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Label:

Analogue Productions - http://www.analogueproductions.com/

Serial:

CAPP 75011 SA

Title:

The Doors: L.A. Woman

Description:

Jim Morrison, vocals
Robby Krieger, guitar
Ray Manzarek, piano & organ
John Densmore, drums
Jerry Scheff, bass
Marc Benno, rhythm guitar (Courtesy of A&M Records)

Track listing:

1. The Changeling
2. Love Her Madly
3. Been Down So Long
4. Cars Hiss By My Window
5. L.A. Woman
6. L'America
7. Hyacinth House
8. Crawling King Snake
9. The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)
10. Riders On The Storm

Genre:

Pop/Rock

Content:

Stereo/Multichannel

Media:

Hybrid

Recording type:

Analogue

Recording info:

"Throughout the record history of the Doors, the goal between Paul Rothchild and myself was to be invisible, as the Doors were the songwriters and performers. Our duty was to capture them in the recorded medium without bringing attention to ourselves. Of course, the Doors were very successful, and Paul and I did receive some acclaim, which we did appreciate.

"If you listen to all the Doors albums, no attempt was made to create sounds that weren't generated by the Doors, except for the Moog Synthesizer on Strange Days, although that was played live in the mix by Jim, but that's another story. The equipment used was very basic, mostly tube consoles and microphones. Telefunken U47, Sony C37A, Shure 56. The echo used was from real acoustic echo chambers and EMT plate reverb units. In those days, we didn't have plug-ins or anything beyond an analogue eight-track machine. All the studios that we used, except for Elektra West, had three Altec Lansing 604E loudspeakers, as that was the standard in the industry, three-track. On EKS-74007, The Doors, we used four-track Ampex recorders and on the subsequent albums, 3M 56 eight-tracks. Dolby noise reduction units were used on two albums, Waiting For The Sun and The Soft Parade. Everything was analogue, digital was just a word. We didn't use fuzz tone or other units like that but created the sounds organically, i.e. the massive dual guitar solo on "When The Music's Over," which was created by feeding the output of one microphone preamp into another and adjusting the level to create the distortion. The tubes were glowing and lit up the control room.

"When mastering for the 45-RPM vinyl release, we were successfully able to bake the original master tapes and play them to cut the lacquer masters."

- Bruce Botnick, July 2012

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Submitted by hooperthom

Related titles: 7 show all

The Doors: The Doors
The Doors: Strange Days
The Doors: The Doors
The Doors: Infinite
The Doors: Waiting For The Sun

