The Doors were the first rock band to show people that psychedelia had a dark side that wasn't all rainbows and flowers. Before "The Velvet Underground and Nico", before "Piper at the Gates of Dawn", and before "Their Satanic Majesties Request" there was "The Doors". After almost 40 years since the band's 1967 debut, their still hasn't been a band that has sounded like the Doors.
On their self-titled debut, Ray Manzarek's organ and piano hold a large amount of the attention, John Densmore's drumming is superb and jazzy, while Robby Krieger pens one of the most popular songs of all time in "Light My Fire". However, the band isn't hesitant in presenting their lead vocalist to the rest of the world: Jim Morrison.
Young and energetic, Morrison establishes himself as a unique voice talent as well as creating an incredible persona of mystery and intensity. The primal screams in "Backdoor Man" are contrasted by a slow and melancholy Morrison on "Crystal Ship", showing the full range of his talents. Very rarely would a band have such a great singer, and very rarely would the singer's reputation take the entire band along with it (for good or bad).
This album is not without good reason the band's most popular album ever. Not only does it have the classic epic "Light My Fire", but also the quick but violent "Break on Through" as well as the infamous poem-ode of "The End". All three are spectacular, and none of them drag on and on. Even "End" at eleven minutes is just right.
The album is also chock full of lesser-known tunes that are right up with those three, though. The sleepy "Crystal Ship" shows a more melancholy and gloomy Morrison, while "Alabama Song" packs on the circus-like carnivalesque atmosphere that is supplied by the keyboards. The Willie Dixon number "Back Door Man" is probably the most powerful song on the album, with Morrison bursting out the words and the whole band just really cooks. As said before, "The End" is great but it may get on some listeners' nerves, especially the Oedipus Rex portion, but I think it's groovy. "The End", as well as many other songs on the Doors' first two LP's showcase John Densmore playing the drums with a huge jazz/beatnick influence.
In conclusion, "The Doors" remains one of the most popular and best debuts of any rock band ever. To come out with an album as successful as it was in the midst of the 60's explosion was quite a feat. "The Doors", of course, is only the beginning of the band's journey. While this album may not be as avantgarde or as hard-hitting like "Strange Days" or "LA Woman", their debut provides three essential songs as well as little to no filler.
