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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful, Smart, August 22, 2005
If any rock group deserved to be recorded in classical arrangements it would be The Doors. This could have been thrown together haphazardly to make a quick buck like some classical rock recordings but thankfully it hasn't. A lot of work was put into this. The Doors were much more musical and clever than many rocks bands. Jim Morrison was an extremely dynamic and sensitive vocalist and Nigel Kennedy pays complete homage to him. There is nothing but utter respect for The Doors music here. They chose some of the best musical Doors songs but I wish they would have included The Crystal Ship with maybe a soft piano solo. I think "Crystal Ship" was Ray Manzarek's most creative work. These are very, very deep orchestrations and the feelings of the original songs are preserved throughout (although I had trouble with "Unknown Soldier" and "People are Strange"). You will hear new things every time you listen to it. The diversions in each piece are true to the original songs. Jim Morrison's melodies are eerily mimicked on many instruments and you can hear Jim's beauty and wonderful phrasing. "Spanish Caravan" features a very competent classical guitarist and the melody played by an extremely sensitive violinist. My favorite song on this recording "Love Street" (allegedly written for the street which Jim and Pamela Courson lived in Lauryl Canyon) is double the length of the original song, a very, very emotional, very beautiful and haunting composition. If one song could summarize Jim and Pam's relationship and their sad and tragic lives it would be this song. During "Love Street" one can envision Jim and Pam in an eternal embrace. The spirit of "Light my Fire" comes shining through, if not maybe a little too bouncy and campy and not soft enough. The violas play the left-hand organ accompanyment and there is plenty of counterpoint. I didn't quite understand "People are Strange". It is turned into a romantic and galloping song whereas the original song was quite odd and spacey with shifting vocal effects. I had the most trouble with "Unkown Soldier", it's highly romanticized and I didn't recognize it. Likewise, "Strange Days" is drawn out and romanticized with harps, etc. The End is extremely well done, the eastern modality gives you the sense of a caravan on an endless trek through the Sahara desert. The recording mix is perfect: the lead violinist or any of the other soloists are not sharp or favored in the least. I only wish this was a double CD and included other emotional songs like Queen of the Highway, Hyacinth House, Wild Child, Love Her Madly, LA Woman, Blue Sunday, Wishful Sinful, Unhappy Girl, The Soft Parade and definitely Moonlight Drive and The Crystal Ship. Ray Manzarek (and Robby/John) should be very proud of what Nigel Kennedy has done. I think Jim would be proud, too. You do not have to be a classical music lover to enjoy this recording, you will understand most of these songs. This is an absolutely wonderful CD to sit down and relax to. Thank you very much Nigel and Ray, please record more Doors!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Music Deserves Classic Treatment, July 4, 2005
When I first saw this CD, I had some reservations. The Doors have always been one of my favorite rock groups of all time and now somebody was gutsy enough (or crazy enough) to try and set this to strings and a full blown orchestra. It could have easily ended up sounding cheesy and pretentious but what you get is a very beautiful recording that is just as intense and magnificent as the four LA boys that did rock proud did in the 1960s.
Riders on the Storm opens the CD and its haunting melody goes deep into your soul. It is spooky and powerful and tinged with Vietmanese musical references. This whole album is a tribute to all the men and women who fought in Vietnam and especially to those who didn't ever come back. The rendition of Light my Fire is passionate and yet ultimately fatal. It brought tears to my eyes. Spanish Caravan, Strange Days, and the Unknown Soldier all kind of leave you feeling as though you've experienced something that only the gods themselves are privileged enough to experience. It's kind of like the same feeling I had when I heard the actual group on the radio the first time. My senses felt raw yet my spirit was moved; my mind was aching with sweet delight and my heart remembered secret invisible magical forces that were quietly at work.
I am a true Doors fan and that is why I can, in good conscience recommend this CD. There will be those who say that it lacks the fire of the group that inspired this CD, but I think if Jim Morrison were alive today he would give this recording his approval.
This CD is edgy and brimming with intensity. It's a classic just like the group that inspired this recording. If you're a Doors fan, it's time to fall in love with them all over again. After listening to this particular CD, it gave me an even deeper appreciation for the group. It made me realize that even now powerful, hidden forces are always at work making magic infinitely more real than what may appear to be.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Riders on Rock, October 28, 2000
Crossover efforts have recently captured a lot of attention, some deserved praise and some dismissal. Philip Glass's "Low" Symphony, the Finnish group, Apocalyptica, covering Metallica songs, and others have had some real success. It's not a new thing--Charles Ives famously incorporated popular melodies into his symphonies and other "classical" works, as did a number of European composers with their national musical traditions (Bartok, Kodaly, Mahler, Bruckner, etc.). Jaz Coleman attempts something like that with nine songs by the Doors, and for me, at least, he succeeds with about 7 of the 9. I am not convinced the name "concerto" is appropriate, but I bet he wanted to stay away from the more appropriate "suite," which would have sounded much too light. No question that Coleman is fortunate to have Kennedy and the Prague orchestra in his camp--the sheer brilliance of Kennedy's solos, coupled with the excellent orchestral playing, make even the weakest links of this music sound good. "Light My Fire," "Strange Days," "The End," and the title section are all smashing demonstrations of Kennedy's ability to send that music home. The weaker moments keep me from giving this a 5, but that should not dissuade anyone from getting this album--it's worth hearing, worth owning.
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