L.A. Woman cover

L.A. Woman

Released

The Doors’ final album with Jim Morrison (he died three months after it landed in stores, and they made two more without him that you’ve never heard) dives even deeper into the blues than its predecessor, 1970’s Morrison Hotel, did; their version of John Lee Hooker’s “Crawling King Snake” is dark and theatrical-in-a-good-way, and “The Changeling” and “Been Down So Long” strut and snarl. But the two seven-minute-plus side-enders, “Riders On The Storm” and the title track, show the band (and keyboardist Ray Manzarek in particular) at its best, simmering and seething and occasionally rousing themselves for a headlong charge, staring into the abyss and, when it stares back, giving it the finger.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Meddle cover

Meddle

Pink Floyd
Devil in the Flesh cover

Devil in the Flesh

Billy Childish, Dan Melchior
The Original Lost Elektra Sessions cover

The Original Lost Elektra Sessions

The Butterfield Blues Band
Aftermath cover

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones
Beggars Banquet cover

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones
Frances the Mute cover

Frances the Mute

The Mars Volta
The Rolling Stones cover

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones
Lotus cover

Lotus

Santana
Nice 'N' Greasy cover

Nice 'N' Greasy

Atomic Rooster