L.A. WOMAN

The last album with Morrisson (but not last Doors album), L.A. Woman is one of the band's best albums, but it's also one of their least proggiest. Here they explore the blues influences from the previous album more fully. The bass playing of guest Jerry Scheff is terrific and fits the music well. The only songs that would really be of any interest to a progger would be the title track, "L'America", "Hyacinth House" and "Riders On The Storm." The majority of the rest would appeal to your average rocker in general.

"Changeling" has a riff on bass and organ which would be used about ten years later in the Hall & Oates song "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)". One of the better songs, love the fuzz- guitar solo. "Love Her Madly" was a hit and features prominent harpsichord but I never really cared for it. "Been Down So Long" and "Cars Hiss By My Window" are both very bluesy songs; the former is a great full band perfomance, while the latter is more traditional blues with vocals, guitar and brushes on the snare drum.

I've always loved the sounds at the beginning of the title track...still not sure what most of them are. More great bass playing. Nice Rhodes playing too. I like the mix of Rhodes and harpsichord. I love it when it changes to some kind of Latin jazz or something after 3 minutes. How the song builds up from there is just fantastic. My favourite part was always the "mojo rising" part in the middle. Cool sounding wah-Rhodes. Classic song. "L'America" is the darkest song on the album. A walking bassline type riff along with some marching drums. Jim's lyrics mimic the riff. Gets more early Doors sounding in the middle before some great organ work. Later gets more upbeat sounding briefly. I like the increasing tempo at the end.

The guitar playing in "Hyacinth House" reminds me of another song (probably recorded later) but I can't think of what it is. Great organ. Probably my favourite song on the album. "Crawling King Snake" is a cover from blues legend John Lee Hooker. Features some interesting drumming. "WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)" is another highlight. Jim mostly does his poetry thing while the band plays some inventive blues-rock. "Riders On The Storm" is of course one of the greatest things this band ever did. Fantastic Rhodes playing. Great lyrics. Good drumming. Another simple but effective bassline. I like the thunderstorm noises. I also like the whispered harmony vocals. Few albums end this good.

If you are looking for The Doors at their most proggy, you should check out their first three albums. L.A. Woman is one of the groups more straight forward albums. But a very good one. After Jim died the band would make two more albums without him before calling it quits. For PA I wouldn't give this album anymore than 3 stars.