Good topic Alex. I do not have that much information on these two albums but I will share what I do have. Star Pulse
The Doors
Other Voices
Release Date 1971 10 zz
Label Elektra
Rating: To many enthusiasts, the loss of Jim Morrison (vocals/lyrics) likewise meant the passing of the Doors. Certainly the band's focal point changed on the two long-players that the trio of John Densmore (drums/vocals), Ray Manzarek (keyboards/bass pedals/vocals), and Robbie Krieger (guitar/vocals) issued in the immediate post-Morrison era. As the "surviving" Doors had been working on ideas to present to Morrison -- if and when he returned from a sabbatical in Paris, France -- there is an organic flow that had spilled over from the L.A. Woman (1970) album. Another undeniable plus to Other Voices (1971) is that after being relegated as sidemen, each of the players is given an outlet for their songs and underutilized talents. Manzarek's bluesy opener &"In the Eye of the Sun" has hints of &"Down So Long" and &"The Changeling." However, its true earmarks are the greasy slide guitar licks proffered by Krieger during the solo, and in response to Manzarek's lead vocal. Speaking of the guitarist, he is credited with the bulk of the material, beginning with the whimsical ode to monogamy &"Variety Is the Spice of Life." Particularly suitable here is Krieger's nod to the Lovin' Spoonful's &"Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind." The ethereal Densmore/Krieger composition &"Ships w/ Sails" adopts the languid vibe of &"Riders on the Storm," especially throughout the instrumental jam. Reaching back to the raw and ready sound of &"Roadhouse Blues" is the semi-biographical and definitely metaphoric &"Tightrope Ride" with direct references to the recently deceased Rolling Stones co-founder Brian Jones and seemingly implied about Morrison. The band charge forward in pure power trio mode with plenty of interaction between the primary participants -- most notably Krieger's fiery fretwork and Manzarek's authoritative vocals. &"Down on the Farm" is one of the less stylistically cohesive numbers, vacillating from the serene and slightly Polynesian section that breaks out into a rural hoedown before reverting back again. Yet the gorgeous melody and arrangement defy any of the other (slightly dated) incongruities. The upbeat &"I'm Horny, I'm Stoned" is undoubtedly a reflection of both where Krieger -- the song's author -- as well as the survivors of the emotionally frazzled '60s collective heads were at. The mixing of ennui with an underlying paranoia provides a fascinating contrast. There is a soulful everyman quality to Manzarek's embodiment of the &"Wandering Musician" that reiterates his considerable range as a performer. While not an overt homage or tribute to Morrison, there are a few obvious parallels within &"Hang on to Your Life." The tune progresses through several distinct musical sections as the tempo incrementally accelerates to double time before concluding in an ultimate cacophony. No subtlety needed here. Although they'd never regain their former acclaim, the Doors would take this platter into the Top 40 and pull off a successful tour behind the project. The three-person lineup wasn't done yet as Full Circle (1972) followed the next year, after which Densmore, Krieger, and Manzarek laid the Doors to rest. Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
Tracks:
Title Composer Time
1 In the Eye of the Sun Manzarek 4:48
2 Variety Is the Spice of Life Krieger 2:50
3 Ships w/ Sails Krieger, Densmore 7:38
4 Tightrope Ride Krieger, Manzarek 4:15
5 Down on the Farm Krieger 4:15
6 I'm Horny, I'm Stoned Krieger 3:55
7 Wandering Musician Krieger 6:25
8 Hang on to Your Life Krieger, Manzarek 5:36
The Doors
Full Circle
Release Date 1972 07 zz
Label Elektra
Rating: Full Circle (1972) is definitely an appropriate name for this last project of original material to be issued under the Doors moniker. After the loss of Jim Morrison the previous year, the remaining trio culled their respective ideas -- some of which had been gathering dust in anticipation of Morrison's reappearance. Once that wasn't an option, John Densmore (drums/vocals), Ray Manzarek (keyboards/bass pedals/vocals), and Robbie Krieger (guitar/vocals) completed Other Voices (1971). Ultimately, the album made it into the Top 40 rock survey less than six months after L.A. Woman (1971) -- the Doors' final studio release with Morrison. While there are a handful of undeniably remarkable cuts scattered throughout, Full Circle is increasingly sporadic and less focused than its predecessor. Case in point is the somewhat dated Age of Aquarius anthem &"Get Up and Dance" that kicks off the platter. Krieger's &"4 Billion Souls" is a happy little ditty about global survival and ecology, proclaiming "Don't cha see that we could be the first in history/leaving all that we don't need behind." Among the highlights is the slinky blues &"Verdilac" with Manzarek conjuring up voodoo and Charles Lloyd (flute/tenor sax) making his first of two guest appearances on Full Circle during the tasty jazz-fusion informed instrumental section between the verses. The whimsical &"Hardwood Floor" is sonically stamped by Manzarek's jangle