Seems like every 12-year-old music fan discovering the Doors has the same process: Get drawn in by “Break On Through”, quickly become smitten with “Touch Me”, then eventually realize “The Crystal Ship” is the greatest song ever. It’s a rite of passage, and an important part of growing up.
We don’t want to speak for Austin punk band Institute, but maybe they stopped right at that second step. Either way, they’ve covered the Doors’ 1969 classic for Sacred Bones Records’ Todo Muere Volume 5, its annual Record Store Day compilation, and it’s a messy, fun listen. The LP also features tracks from Destruction Unit and Massachusetts’ Marissa Nadler, whose new album Strangers drops May 20 via Sacred Bones.
Institute’s take on “Touch Me”, which you may hear below, is a beautifully blazé rendition that will anger your cool uncle but impress the 12-year-old in you. Catch Institute at Northside Festival in Brooklyn in June, and honor Jim Morrison below.