Morrison Hotel cover

Morrison Hotel

Released

After a stunning debut, the Doors made three mixed-bag albums with one or two good songs scattered amid half-baked psychedelic jams lacking both hooks and compelling lyrics, two things they’d once had in abundance. On their next-to-last album with Jim Morrison up front, they recaptured the dark, bluesy heart of their early work. Even the slow songs simmer ominously, but “Roadhouse Blues,” “You Make Me Real,” and “Peace Frog” in particular are fucking jams, featuring some of Robbie Krieger’s most snarling guitar and John Densmore’s most hard-driving funk-rock beats. Meanwhile, “Indian Summer” condenses the best qualities of “The End” (eerie psychedelia, sustained mood) to two and a half minutes, and no dramatic monologuing!

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
L.A. Woman cover

L.A. Woman

The Doors
Devil in the Flesh cover

Devil in the Flesh

Billy Childish, Dan Melchior
Gratitude cover

Gratitude

Cassie Kinoshi, SEED Ensemble
Nice 'N' Greasy cover

Nice 'N' Greasy

Atomic Rooster
Abbey Road cover

Abbey Road

The Beatles
Love Devotion Surrender cover

Love Devotion Surrender

Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, Mahavishnu Orchestra
Let It Be cover

Let It Be

The Beatles
Beggars Banquet cover

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones
Live at Woodstock cover

Live at Woodstock

Creedence Clearwater Revival