While many people hold L.A. Woman
as their favorite Doors album, I can’t understand how. I love the doors for
many reasons, and much of what I love about them isn’t found on this album.
When I look at L.A. Woman by itself, and not as a part of the entire Doors
experience, I don’t receive the same intense signals of inspiration that I get
from the early material. What draws me to the Doors is found in the first two
albums where Morrison is unveiling spiritual meaning, and the power of that
experience is blowing his mind. In the early material, there is still something
very ordinary about Morrison, and it’s only recognized by the immense
credibility he gives to his onsetting experience. This not only makes him
relatable to the audience, but it’s exciting to witness.
In L.A. Woman, Morrison’s voice does still
carry a feeling of genuine madness, but his attitude toward the feeling seems
less astonished and more confirmed. This shift in personality makes his erratic
behavior bristle with less friction. Moments such as the random odd calls in
“Cars Hiss by my Window”, don’t feel compulsive, instead the space for such
vocal decoration seems too readily available.
Then compare Morrison’s vocals In “The Doors”
where his voice is so charged he can’t contain the energy, like in the
beginning of “Break on Through”. Or take “Strange Days” the song, the same
energy persists but Morrison attempts to restrain it, unintentionally letting
the tension slip through his hands at that moment where his scream unleashes
the bands manic frenzy.
There are a few things I really
like about L.A. Woman. One is the style of the production. I am always a fan of
sacrificing quality for vulnerability, and this album definitely has a more
intimate feeling than other albums because of it. With less of a filter between
the band’s music and the delivery, the experience becomes more tangible. There is really something that gets at the
heart of the rock with this approach.
Another reason it’s a great album
is because of its artistic integrity. There isn’t a single track that feels
like it is trying to cater to an audience. The overall texture of the album is
stripped of polish and has a simplistic and unrestrained form which makes for a
refreshing result.
I can appreciate the swaggering
manner The Doors convey in L.A. Woman, which kind of flaunts to the audience
their more casual and collected side. Not that this is a terribly new mode for
the band, but there is a tendency to fall heavier into it at multiple points in
the album. From a storytelling aspect, it illustrates to me that they’ve been
through a lot as a band and as individuals. Still, looking at the mood of the
album in this way depends on contrasting it to the early material. I know
personally, this aspect wouldn’t have drawn me into the band on its own.
Also, sonically speaking, Morrison’s
voice sounds technically great on L.A. Woman, but I’m not crazy about the gruff
tone he frequently uses. He relies less on the duality of his gentle soft
voice/wild screamer and often uses a guttural growl, like on the opening track
“Changeling”, where he addresses this to the audience in his lyrics, stating
how he can’t be pinned down.
Many people claim this tone was
incidental due to his excessive drinking and smoking, but you can hear his soft
voice and original strong crooning in songs like “L’America”, where Morrison
sings over an intriguing eerie marching vibe. “L’America” presents an exciting
moment on the album but fades back into a bluesy rock chorus; one that doesn’t
swing with as much personality as their earlier blues rock songs.
I like L.A. Woman, and I don’t
think The Doors ever put out a bad album. I really like The Soft Parade, which
many people don’t give credit to. I just don’t understand how it is common for
people to think L.A. Woman is their best. I can truly respect that this album
isn’t an attempt at covering territory they already explored, and I think if
they tried to create something along the lines of what they already did, it
would have been dishonest and boring. I like L.A. Woman specifically because it
has so much integrity, and in its approach it created classic canonical doors
songs: “Riders on the Storm” and of course “L.A. Woman”. Neither of those songs
could have been made had the band not continued to explore their own
possibilities.
L.A. Woman is a great album but it
is definitely not the album that defines the band for me, and I guess when I
have a favorite album from a band, it is because it is the album that contains
the rawest element of what drew me to the band to begin with. For this reason,
I’d have to say that my favorite album from The Doors is “The Doors”… or maybe
“Strange Days”.