Reviews: 3

Review by analogue March 14, 2013 (9 of 10 found this review helpful)	Performance: Sonics:
This review will be based on the new 2 channel sacd layer. Doug Sax has used his formidable mastering talents to create a new sacd of this classic Doors album and its really good. I also own the first Dvd Audio release of this title as well as the Dvd Audio box set. It is very interesting to compare the results given the three different releases. I will skip any comparison to the L.A. Woman version in the box set as that's the weakest version in my opinion. I am also not a fan of any remixing either. IF you own the stand alone Dvd Audio version then you should consider yourself a lucky listener. It is a stellar release and a great disc over all. It has some the the usual pcm traits like etched details that stand out a tad much. Some of the instruments don't sound very lifelike and are simply rendered..... like the cymbals which clack and the bass which isn't fully developed and there is a very slight loudness due to compression but I say this only to describe the character not to nit pick. As I said its a great disc. Fantastic really. The Dvd Audio grabs you as soon as play is pressed. The sacd anchors, warms and mellows you slowly but surely. The new sacd is completely different...almost diametrically opposed to the Dvd Audio. For one...its very mellow and relaxing but not boring. The instruments sound like real ones...........the timbres and dynamic range are also more palpable if not delicate. While the pcm version couldnt be cranked in the volume department....a great increase in volume is needed for the sacd. Neither version has great treble extension but the pcm version sounds like a slight echo was added to the mix. The sacd is drier but more believable. The keyboards are extremely organic with very natural bloom and they seem to wash the sound of the notes beautifully. Morrisons voice has the baritone character but sounds about as real as can be. To my ears Doug Sax didnt try to make any one element stand out above others. He did not embellish or goose up the disc. He took a holistic approach and addressed the entire gamut of information. Every parameter is rendered well but one couldn't point to any one element that overtakes the others. THe Dvd Audios has deeper bass and a heftier low end while the Sacd is a very natural and believable representation..and more truthful... I feel to the original tapes. Its apples and oranges here folks. The Dvd Audio is more forward and aggressive....the new sacd relaxes and surrounds the listener. I have to say Riders on the storm is simply awesome on the new sacd and probably sounds better than any other version I have ever heard. Both discs are awesome for what they give you. Excellent job Mr. Sax Play this new Sacd as loud as you can take it. Highly recommended.
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Review by Audioflea February 28, 2013 (8 of 8 found this review helpful)	Sonics:
First-time release of The Doors 6-album catalog on SACD from Analog Productions. Each disc contains both multi-channel and stereo. The surround sound layer comes from the original 96K, 24-bit files that were originally mixed and mastered for the 2006 DVD Audio Doors/Perception release. For stereo purists, the re-mastered, hi-rez stereo layers on all of the discs are fantastic and have never sounded better. However, in my opinion, it’s the multi-channel presentation that, when done right, takes this music to a whole different level. My reviews are based solely on the quality and fullness of the stage presence of the multi-channel layer of each respective disc in the set. On the classic 1-10 scale, IMHO, here’s how each disc ranks in quality and fullness of the stage presence of the 5.1 layer. Strange Days (9) The Soft Parade (9), LA Woman (8.5), Morrison Hotel (7.5), Waiting for the Sun (7), The Doors (3) Note that, with few exceptions, the multi-channel layer on all of the Doors discs puts Jim Morrison’s vocal almost exclusively in the center channel, so your enjoyment of the surround-sound experience is going to be directly proportional to the quality of your center speaker. And what better reason to upgrade your CC? I am truly knocked out by what I am hearing. Nothing too fancy going on here, but what is immediately apparent is just how un-restrained this music is. With the multi-channel spacing, there is just no constriction of the music. Instead of all of the individual parts competing for a meager percentage of representation within the confines of a 2 speaker frame-work, the sound stage is just busted wide open; allowing each band member’s contribution to shine through in glorious detail. Nuances in Morrison’s vocals, prominently displayed through the center channel, have never been clearer; and with crisp cymbals and well-defined snares like I’ve never heard in this music before. Krieger’s guitar & Manzarek’s keyboard alternately share the front & back corners of the room; opening up never-before-heard details in the slide guitar. Omni-present keyboards are proudly displayed in all four corners; always supporting, yet never dominating or drowning out. Now this is a text-book example of what 5.1 surround can do for classic rock & roll albums! Highlights include: Track 5—L.A. Woman; Intro with a crazy Krieger, Guitar ad-libbing at the front, then ramps up to an in-your-face, Morrison, vocal-assault; rounded out by quad-channeling keyboards and setting the stage for a beautiful, vocal-circling, conclusion. Truly a musical masterpiece. Track 6—L’America. Begins with circling guitars around the sound stage...and a snake. A right corner snare, a shredded center vocal, a crying guitar, pounding keyboards and soul-crushing drums....This is blues on LSD. Track 10—Rider’s On The Storm; Presented exactly the way you always hoped this track could sound like someday. Immersive rain & thunder effects; steady cybals and Black Velvet vocals pour out of the center.... sinister Krieger-guitar creeping in the background. “Some may call it heavenly in its brilliance. Others, mean and rueful of the Western dream.”—J.M.
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Review by boxer_ian August 19, 2013 (3 of 5 found this review helpful)	Performance: Sonics:
I can't be the only one to do it with this disc. First time in the player, straight to Riders On the Storm ahh... excellent it has now become the track it always should have been. Skip through the rest and well, ok but a little sterile. Well don't just put it back with the others, listen to it again from start to finish and you will discover what a true delight Bruce Botnick and his crew have created. Sharp, detailed with Jim's voice presented as the true master it always was. Highly recommended.
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