STAR COLLECTION (VOL. 2)

"Star Collection (Vol. 2)" is a compilation of The Doors and that was released in 1974. This compilation is, in a certain way, twin of another compilation, the "Star Collection (Vol. 1)", which was originally issued separately and released in the previous year. Each compilation housed in their own original unique portrait style bordered picture covers featuring a large photo with a smaller picture of the other band's members. Vinyl and sleeve on both compilations were both in superb conditions and, at the time that they were released, they were, without any doubt, a must for any collection for The Doors fans. I own a copy of both compilations. However, and just only for information purposes, it seems that there is a special version of a "Star Collection" with two record set which includes Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 in the same package.

"Star Collection (Vol. 2)" has eleven tracks. It features tracks from five of their six studio albums when Morrison was in The Doors. It has two tracks from "The Doors" of 1967, two tracks from "Strange Days" also of 1967, two tracks from "Waiting For The Sun" of 1968, four tracks from "The Soft Parade" of 1969 and one track from "L.A. Woman" of 1971. However, it hasn't any tracks from their fifth studio album when Morrison was in the band, "Morrison Hotel". So, "Soul Kitchen" and "The Crystal Ship" are from "The Doors". "My Eyes Have Seen You" and "Horse Latitudes" are from "Strange Days". "Hello, I Love You" and "Love Street" are from "Waiting For The Sun". "Runnin' Blue", "The Soft Parade", "Touch Me" and "Wild Child" are from "The Soft Parade". "Riders On The Storm" is from "L.A. Woman".

"Hello, I Love You" was a big commercial success as a single. Despite be considered one of the most pop songs by The Doors and be frequently criticized, this is a great and very catchy song. I never understood the dislike of many fans of the band about it. This is another The Doors anthem and is very well known of course. "Soul Kitchen" is a tribute to the soul food restaurant "Olivia's" in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California, where Morrison and Manzarek met for the first time and represents the place where all began. It's a nice rock song played with energy. "My Eyes Have Seen You" is a short, simple and nice rock song with the same dark, evil and impetus vein of most of the songs of their earlier days. This is an incredible song which is, at the same time, a love song and a perverse song. Only The Doors would be able to do such thing. "Runnin' Blue" is a country style song, with violin and the use of brass and string instruments. On this song Krieger shares the vocal duties with Morrison for the chorus, and this was one of the few songs where that happened, in their entire career. "The Soft Parade" is a great progressive music with great musical arrangements and strange lyrics and it has also an excellent and unforgettable vocal performance by Morrison. It follows the good old tradition of the band, to close their albums with great epics, like "The End" on "The Doors" and "When The Music's Over" on "Strange Days". "Touch Me" is a notable song for the extensive use of brass and string instruments and also because the use of a saxophone solo by Curtis Amy. The orchestral arrangements work perfectly well and they accent Morrison's vocals, even further. "The Crystal Ship" is a wonderful love song inspired by Jim Morrison's first love, Mary Werbelow, a girlfriend with whom he has ended. Like many of the songs written by Morrison, it has a mysterious and dark sound. "Wild Child" is a typical and classic The Doors' songs. It's a harder guitar driven song that sounds similar to many other great songs of them. It's a song with excellent musical arrangements, particularly on the guitars. This is one of the greatest songs of the band. "Love Street" was originally a poem written by Morrison about Rothdell Trail, a street in Laurel Canyon, California. It's a very nice and soft ballad with some great piano and guitar arrangements and with a beautiful voice by Morrison. "Horse Latitudes" is a spoken word by Morrison with the band providing noises in the background. This is, without any doubt, a very strange track, the weirdest thing the band ever made. It's more an experimental track than a real song. "Riders On The Storm" is a legendary track, which seems to be the last song recorded by The Doors, as well as Morrison's last recorded song. It seems it have been played live only once, on The Doors last public performance with Morrison, on the "L.A.Woman" tour at The Warehouse, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Conclusion: As I wrote on my previous review about "Star Collection (Vol. 1)", I always felt the two compilations, "Star Collection (Vol. 1)" and "Star Collection (Vol. 2)" linked together. During many years, they were my only albums from The Doors and I got used to hearing them together. But, it seems that I wasn't the only one to feel that. A record label decided to edit both compilations in a double LP. As I also mentioned on the conclusion of that review, "Star Collection (Vol. 1)", isn't bad, but it hasn't a great collection of songs. I also said that I always thought that "Star Collection (Vol. 2)" is better than "Star Collection (Vol. 1)" because the selection of the tracks is better and well balanced. So, if you want to buy a great compilation of The Doors, you must buy "Star Collection (Vol. 1)" and "Star Collection (Vol. 2)" or in alternative, "The Best Of The Doors" of 1973, "The Best Of The Doors" of 1985 or "The Very Best Of The Doors" of 2007.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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