The Doors: The Doors

Archival release (Rhino)

The band's history - as told via a voluminous iPad app. Overseeing the project (along with the surviving band members) was Jac Holzman, who signed the Doors to Elektra in 1966. An interview with Holzman is included in a New York Times article available here. Much discussion of technology there. After all, this is Holzman in his "home studio" in 1956:

Holzman says more in Rhino's press release: "The genesis of this project began with a desire to digitize the Doors' boxed set, to use new technology to improve upon a much-loved fan experience. It made total sense to choose the Doors. They have always been 'ahead of the curve' artists, and their story is one of the great sagas in rock. Together with the band, we tell a compelling tale using materials from the Doors' own archives and the Warner Music Group vault plus the hundreds of other sources we chased down - a wealth of treasures including previously unseen photos, fresh interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights and reflections. Delivered in a single download, this is a riveting approach to showcasing a band's entire career. I believe Warner Music has set the bar higher for future music apps . . . and that is a very good thing to do!"

Additional excerpts from the press release:

"The app is divided into several sections, with The Story leading to the true centerpiece, proving endlessly intriguing for both veteran fans and new initiates with hundreds of photos, videos, and interviews. All six albums recorded by the original Doors foursome, as well as the two albums recorded later by the Doors as a trio, are spotlighted here through essays from counterculture icons including Patti Smith and Hunter S. Thompson and Doors historians such as David Fricke, Greil Marcus, and archivist David Dutkowski, as well as pieces from the band and personal reminiscences shared by Holzman. The Story also highlights extensive technical notes detailing all the equipment used to create every studio album.

"Among the other centerpieces of The Story is a graphic novelization of the notorious Miami Incident, where Jim Morrison was falsely accused of exposing himself during a 1969 concert. The infamous episode comes to life here through drawings by award-winning comic book artist Dean Haspiel, words by Adam Holzman (son of Jac), and rare audio of Morrison recorded during the show. This section also includes the once-confidential FBI report, the arrest report, a portion of Morrison's tongue-in-cheek testimony, his mug shot, and his posthumous pardon issued in 2010.

"Also featured are a comprehensive Timeline, a Cast of Characters (listing key people in the Doors' universe), an interactive Map of L.A. that focuses on prime locations in the band's history, a Gallery filled with rare and iconic images, all song lyrics, in-app links to social media and the iTunes Store, and a customizable Favorites area. All told, the app features over 500 images including band photos, album art, singles, international releases, and memorabilia (posters, ticket stubs, advertisements, press releases, contracts, and related correspondence). The app also includes 44 short-form videos and 60 audio segments. Holzman has referred to the Doors app as a '1,500-piece jigsaw puzzle in three dimensions, which arrives on your iPad, elegantly pre-assembled.'

"To coincide with the launch of the app, all of the Doors' studio albums have been mastered for iTunes by their longtime producer Bruce Botnick and are now available exclusively on iTunes. Three new digital box sets -The Complete Studio Albums, Behind Closed Doors: The Rarities, and Strange Nights of Stone Vol. II: The Bright Midnight Archives Concerts - as well as two mastered-for-iTunes compilation albums (The Very Best Of and The Future Starts Here: The Essential Doors Hits) are also available now on iTunes."

The app is available for the iPad for $4.99 from the App Store.

The official trailer can be seen here.

Other archival releases

The Modern Jazz Quartet: The Golden Age, Complete Atlantic Recordings, 1956-60 (Enlightenment)
Four-CD box honoring the artistry of John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Percy Heath, and Connie Kay.

Various Artists: Cotillion Records: Soul 45s, 1968-1970 (Rhino)
A box of 7-inch vinyl singles, 10 of 'em, from the Atlantic subsidiary. Artists: the Dynamics, Darrell Banks, Otis Clay, the Blendells, C and the Shells, Lou Johnson, Baby Washington, Walter Jackson, Hollywood Spectrum, and Moses Smith. Just 500 boxes are available in the U.S., at independent record stores only.

Captain Beyond: Sufficiently Breathless (Cleopatra)
Vinyl reissue. This album, the relatively weak 1973 follow-up to the band's stunning 1972 debut, still has some tracks to recommend it.