So much attention goes to Jim Morrison that people seem to overlook the great supporting cast he had in Densmore, Krieger, and Manzareck. Like any great group that has a larger than life front man like U2, REM, The Smiths, etc. it takes a solid group of musicians to make a success. You want this showperson to be able to write what they want, sing how they want, and support that with catchy melodies, strong beats, etc. This is something The Doors pulled off brilliantly on this album whether it meant playing blues, psychedelia, pop/rock, or jazz.
Another thing that people tend to overlook about The Doors is they were really good at writing pop songs. On this album throw out "Alabama Song" and "The End" and every other song could have been released as a single. I think part of why this gets overlooked is again the larger than life persona that Morrison took on which tended to overshadow the band or their music after a time.
This album is The Doors at their best and tightest. Throw out "Alabama Song" and you may have the greatest rock album of all time.
