Strange Days was the second studio release by iconic psych rock band The Doors. Released in September 1967– just eight months after the self-titled debut, their sophomore LP accorded the opportunity to stretch their eccentric wings and avant-garde impulses, resulting in an all-time classic.

“Strange days have found us” warily intones Jim Morrison on the eponymous lead track. The watery delay on his vocal was innovatively produced by Paul Rothchild and Bruce Botnick, who piped Jim’s voice through a Moog synthesizer played by Morrison himself. Ray Manzarek’s spooky Hammond organ lines and John Densmore’s emphatic percussion provide melodramatic undertones on this unsettling prelude. Session bassist Doug Lubahn contributes creative bass lines on several tracks, embellishing the ninth note on the mellifluous “You’re Lost Little Girl.”

The pace quickens with the minor blues rocker “Love Me Two Times,” featuring a catchy guitar hook by Robby Krieger, Manzarek’s punchy harpsichord lead, and staccato turnarounds. On the oddball “Unhappy Girl”, Ray plays the two-hand Vox keyboard intro backward, while Krieger’s slide guitar mimics a voice exclaiming ‘ooooh’ to start each phrase.