The eddying carnival swirl of Ray Manzarek’s organ and Jim Morrison’s tape-distorted vocals on the title track set the mood. Strange Days is the world seen through an askew lens. Each song is a distinct part of the greater whole in an album that works as a collection of short stories. “Moonlight Drive” is the most approachable song in its poetic call to romance. Mostly, Strange Days is a dark funhouse where reflections are reflected on reflections and each image is a little bent. Morrison is in fine form, rising easily from soft croon to stentorian on “Lost Little Girl,” his voice a reassuring contrast to the hesitant melody.
The 50th Anniversary Edition includes a second disc with the mono mix, but unlike many ’60s rock albums, the stereo version is where the pleasure lies. Strange Days didn’t seem out of time upon release in 1967, yet most of the songs sound timeless half a century on.
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