Pickin’ On The Doors featuring Iron Horse
Something different – bluegrass musicians interpreting & applying their magic & expertise to the music of The Doors. I didn’t think it was a viable idea but with “Break On Through” it’s obvious these players know how to take an original recipe & add some corn liquor to it.
The virtuosity is flawless & each application is respectful of the original compositions. I’m more impressed with the effort & ability of these players than their stretch of Doors songs. Do the songs all work? No. Many will never be as bluegrass drenched as “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” But the arrangements attempted usually hold the center while others (“Love Her Madly”) drive with one tire flat. But no worries, that’s only one song.
There are 12 attempts on target on Pickin’ On The Doors featuring Iron Horse (Drops June 28/CMH Records/44:59) & “Roadhouse Blues” while being far & away from the fiery original by Jim Morrison does assert itself as bluegrass. Enthusiasm is the key to bluegrass with the tight banjo & mandolin interplay what was additionally needed to make the connection was a Charlie Daniels’ like fiddle to smoke it out to its conclusion. But — it’s not half bad.
Surprisingly, their bluegrass tackle of “L.A. Woman,” was frenetic for bluegrass. I’m a big fan of Jim Morrison & the Doors & I wasn’t convinced this song would fit. It could be a hard sell to a Doors fan. But Iron Horse had enough energy to push through — musically. The intonation & phrasing weren’t quite on the mark, but the economy of style sold the tune since they’re such excellent musicians.
Another high-water mark was “Love Me Two Times” & though that too suffers from phrasing, the vocal tonality saves it in the bluegrass genre. It’s not easy what Iron Horse tries to do. It’s like repainting the Mona Lisa in watercolors.
This is a good assemblage of a foreign genre (rock) trying to be friends with a curious cousin (bluegrass). The tempos are challenged, the language is translated & the textures are pulled. Some work better than others. But the bluegrass application never fails to keep the songs bouncy & interesting.
Fortunately, much of bluegrass being an upbeat form keeps each Doors song away from the trappings of the rock & blues lucidity. Music can amazingly shape itself into anything in the hands of experts. Iron Horse is such a band.
Highlights – “Break On Through,” “Roadhouse Blues,” L.A. Woman,” “Love Me Two Times,” “Strange Days” & “Riders On the Storm.”
Musicians – Vince Henry (guitar/lead & harmony vocals/producer), Tony Robertson (mandolin/harmony vocals & lead vocals on “Bird of Prey”), Ricky Rogers (bass/baritone vocals) & Andy Richardson (banjo/harmony vocals).
Image courtesy of the Iron Horse website. Recorded in Elgin, AL. CD @ Apple & https://www.cmhrecords.com/products/pickin-on-the-doors-cd-mp3 & https://www.ironhorsebluegrass.com/
