Vinyl of the Week - 2 May 2021

Strange Days, The Doors

Sometimes a band makes music that is truly timeless. Music that not only becomes a hit at the time but continues to resonate many years later. This is one of those records. The second album from The Doors, Strange Days was released in 1967 and recorded in Sunset Sound Studio, the same studio where they recorded their eponymous debut album. After listening to an advance copy of Sgt. Pepper and being blown away by what they heard, the band were keen to produce an album that took full advantage of the new 8-track recording equipment and one with a much more experimental approach. The use of dubbing and multi-tracking allowed them to do this, using a range of different instruments including a Moog synth which was one of the first times it had featured on a recording. The album produced two hit singles; People Are Strange and Love Me Two Times, but it’s the last track that sets it apart. When The Music’s Over is an 11 minute wonder, with some of the best organ playing you will ever hear. The album cover doesn’t prominently feature the band’s name or images as they wanted this record to stand on its own merit and not the success of their previous album. The poster on the window is the only clue and upon its release, some record stores put a sticker on the cover with “The Doors” to ensure that fans could identify it easily. Strange Days reached number three on the US charts and eventually went platinum. Listening to it again, I honestly can’t believe this album is almost 55 years old. A true masterpiece - DS