Music Review: Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mine

Album: Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mine
Composer: The Doors
Music: Rhino Records

Rock/Blues: Although this album was first issued way back in 1972, this is the first time it's out on CD. Like some live albums of the time, the most popular studio songs' live versions would be on a usual live album. But this one isn't meant to be a clutch of big hits. So, while 'Break On Through' and 'Riders On The Storm' did make the tracklist, other familiar chestnuts like 'Touch Me' (from their disappointing Soft Parade album and their first hit, the done-to-death 'Light My Fire', ostensibly, didn't. What's the use anyway? You can already hear many live versions of these songs on other live albums. The crux of this show was to thrust deeper into previously unreached areas in the 'The Doors' labyrinth of tunes. This means that you get live cover versions too. 'Gold Mine' splits the songs into three subsections: the poppy hits ('Love Her Madly'), unforgettable album cuts (L.A. Woman) and some spaced-out oddities like 'Horse Latitudes'. However, you'll find these distinctions scattered all over the place without regard to musical flow. 'Break On Through' shines with a jazzy interlude, 'Strange Days' gets some trippy keyboards. The psychedelia of Shaman's Blues is pure, classic 'Doors'. Among the hidden treasures are 'Who Scared You' and a cover of 'Willie Dixon's Don't Go No Further'. While not all polished, the rough edges add to the charm of this record. Simply put, this is a must for 'Doors' fans.

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