Doors, The ‎– The Soft Parade

"The Soft Parade" sees the Doors in new territory. It was a land that many of their fans were not embracing. The dark, carnival rock is but a memory, as the Doors turn to some truly fine studio work coupled with some of the weakest songs from their catalog.
I have a curious fascination with "Tell All the People" as Morrison lyrically positions himself as some sort of messiah, a la Manson. I'm wondering how much this is all just a put on by the Lizard King. But the song, musically rather interesting, was a bomb, probably due to the addition of a robust horn section accompaniment, which was definitely not "Doors" music.
There was a vague feeling that the group was selling out. "Touch Me" enters the realm of jazz, and I suspect Doors' fans were cool to it, although I seem to recall it sold well as a single. For whatever it is, "Touch Me" is masterful studio work with an unforgettable hook.
"Shaman's Blues" is a meandering riffless mess. Morrison, who could be a skillful poet at times, often wrote terrible lyrics. Along with "Do It" and "Easy Ride", "Shaman's Blues" is very forgettable. I frankly don't see why the band even released these tunes.
Side two begins on a plus side. "Wild Child" recalls some of the dark rock style that the Doors were best at. "Runnin' Blue" is a strange hybrid of country and jazz. It's obvious why Krieger was given few vocal chores, as his voice on the chorus is weak and just plain dorky. Once again, dreaded horn arrangements intrude on a Doors' song. The overall effect is just bizarre.
What follows is to my ear a Doors' classic. "Wishful Sinful", replete with strings, is a beautiful, haunting song. Krieger's music complements Morrison's word images. In short, despite its commercial success and its string arrangement, "Wishful Sinful" succeeds as a hit and as a genuine Doors' song.
Perhaps hoping to end the album on a monumental note, a la "The End" and "When the Music's Over", we are presented with the title track "The Soft Parade". But there is the feeling of a tired retread here. Once again, unwanted jazz is included, and Morrison's lyrics are just plain silly. I find it very hard to listen to.
I don't know how depressed Morrison was at the time, but this lp has all the sound of a group that has lost its way. Morrison himself probably suspected that even good songs like "Wishful Sinful" and "Touch Me" were sell outs. As much as I like the Doors, this is easily their weakest release. With the exceptions of "Wild Child", "Touch Me" and "Wishful Sinful", the album does not stand up well as important Doors' music.