piano. Instead of being a psychedelic anachronism as heard on &"Love Her Madly" and &"You Make Me Real," it comes off as comparatively lightweight. A similar fate befalls the cover of Roy Brown's R&B jump classic &"Good Rocking Tonight" -- titled simply &"Good Rocking." While there is nothing ostensibly wrong with the performance, it fails to catch fire and the lack of inspiration gives the track a sense of being little more than filler. &"The Mosquito" is an undeniably peculiar recording and it is difficult to conceive what Jim Morrison could or would have been able to bring to lyrics such as "No man molest a mosquito/just let me eat my burrito." The centerpiece of the number is the nearly four-minute jam tacked on at the end. Manzarek's impassioned electric organ, Densmore's tricky timekeeping, and Krieger's transcendent string work are all worth mentioning as the intensity of their interplay hearkens back to former glories. &"The Piano Bird" was co-penned by Manzarek and Jack Conrad (bass) and is the second selection to include contributions by Charles Lloyd (flute). The laid-back and Zen &"It Slipped My Mind" is fairly lackluster with the exception of the quirky melody and very tasty and trippy runs from Krieger. Manzarek's musical multi-cultural fairytale of &"The Peking King and the New York Queen" concludes the disc with an ode to the Aquarian Age of racial harmony and a touch of "We are the World" thrown in for good measure. Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
Tracks:
Title Composer Time
1 Get Up and Dance Krieger, Manzarek 2:25
2 4 Billion Souls Krieger 3:18
3 Verdilac Krieger, Manzarek 5:40
4 Hardwood Floor Krieger 3:38
5 Good Rockin Brown 4:22
6 Mosquito Krieger, Manzarek, Densmore 5:16
7 Piano Bird Conrad, Densmore 5:50
8 It Slipped My Mind Krieger 3:11
9 Peking King and the New York Queen Manzarek 6:25
http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Doors,_The/...m/P4119/R35843/ Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Doors - Other Voices (1971)In 1971 Ray Manzarek, Robby Kreiger, & John Densmore decided to soldier on without Jim Morrison.
Wait, the Doors without Jim Morrison?! That does not compute, doesn't make sense by any stretch of the imagination.
But at the same time Morrison was constantly trying to shift focus away from himself to his bandmates. There are group photos where, while he is front and center, he's kind of cowering lower to try to put the focus on Kreiger, Densmore, and Manzarek. So something tells me, on some level, this is a decision that Morrison might have smiled down on.
I have to give credit where it's due. The music is actually pretty damned good and the three remaining Doors did right by Morrison by not trying to replace him, they merely continued on without him-- Kreiger and Manzarek taking on the vocal duties in the Lizard King's absence.
Manzarek was no stranger to singing for the Doors as he was known to sing lead for them on many ocassions when Jim was still alive but too inebriated or incapacitated to perform. Rather than cancel or reschedule, often times the Doors would perform with Manzarek handling the vocals.
But Manzarek is no Morrison, nor for that matter is Robby Kreiger. It took some serious stones to soldier on without Mojo Risin' but as a tribute to Morrison perhaps they should have changed their name.
In order to listen to this album objectively it's best to forget it's a Doors album. Close your eyes and listen to it for its own sake. The music IS good and good music should be enjoyed without prejudice. The keyboard/organ playing is trademark Manzarek, the drums are still John Densmore, and the guitar is still good ol' Robby Kreiger.
When a person goes blind or deaf his or her other senses tend to grow stronger to compensate for the loss of that sense. As a trio the Doors play even tighter than as a quartet. It's almost as if Morrison's passing brought the remaining three members of the band that much closer together.
Even if deep down inside I can't bring myself to refer to Other Voices as a true Doors album, I also can't deny that it's thirty-nine plus minutes of damned good music. I just wish that Densmore, Manzarek, and Kreiger had made a fresh start and recorded under a new band name. They and their music deserves to be appreciated free from the ghosts and constraints of their past. Retaining "The Doors" moniker severely handicapped the album's potential success before the first note was even recorded.
8 comments:
Dan said...
I did not remember this album by the reconditioned The Doors. After reading a bit about it they had actually started some of this before Jim went on "vacation" in France. It really does sound pretty good. I had also forgotten until today that I used to own the album "13" (1970) which was a greatest hits of the Doors at that time. I think it was my first Doors album. Not sure but sounds good.Thanks for jogging the memory banks.
4:48 PM
Perplexio said...
Dan: Glad you enjoyed it. At some point I plan on reviewing the other post-Morrison Doors album, Full Circle, as well. Not sure when that will happen though. There are some reviews I've been wanting to write for years that keep getting pushed down in my queue so to speak.
