OTHER VOICES

Other Voices pretty much sounds like the Doors without Jim Morrison, which is of course exactly what it is. The "voices" referred in the album's title are those of keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger. The trio is rounded out by drummer John Densmore; a variety of session players cover the bass parts.

The songs were originally planned for a follow-up to L.A. Woman, on which Morrison would again have been the lead singer - - but he died before he could rejoin the group. Manzarek had already sung leads in concert, including, as I understand it, cover songs as well as songs originally sung by Morrison. So he's able to sound like Morrison on Other Voices. Krieger's vocals are less suited to the material.

And it's the material that's the shortcoming here. Most of the songs are pedestrian: nothing especially good or bad. Based on my assumption that the Doors' final albums were created somewhat similarly to Other Voices, I have a newfound appreciation for Morrison, whose creative input - - and not just singing - - would probably have transformed at least a song or two into a Doors standard.

The closest Other Voices comes to that ideal is when Manzarek conjures up those Morrison vocals on "In the Eye of the Sun" and "Tightrope Ride" - - which means that Other Voices is at its best when the Doors are clutching at a ghost. I'd only recommend this album to those who've already experienced all of the great music the Doors had already created. For everyone else, it's safe to get one of the two-CD compilations like Legacy: The Absolute Best (2003) or The Very Best Of (2007).