Customer Reviews

Complete Studio Recordings

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Most Doors fans are aware by now that the Doors are the masters of repackaging and reissuing material that everyone already has. This release, The Complete Studio Recordings, is no exception. Despite that, I think this box set is worth a look. Included are the six studio albums released by the band while Jim Morrison was still alive; The Doors (1967), Strange Days (1967), Waiting for the Sun (1968), The Soft Parade (1969), Morrison Hotel (1970), and L.A. Woman (1971), along with a disc of demos, b-sides (including the excellent "Who Scared You", previously unreleased songs, and live tracks all culled from the 1997 Doors Box Set. All in all, this is a worthy purchase if you already own this material or not. The sound quality of these remastered CDs is crystal clear and the presentation and packaging of this box set is fantastic, down to the little cardboard album sleeves. However, there are a few things missing, namely, the seventh and eighth Doors albums made by Densmore, Manzarek and Kreiger - Other Voices (1971) and Full Circle (1972) (although those CDs have recently been released separately in Europe, check Amazon Z-Shops or elsewhere since they have inexplicably not been released or seemingly even ackowledged in the US. Not the best Doors albums, but are worth seeking out for the should-have-been-a-hit "Tightrope Ride" and the sequel to "Riders on the Storm", "Ships w/Sails"). The spoken word album An American Prayer (1978) is also not included here. I can understand the omission of a few songs from a box set that calls itself "complete", but entire albums? Also, some unreleased Morrison tracks are also not included here - e.g. Paris Blues. Are you listening, Elektra? However, if you are not concerned with the rare material, this set will provide you with the depth of the Doors great music not available in a "Greatest Hits" or "Best Of" collection, all in one attractive package.

Having read the previous posted reviews I must admit that they all have a valid point. 1. Yes this new box set is pricey. 2. It would be nice to hear other unreleased material of the Doors, ie.. takes one through lets say five of "Break on Through" so we fans can get an insiders point of view of how the doors arrangments came together.

My opinion is that I did'nt really want to pay really big bucks for the box set but I did just because I'm a Doors fan. Having shelled out my pay for it though, I must admit I like the idea of the original artwork (album cover style reprodution) it's very nice to see these once again. I also love the fact that the Doors can finaly be heard in 24 bit c.d quality audio.The clarity is just amazing compared to the other c.d's that have been released.

The booklet is a nice touch and is loaded full of rare and unseen photos and is scattered with little factoids throughout which makes interesting reading.

The compilation of the '97 box set is nice for fans who did'nt purchase the other 4 c.d set.

To make a long story short I'm quite pleased with the box set and I think fans old and new will find this set handy because all of the best of the Doors stuff is found in one place.

I agree with the above review to an extent. However, It's not fair to ridicule this collection simply because you only get a few new songs. The box-set itself is priced normal...each cd coming out to be about $15.50 True audiophiles will love the astounding clarity that the 24-bit remastering technology brings to these recordings. It's about time that The Doors were given the 24-bit treatment. I'm sure every Doors fan will want to replace their older copies of these cd's for these newly remastered versions....plus the bonus disc is nice for us who didn't want to shell out all that cash for the last box-set just for the unreleased studio recordings that were among the other stuff. This is a great place for new fans to get ahold of these cd's all in one place....with a 60 page booklet of previously unreleased pictures and for the first time lyrics will be provided to every song. My only complaint is that 'An American Prayer' wasn't included in this set...although I do realize it wasn't part of the classic original six...so I can let that slide. The Doors 24-bit remastered...It's about time!

If you want good sounding Doors CDs feel free to pursue the current Doors Compact Discs that are available. However, if you want GREAT sounding Doors CDs then this set is for you! The sound quality is as good as it's ever going to get with the clarity that makes you notice all the little things that were buried on previous CD releases. The drums FINALLY sound the way they should and the overall sonic presentation was excellent. This is the way CDs should sound! My minor gripes are that the box itself could have been made a little bigger so you don't have to cram the book in. I also think the small album sleeves could have been a little bigger so that the paper sleeves on The Doors and Strange Days would not have been bent. However, the packaging is still VERY NICE and I really like the presentation which is faithfull to the original vinyl releases! This is an Excellent box set with classic albums from one of the greatest bands of all time! If you have the money, it's worth the investment!

The new box set is a real winner. The 24 bit remastered sound is great. However, for old timers like me, one of the best things about it is the packaging. The CDs are packaged like mini-LPs with the original labels and dust liners. Highly recommend.

I was never so excited for a box set release as I was for The Doors: Complete Studio Recordings. I was also uninformed that the "Essential Rarities" disc was merely a compilation of their previous box set with one sole "new" track. So, after being mildly disappointed, I popped in its first disc, "The Doors." I'm not going to tell you that "Break On Through" sounded by any means fresh, because the digital remastering featured on this set does little to enhance the original 4-track production on the first album, but it does do wonders for the other albums. The disc "Waiting For The Sun" is the best example of what you pay for in this box set. Earlier releases of this album sound horridly dated, while the remastered version included in the set probably sounds even better than the day it was recorded.