5:21 PM
drewzepmeister said...
After collecting and hearing all the Morrison led Doors albums, I've been dying to hear the other two without him. I wonder if they can ordered for? It's so refreshing to such read such a good review on them!
5:39 PM
Charlie said...
While I never heard this album I used to own its followup, Full Circle (I wish I knew what happened to it) and I was astonished how good it was. True, Morrison was such a good vocalist and frontman he was difficult to replace but the guys did a decent job. It proved that The Doors were not just Jim's backup band. Full Circle had a really cool song called "The Piano Bird" that got some radio airplay. While it wasn't classic Doors it was good, if not outstanding, music.
6:56 PM
Barely Awake In Frog Pajamas said...
I've been aware of but never heard The Doors stuff minus Jim. I did know a guy who claimed to have seen the Lizard King-free incarnation live, though.
7:13 PM
Sean Coleman said...
I like this one a lot. The best moments recall passages from LA Woman, though Jim's presence defined the image of the band to such a great extent that these guys could do little but struggle in his shadow from a commercial standpoint.
Haven't listened to it in a while but I recall "I'm Horny, I'm Stoned" having a decent hook and some nice slide guitar (despite the poor choice of title)
9:00 PM
Perplexio said...
Drew: From what I've read this album has never been OFFICIALLY released in the US (although it has in Europe). I'll see what I can do about getting you this and Full Circle (the other post-Morrison Doors album).
Charlie: Morrison had the benefit of a solid trio of musicians backing him up and I think both Other Voices and Full Circle really show how good the rest of the band was. It's a pity that these albums ended up largely ignored-- eclipsed in the shadows of Morrison's cult of personality.
Barely Awake in Frog Pajamas: I used to correspond with a guy who said he saw Ray Manzarek live once. But I think it was just Manzarek, I don't believe Robby Kreiger or John Densmore were present at that performance.
Sean: Agreed about these guys struggling in Morrison's shadow. I really think if they'd changed the band name as a tip of the hat to Morrison they might have been taken a bit more seriously rather than being largely ignored by the public.
8:37 AM
drewzepmeister said...
Thanks Perplexo!
3:04 PM
http://perplexio76.blogspot.com/2010/01/do...oices-1971.html The Doors In Their Own Words
Andrew Doe & John Tobler
1988
Page 66Ray: “The important thing was always the music, and there were so many things fighting against it that we decided to lay low, quit for a while. Jim was fed-up with everything, and just wanted to go away and write, so by the time he went to Paris, effectively, The Doors were not talking in group terms any more. We were all kinda tired of being Doors” (1980)
Robby: “It was all very up in the air as to what we were going to do. We were going to change the name; we’d thought about that, but no one could come up with anything that didn’t sound real pretentious.” (1971)
Ray: “We even thought of calling ourselves, “And The Doors,” because at the beginning , it was “The Doors”, and then after a few years it became, “Jim Morrison and The Doors”…but we kept “The Doors” because that’s who we still are. There were four of us – now there are three.” (1971)
John: “We sat around, then we jammed a bit, and finally we decided to keep the music going” (1972)
Ray: “We decided to keep on boogieing. There was no sense in letting it fold up and fall apart. We had too many ideas, so we decided to do them ourselves…but it was a tough decision.” (1971)
Ray: “We’ve spent enough time exploring our subconscious. We’ve done that along with everybody else in the country. The dark night of the soul is over. We’ve all been down there in the darkness with the heebie-jeebies for the last few years, and now we finally see the light.”
John: We came over to London to find a vocalist and, as we started jamming, we realized more than ever, that when you have a good professional singer, who can do with his voice what someone else can do with their instrument, how much more fluid everything is…but that led to writing problems. Everyone, myself included, was writing songs, and all Ray’s were real personal, so it finally got to the point where it was obvious that he was the only one who could sing them, because they’re very philosophical, cosmic, whatever, so how could another singer relate to material that was so personal? So, when we first came over, we were still together – sort of – but when we realized how very different our musical directions were heading, Ray split back home. (1977)
Ray: We wanted to recharge or creative batteries, just as Jim did when he went to Paris, but it really didn’t work out. It was time to close The Doors.” (1978)
Ray: “We were in England, looking for a new singer, new bass player, a second guitar player, whatever – something to give some new life and change The Doors…but it just got old, it got boring. We’d been together too long. Without Jim, The Doors just were not The Doors anymore. It wasn’t the same band…So we went to England to see if we could change things, but we really didn’t find anybody. A couple of guys we worked with were good, but I thought it was time to put The Doors to bed, so I said to John and Robbie, ‘Listen you guys, let’s just pass on this and end it.’ And we did.”
END.
