Doors: The Soft Parade

The most divisive album in The Doors catalog gets a proper reissue treatment here. After appearing in Rhino's numbered boxed set, this Kevin Gray remaster was released as an unnumbered title. It's sound alone makes a strong case for reevaluating an album that's often dismissed by purists, including us.

Cut from the original analog master tapes at Cohearent Audio and pressed at Optimal Media, this reissue handles the orchestral arrangements and layered production in ways earlier pressings simply couldn't. The horns on "Touch Me" have body and bite, the strings have clarity without shrillness, and Morrison's vocals cut through the dense arrangements without getting buried. Gray's mastering gives breathing room to an album that could sound cluttered in lesser hands.

What's particularly impressive is how the pressing handles dynamics. "The Soft Parade" itself, with its suite structure and shifting instrumentation, benefits enormously from the quiet vinyl and careful mastering. Details emerge that you've likely missed on older pressings: Densmore's drum work, the interplay between bass and keyboards, the way the orchestration supports rather than overwhelms the core band.

The gatefold package is solid, with the included insert providing archival context from band members and studio personnel. The Joel Brodsky photography looks sharp in this presentation, and the Peter Schaumann illustrations inside retain their psychedelic charm.

This isn't just a technical achievement. Gray's work reveals that the much maligned production choices on this album actually hold up when you can hear them properly. Whether you've always defended The Soft Parade or written it off as the band's misstep, this pressing deserves a listen.

the Vinyl Verdict
The definitive version of a controversial album. Rhino High Fidelity proves The Soft Parade sounds better than its reputation suggests. 💵

💰Invest
💵 Consider
💸 Pass