Unfortunately, I must agree with another reviewer in saying that this box set is in no way the "complete" studio recordings. Missing are two Doors albums made after Jim's death, "An American Prayer," and I'm sure there's a plethora of Doors alternate versions and outtakes that would be very interesting to hear. Maybe they're saving it for another box set???

Despite these minor drawbacks, this is indeed a classic set. It gives you the entire Doors experience from start to finish, and features a handy companion booklet with excellent liner notes, photos, and even complete lyrics for every album. And always remember that The Doors are best experienced with a group of friends...Enjoy!

Clearly, without Jim Morrison, the Doors can't seemingly do anything right, well, at least that's what psuedo-Doors fans that purchased their recent box sets would have you believe. These epigones, who expect the Doors to release a monumental achievement every year, as opposed to nothing at all, complain about the "quality" of their box sets, without even giving them a chance. They say the "quality" doesn't match the price, which is a complete exaggeration.

In my opinion, this box set has such excellent sound quality, compared to the original discs still sold in stores, that it rivals the Lennon Anthology as one of the best box sets of the 90's. The dramatic improvement in sound quality was most evident on the first disc I listened to, "LA Women", the first song "the changeling", was just incredible, compared to the original, the sound just jumps out at you, the song LA women was also incredible too. Perhaps the best part of the album are the un-edited versions of the End and Break On Through. Listening to the CDs released in the late 80's, it's clearly obvious that there is a small gap in both songs where there are no lyrics(but you can still here them very vaguely), re-inserting the lyrics is worth the price alone in my opinion. The version of the End on this compilation is almost exactly the same as the version heard on "Apocalypse Now", just absolutely amazing. Please do what I did, overlook the negative reviews this compilation has received from other reviewers, and purchase this set as soon as possible, you will not regret it(but you will undoubtedly regret that you did not purchsae it when it first came out last fall).

This box set contains all six of the doors studio albums recorded with Jim Morison, plus an additional disc of "rarities." Technically this is NOT the, "Complete Studio Recordings" because the box does not include, "Other Voices" and, "Full Circle" two albums recorded by the Doors after Morison's death. There is no new material here, each of the discs, including the rarities CD, can be purchased as individual CD's. Strange as it seems it would actually cost less money if one were to buy each CD separately!!! For this box set each album is packaged in a scaled-down replica of the original LP, including gatefolds and slip covers. The cardboard CD cases are a nice touch, however they are delicate. The box set also contains a booklet with a long essay, completes lyrics, and of course, "previously unpublished photos."
I have two complaints about this box set. First, there are no thumb notches on the box lid. This makes removing the box lid difficult due to a partial vacuum that forms when the lid is placed on to the box base. Second, there is no sessionography in the accompanying booklet. The booklet only lists the month and the year for each album's release. I would have like to seen a list of specific dates, personal, and take number for each track, after all this is supposed to be a complete box set.

Indeed, I am a Doors junkie in every sense of the word.
So take this review with that grain of salt. There are
few mastering upgrades as impressive as these 1999
Botnick supervised makeovers. They blow the hell out
of their predecessors and the packaging is much more
faithful to the original vinyl LP's. Further, the
original recordings were so crisp and tight that
they stand above the other recordings of their
times...ranking right along side The Beatles. Some
quibble about the lack of the two post Morrison
discs, but I don't. I've heard them. While the
term "complete" is technically in error, "Other
Voices" and "Full Circle" are not in the same
league as these sides, and don't deserve
to be placed alongside "L.A. Woman" or " The
Doors ". Not by a long shot. Do yourself a favor
and treat yourself to some of the very best and
most captivating rock music the 60's and early 70's
has to offer. Jim Morrison was an enigmatic and
often self indulgent figure, but the older I get
the more I find myself willing to be totally immersed
in his shocking surreal world. What a band ! What a
time ! What a set of CD's !

A purchaser of this box gets the six classic Doors studio albums with an incredible remastered sound plus a seventh disc with some excellent live tracks and some interesting studio outtakes. It also contains a worthwhile booklet with some interesting commentary on the albums. All the discs are in facsimile cardboard sleeves, which is a nice touch. The cost is less than $13 per disc. People can buy whatever they like -- the individual albums, the Bright Midnight live releases (recommended), the earlier box set of unreleased material (which the seventh disk on this box summarizes), greatest hits packages, etc. -- but there's really no justification for saying that this particular box rates less than five stars if you're a Doors fan. I've been waiting for this box for a long time, and I'm really pleased to have it.