The Best of The Doors Volume 2

The Best of The Doors Volume 2, catalog number ABS-518 RV, is a Russian-pressed double-sided LP compilation forming the second half of a two-disc set. The companion release, The Best of The Doors Volume 1, carries the catalog number ABS-517 RV and covers the earlier material. No pressing year is printed on the sleeve or label, which is common for Russian market releases of this type. This is a stereo pressing, as indicated on the label, running at 33 RPM.

The front cover is immediately recognizable to anyone who has handled the widely circulated international Best of The Doors packaging. It reproduces a large black-and-white close-up photograph of Jim Morrison, shirtless, wearing a thin beaded necklace, his expression serious and slightly downward-cast. His dark, loosely curled hair fills the upper half of the frame. The image is cropped just above the waist, and his bare shoulders and chest dominate the composition. The overall tonal palette is cool grey-white, save for a small streak of blue that bleeds in at the lower left corner behind the title text. The title runs vertically along the left edge of the cover in slim grey lettering reading "THE BEST OF THE DOORS," with the word "DOORS" rendered in a slightly bolder, darker tone. A circled numeral "2" sits in the upper right corner, distinguishing this volume from its companion. The cover stock is glossy and plain, with no additional text, credits, or label branding on the front. The overall presentation is minimal and clean, which is consistent with how Russian licensees handled Western rock compilations during and after the early post-Soviet period.

The back cover is even more stripped down. It is entirely white with a glossy finish, carrying nothing but the track listing in plain black type. "SIDE 1" and "SIDE 2" are set in bold, with each track listed below in all caps alongside its running time. The layout is functional and unadorned. In the upper right corner, small text reads "STEREO" and "ABS-518 RV," the only identifying information on the reverse. There are no liner notes, no band photography, no credits, and no label artwork on the back. There is no inner sleeve beyond what appears to be a plain white or generic paper sleeve. The disc label itself is a warm coral-pink or salmon color, with "THE BEST OF THE DOORS" arched across the top in dark brown serif lettering, "Volume 2" centered below it, and "Side 1" printed mid-label. Track titles and durations are listed in the lower half. "STEREO" and the infinity symbol appear on the left, "ABS-518 RV" on the right. The label design is identical in style to the Volume 1 counterpart, creating a matched pair when the two releases are shelved together.

The eight tracks spread across the two sides cover some of the band's most enduring catalog entries. Side one opens with "Hello, I Love You" and moves through "Roadhouse Blues" and the full-length "L.A. Woman" at 7:48, closing with "Riders on the Storm" at 7:14. Side two runs from "Touch Me" through "Love Her Madly" and The Unknown Soldier before closing with "The End" at a listed 11:41. None of these are obscure selections, and the track list has no surprises or regional exclusives on this volume. When considered as part of the full two-disc set, however, a notable substitution appears on Volume 1: Discogs notes that "Alabama Song" replaced "Waiting for the Sun" on that release. Volume 2 carries no such documented substitution and appears to present standard versions of all eight tracks.

On Discogs, this Russian LP compilation currently shows 89 collectors marking it as owned and 175 listing it as wanted, giving it a want-to-have ratio that suggests moderate scarcity and ongoing collector interest. That figure puts it well ahead of many generic Russian rock pressings from the same era in terms of demand. Collectors looking at the broader landscape of Doors compilations on vinyl should note that this release is distinct from the various Western pressings covered elsewhere on this site, including the internationally released Best of The Doors and the Best Of... compilation. For a Russian-market pressing, the pressing quality appears adequate based on the photos, though no information about the plant or mastering source is printed anywhere on the release.

As a standalone purchase, this volume is incomplete without its companion, The Best of The Doors Volume 1. The track selection here is solid but entirely standard, with no bonus content or regional variants to distinguish individual tracks from other pressings. What makes this release worth acquiring is its identity as a Russian compilation LP with catalog number ABS-518 RV, part of a matched two-volume set. The Discogs want figures suggest it is not effortlessly sourced, and collectors building a comprehensive regional pressing collection will want both volumes together. Buy them as a pair or not at all.