Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors

Includes liner notes by Ralph Sall, Danny Sugerman, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek & John Densmore. STONED IMMACULATE is much better than the average tribute album. Not only is it more cleverly conceived; along with the contemporary and classic bands performing in homage to the Doors, there are works by artists who influenced the seminal Morrison-led group. There's nary a dud track here (although Cult frontman Ian Astbury's version of "Touch Me" at times verges on Wayne Newton territory) and at least one--Creed's "Riders on the Storm", which reinterprets the song's chorus brilliantly--actually improves on the original. Other highlights include Aerosmith's letter-perfect Xerox of "Love Me Two Times" (a song they were born to play), William S. Burrough's appropriately sepulchral recitation of "Is Everybody In?" and Stone Temple Pilots' nicely metallic take on "Break on Through."