The Doors Album: “Soft Parade [Bonus Tracks]”

I don't have much of an opinion about the remastering, other than to note that it sounds clear and I really enjoy the music. I consider the original a 3-star album. If you like The Doors, you'll like the original. My particular favorites include Shaman's Blues, Wild Child and the title track.

The Rhino remix includes several additional tracks including Who Scared You and 2 versions of Whisky, Mystics and Men. These tracks are hard to find elsewhere, very strong, and bump this version of the CD up to 4 stars.

So I put this on purely because I thought it would be a good laugh, you know? One of those "unintentionally hilarious" deals, like Batman and Robin or those movies they parody on Mystery Science Theater 3000. But then I discovered something I was totally not expecting. I actually like this album! That was not expected. I was expecting to, at best, get a couple laughs out of it. But I honestly liked most of it. Here's the deal, for those who didn't know. Jimbo always had a bit of crooner in him, but on several of these tracks he goes all-out with it. Not only that, but here the Doors enlisted a bunch of guys playing horns and strings to back them up. So this is a lounge album, right? Wrong! The string and horn arrangements are weird and creative and stuff! A great example is "Tell All the People." By all means, it should be bad. Huge, over-the-top horn fanfare, strings, and crooned vocals. But it's good! The strings and horns are used in a good, atmospheric, odd, dark way. I'll admit that sometimes Jimbo's crooning makes me laugh, but not too often. The album's hit, "Touch Me," may sound like a corny Vegas anthem at first brush. But it's not! The string arrangements are very good, the horns add punch, and Jim's vocals are first rate! Plus I love the sax solo. And the chorus. It's a great song! The horns and strings also add a lot to the wistful, menacing, and outright cool "Wishful Sinful," which mixes a rock guitar with an oboe solo. The only song with horns I don't like (and in fact, I hate it) is "Runnin' Blue," one of the Doors' worst songs ever. Interested in what bluegrass and soul would sound like if somebody mixed them? Awful, that's what they'd sound like. It's a tribute to the incredibly talented Otis Redding, who would probably be disgraced by such a song. Robbie Krieger sings the verses, but he can't really sing, and the only good part is the free jazz horn break. Only about half of this album has strings on it. The string-free half is a bit hit-or-miss. While I'm no fan of the weird bluegrass track "Easy Ride," I fully endorse the menacing, underappreciated "Shaman's Blues," the funky "Do It," and the crawling blues "Wild Child." And then there's the title track. God, that is some weird stuff. But it's good weird! It starts off a capella, with Jim going on about how you cannot petition the Lord with prayer. Then it moves into even stranger territory. There's a harpsichord part, a trippy tremolo keyboard part, a bouncy happy music-box part, a funky breakdown section with Jimbo talking about an acid trip, and an overdubbed Jim Morrison part. And I don't have even the faintest idea of what it's about. But it's cool! And, you know what? This album isn't that bad! Yeah, it's got strings and horns and all, but listen to it with an open mind. You might find you really like it! Bonus tracks? A couple alternate versions of "Touch Me," and a couple genuine outtakes ("Whiskey, Mystics, and Men," "Push Push," "Who Scared You").

On the surface it may seem strange to think a band that has meant so much to rock music in every corner of the globe could have an underrated recording. When you look at not only the Doors but many other legendary bands there seems to be one album in their amazing catalog that gets appreciated as the fan gets older and maybe some grey hair appears.

A lot of Doors fans will tell you every note about the debut or L.A. Woman. In conversations the Soft Parade doesn't get the same splendor.

While Touch Me may attract the eye at first to the CD, Tell All The People and Wishful Sinful are right there as tracks that say so much in a short span. Runnin' Blue is one of the more unique numbers that let's Robbie have some fun, and the title track will never fail to haunt you, make the brain analyze everything, and remember the first moment it hit you the Doors are one of the best to ever come from our or any shore.

If the music doesn't hit your rock bone the first time, give this a few listening's when you are uninterrupted and can absorb it all.

1969 may be the year of Woodstock and Altamont but it was also the an Easy Ride to the local record shop to pick-up a masterpiece.

OK, I had to write a review to counter the guy who gives a caveat against buying this version of the Soft Parade. This is the 40th Anniversary remix, it's supposed to be different. If you want the original mix pick up a copy of the last release of this album. I don't see any problem with the Doors re-vamping thier catalog. I've got all the 40th Anniversary remixes and all of the last round of re-mastered CD's. What's the problem? If you're a serious Doors fan you'll dig hearing the extra stuff, I'm digging these right now. Sure these remixes are different but they don't suck. Just do a little homework before you buy and you won't be disappointed.

The additional material and remastered sound quality, makes this disc worth checking out, especially if you have not heard it before, or in awhile.