L.A. WOMAN

I found Morrison Hotel a bit overrated. To me, it's a classic rock album lacking a bit of the adventure of previous albums. It does have a stronger blues feel therefore providing a relief from both fans and critics. Fans and critics didn't like how The Soft Parade was swamped in strings and horns, and had a loungey approach (to be fair, actually most of the album isn't that bad and I liked about 80% of the album with "Tell All the People" easily my least favorite). But I really did miss the more adventurous material on previous albums, it's almost like on Morrison Hotel they were playing it safe to get more radio airplay and get the rock critics back on their side. L.A. Woman is the final Doors album as far as fans (and even the press) are concerned (although if you view the two post-Morrison albums as more Ray Manzarek/Robbie Krieger albums they're not that bad). L.A. Woman could be seen like the Double Fantasy (John Lennon) or Blackstar (Bowie) of The Doors knowing that Morrison will no longer be with us shortly after the release of L.A. Woman. Like Morrison Hotel I found it rather overrated. In this case a stronger blues presence and I have never been much of a blues fan, and it sounds like blues I've heard millions of times, with Jim Morrison naturally adopting a more bluesy voice. Half the album is blues-dominated, and I find them rather boring. It's when the album moves away from blues and more into pop and psych realms is where this album really shines. "Love Her Madly" is the most pop-oriented piece on the album and naturally a hit. Even Ray brings out his old Vox, so it sounds like The Doors everyone can recognize. "L'America" is a really weird psych piece, to say the least. "Hyacinth House" is also a nice pop-oriented number, but there's no doubt the highlights for me are the title track and "Riders on the Storm". "Riders on the Storm" is nothing short of a classic. Even as a kid I really dug the tune and that ominous tone, not to mention that wonderful electric piano solo Ray Manzarek gives us along with the sound of thunder. The title track is also a great adventurous number but no need explaining it, classic FM rock plays that one constantly along with "Riders on the Storm". "WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" is one of the better blues numbers on this album and I do enjoy it, but I really think they should have gone back to what they have done on their first two albums although with an updated sound. L.A. Woman won back the fans and the critics, but I felt too much of the blues bogged it down. To me an overrated album but has some great stuff (usually the stuff that moves away from the blues).