost Little Girl" is one of those laid back, dreamy, hazy vocals that Morrison would make the alter-ego trademark to his wild side. "Love Me Two Times" was a decent single as was "Moonlight Drive" which was the lyric that awed Manzarek into Jim's potential when they were just friends hanging out on the beach. The intro to "Moonlight" was "Horse Latitudes," a cryptic and slightly frightening collage of brash sound and poetry. A glimpse into the rough waters Jim wanted to go. "People are Strange" was another great track and an unlikely hit, when you listen closely it shows how good their instincts were in assembling a track. The album ended with another monster track as they did with "The End" on the debut. "When the Music's Over" is pure Doors with Ray and Robby's big organ/guitar squall opening. The track is bookended by loud and dramatic rock sections while the middle opens into a rather minimalist valley where Morrison lays down his thing quite dramatically, a poetry reading set to music.

"Strange Days" shows growth by the band and is another 1967 title to recommend although probably not quite essential stuff.

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