 The Doors: Perception 40th Anniversary Box
Rhino and Eletra Records’ 6-DVD/6-CD boxed set of The Doors’ entire studio output with vocalist Jim Morrison is, to put it mildly, absolutely mind-blowing. In an era when the digital distribution of music is as organic as much of the new corporate music product being produced nowadays, it’s a real pleasure to physically dig into a treasure trove of meaningful musical experiences and rediscover classic recordings via state-of-the-art, hi-res DVD-Audio surround sound.
The Doors are meant to be heard in full surround, and the Perception delivers, with one exception: the band’s ground-breaking eponymous debut is mixed conservatively (light ambience in the surround speakers) compared to the rest of the set. However, once we get to Strange Days, Bruce Botnick (The Doors’ longtime engineer) surrounds us in a much more satisfying 360-degree environment for the balance of the catalog. “Strange Days,” ”Riders on the Storm,” and many other tracks make stunning use of the surround space, and even classic radio stalwarts, like “Hello, I Love You,” are fresh, musical journeys.
DVD-Audio content is presented in hi-res 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround and stereo, and Dolby Digital stereo/5.1, and DTS 5.1 surround options are also provided for DVD-Video players. Special features include numerous unissued tracks (also in surround/stereo), music videos, photo gallery, lyrics, and discography. Remastered CDs are also included for each album.
Diehard fans and new inductees are hereby advised to open their “doors of perception” with the 12-disc 40th Anniversary Box.
CD/DVD Video, Rhio/Elektra, Technical Rating: A-
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