Break On Through
1991Page 477-481
Ray: “We thought that even if we got someone really great, could he fit in with the psychic vibrations that the three of us have and that the four of us had built up over four or five years of playing together? We decided that it would be impossible to try and work with somebody else because it just wouldn’t be right somehow.”
“There were a lot of songs that I had written,” says Krieger, “that Jim didn’t feel. That’s why he didn’t want to sing them and I can understand that. In a way, that was a limitation on us.”
Ray: It was a matter of just standing up in front of the mike and doing it, taking a deep breath and saying, ‘Okay, it’s got to be done.’ It came out pretty well. And it got easier and easier. The first song was very hard.”
Other Voices was finished in September 1971 and released towards the end of October. The album was handled with extreme caution by fans and reviewers alike. It hit number 31 on the U.S. album charts, but never really caught on.
The November cross-country tour included eleven dates in such cities as Minneapolis, Buffalo, Hollywood, Philadelphia, and Berkley. All in all, it was a success. They were, after all, still The Doors and these were small venues, so every concert was standing room only. The reviews were virtually unanimous in their praise of the performances. As with the old Doors, the band evolved into somewhat a different entity on stage than on record. Part of the show became a sort of unintentional tribute to Jim Morrison and this many have been the key to the tour’s success. The old Doors numbers the group performed at the concerts received huge ovations, especially, ‘Light My Fire.’
Despite the success of the tour there was little doubt that the remaining Doors were living under Morrison’s shadow. In January 1972, as they began rehearsing titles for a new album, Elektra released a compilation album, ‘Weird Scenes Inside The Goldmine.’ The two record set included two songs that were previously only available as B-Sides of singles. “Who Scared You” was the flip side to “Wishful Sinful” and reflected the same style of horn arrangements. “(You Need Meat) Don’t Go No Further” was a Chicago blues sung by Ray Manzarek and appeared on the back of “Love Her Madly”. The collection was not the resounding success one would have expected and only reached number 55 on the American charts. Nonetheless, it was the first of many steps to come in keeping the memory of Jim Morrison alive.
In L.A. the recording of the second post Morrison LP and the last one under the name The Doors commenced with some changes. The process was transferred from the Doors Workshop to A&M Studios in Hollywood and coproducer/engineer Bruce Botnick was gently dropped in the move. This time The Doors arranged and recorded the instrumental backing track by track and decided among themselves when it was right. From March 2 to March 12 they did a short tour which consisted on mostly Southern dates including FSU, Morrison’s old alma mater and even a show in Miami.
After a brief return to recording they broke in April and May for a European Tour which included Germany, France and the U.K. The tour was successful, but not hugely so. If the band had gone overseas hoping to find the onstage magic they created as a threesome in Amsterdam 1968, they must have been disappointed. They returned to finish the new album in time for release in July 1972.
John Densmore commented to John Tobler on the Full Circle album, “In retrospect, Full Circle was a bit of a disaster, but at the same time we had our hearts in it. About halfway through, the songwriting thing started to get on everyone’s nerves…which songs are we going to do, Ray turning this way, Robby that way, so it all got a little touchy, which is why I don’t think the album turned out that well.”
On the charts Full Circle reached number 68 which was a pretty fair showing considering the weakness of the material and the critical and public disfavor the band was no inevitably attracting. It was as though everyone approved of their doing one album to get it out of their system and to remember Morrison by, but to goon from that point was blasphemy that the public was growing disinterested in them, so strong was the feeling that Morrison was The Doors all by himself. In their last appearance together as a threesome. The Doors played the Hollywood Bowl on September 10 1972. The show was a triple bill with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention headlining and Tim Buckely opening the show. The concert was sold out but the group was not well received. After a somewhat bland set The Doors closed with ‘Light My Fire’ and dedicated it to Jim Morrison. When it was over, a frustrated Ray Manzarek stood up and said, “Next time we will be sure to bring Jim Morrison.” And he walked out. Right in the end, The Doors were show how still The Doors.
Ray: I think there was some good stuff on those albums. But, there was just a lack of direction after Jim died. Because before, when he was alive, the four of us had a balance. Then when he died it was totally gone. The Doors were Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore – four equal parts. Take away any part and it’s not The Doors. We lost our number one part – the singer, the word man. We shouldn’t have called ourselves The Doors anymore. It should have been Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore.”
When the Doors broke up they walked out on a deal with Elektra that included three more albums at a guarantee of $250,000 each. It was clear that it wasn’t the money they were after. They just recognized they couldn’t compete with the ghost of Jim Morrison.
END.
I thought those albums were instrumentals and stuff but I realise no and I am a little sad. It's not a good feeling so maybe now I understand why these two don't show up on discography. Thank God it wasn't just Jim to feel ashamed and prostituted. They didn't do any better 
- and no, it's not "uff", we are sorry.
