Jimi Hendrix is releasing a new album

[Robert]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122456834

Jimi Hendrix only released four official studio albums during his lifetime. On Monday, Sony Music and the Hendrix estate announced a new album, to be released March 9. It's called Valleys of Neptune.

Yet another way his half-sister is trying to make good bucks off of Jimi's name, or what say ye?

It will be interesting to hear it, and I bet it will sell well. I expect it could be quite experimental, or "loose", since it seems these are recordings of Jimi jamming with other musicians. Which could still be very cool. We'll find out in March!

 

[FrankenFretter]

As long as it's Jimi, how bad could it really be? I'm sure I'll have to get a copy. But I agree, Robert. The money-grubbing Hendrix Estate is disgusting. Sad to see Jimi's name flung about so carelessly just for the sake of profit.

 

[msteeln]

It's about time, Jimi!

I can't wait. I've had much of what will be on this for years, and to hear it Kramerized will be great, and no doubt will include previously unheard/unbooted material. What you won't get is the working process that Jimi worked thru to finish these tunes, which is quite interesting and lot's of the rough takes are very listenable on their own, and some may even be unfinished, but will be sublime regardless. Dispite the decline in his overall well being in that last year, he was still incredibly viable and better than anybody else to this day, producing real music that will stand with his best.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah, I don't like the half sister thing, but I am excited a bit to see/hear it! I did not get into Hendrix at all until long after he was gone, and it is fun to see an album being released when I am actually aware of it. There is supposed to be a "frenzied" version of "Fire" that sounds cool.

 

[Tig]

Naturally, I'll be interested in hearing it. Chances are that it may not be all that great, but we'll see. I mean, you'd think that any really good recordings would have been released by now.

Too bad for the greedy estate leeches that Gibson dropped the Hendrix Strat copy.

 

[Zip]

I got to listen to some of the 'finished' tracks that'll be on the album. They're cleaned up from the analog, but not so much that they lose that Jimi 'feel' & urgency...I don't know, I think the tracks are well-presented. This is Jimi heading in a "new" direction, but it's still Hendrix & it's still genius.

 

[ZMAN]

I got to listen to some of the 'finished' tracks that'll be on the album. They're cleaned up from the analog, but not so much that they lose that Jimi 'feel' & urgency...I don't know, I think the tracks are well-presented. This is Jimi heading in a "new" direction, but it's still Hendrix & it's still genius.

Any idea what years this material covers. If it is anthing to do with the Band of Gypsies stuff I will pass. Don't get me wrong I have every one of them on vinyl, and never really liked them. I have all of his albums and even some of the compilations I even have his blues cd.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

It is the Experience Trio's final studio recordings, according to this:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2010-01-11-jimialbum11_ST_N.htm?csp=hf

 

[Robert]

I love Band of Gypsies stuff the best - that's incredible music.

My first thought is, why did it take this many years to have this released?

 

[msteeln]

As the article alludes to, it's the Billy Cox version of the Experience, a title Jimi was coerced into resurecting for the $.
Had Jimi been fresh like he was early on w/Noel, I believe this last version would have been head and shoulders above all else he did. As it is, it still equals his best. It's just too bad he didn't have the time to get it together like he wanted due to the pressure from mgt. to tour constantly and it wore him down along with the crap he was dealing with concerning Jeffries.
Frustratingly, they didn't record even most of his shows so the best examples are rarely heard from his last year. One of the very best, his last show in American which was Honolulu, wasn't recorded even tho they had a full film crew in the islands for the Maui/Rainbow Bridge stuff. Total whif.

As for Janie, who better than the family to handle his legacy? Alan Douglas showed the errors of an outsider having control, and he was the best choice in those day's. Not that she's been perfect in handling such an awesome responsibility, but overall we're lucky she's willing and able and I applaude what she's done.
Hopefully with the upcoming promo pushes, the next five years will have the lion's share of vault material processed and made available. Thank God for Kramer!

 

[Robert]

So why did this take so long to accomplish?

 

[msteeln]

I think they have been working on this and other stuff they found languishing in boxes virtually abandoned a few years back and wanted to get it right as well as play the timing game. Sounds like they have a cannon crammed with material set for release and probably wanted to have a full broadside to deliver and generate as much publicity and revenue as possible.

 

[Robert]

Why unreleased Jimi Hendrix material can be abandon by anyone for any length of time is beyond me...

 

[msteeln]

The Hendrix estate is actively seeking to acquire any and all resonably priced items from his life. They have a lot, they keep finding more, it takes time to do Jimi proper, and there are releases that have in their minds priority.
I'm like any Jimi lover, we want it all and we want it yesterday.
But if I understand you last comment correctly, it's beyond understanding how anything Jimi could not be dealt with as best possible. Those boxes were left sitting in a vacant warehouse near an open window ready to be trashed by the elements or taken. I'm sure there are other examples of sad caretaking over the years like this.

I think Janie has Jimi, and his fans, interest in full respect.
And she's enjoying the rewards for sure.

 

[Robert]

So basically what your comment leads me to believe, is that the people who owned/owns all this material must have incredibly stupid, wealthy already, indifferent or any combination thereof. They could have provided new powerful Jimi-material to all the fans out there a long time ago, and made a lot of money in process.

But better late than never! :AOK

 

[msteeln]

Well, at least for those of us still around to dig it. That's one of the big reasons I want to live long. You never know what else cool will be discovered, in whatever field. Might discover aliens that have their own Jimi!

 

[Blaze]

Jimi 's 'Valleys of Neptune' song Premiere here on this link...


http://www.spinner.ca/2010/01/28/jimi-hendrix-valleys-of-neptune-song-premiere/

 

[mainestratman]

I hate to say it.. I'm not blown away.. was expecting something a little more cutting edge.

 

[player]

I hate to say it.. I'm not blown away.. was expecting something a little more cutting edge.

since when did Anything Jimi did not be cutting edge?facing facts the guy was way ahead of his time and talent just beng able to get any more from him since his demise I see as a plus,bottom line.and more often than not there is a lot more substance in the recordings than we hear online,keeping in mind this another album = more tunes :AOK

 

[mainestratman]

I hear ya... looking forward to hearing the rest of the tracks.

 

[sumitomo]

It should sound a little plain,it said these guys just grouped up and going through a feeling out time.Sumi I think it's refreshing to hear Jimi back off the throttle alittle,I remember seeing a clip of him playing with Jonny Winter and he was playing in a way to complement the both of them.

 

[msteeln]

This song is a perfect example of the very little I don't care for. It's rather aimless, has no kick and not much Jimi soul. I doubt he would have approved it's release in his time.
I hope there is much better examples of his efforts in the release, this was a poor teaser.

 

[ka9-o-caster]

That is a great notion, purple haze was the first intro to a song i learned beginning, and jimi is my all time favorite. it'd be great to hear something of his i've never heard before. as far as my feelings about the hendrix estate, oh well nothing i can do, they really sold him out when they put him on guitar hero, but in another view it's preserving his legacy, a new album will definately spread this jimi thing to a new generation.

 

[msteeln]

I wouldn't call putting Jimi on Guitar Hero a sellout, but rather an unavoidable choice. He's the ultimate GH and not having him included would be a glaring omission and possibly deminish the entire product, causing even worse condemnation.

 

[ka9-o-caster]

He's the ultimate GH and not having him included would be a glaring omission and possibly deminish the entire product

I totally agree with the first half, but guitar hero is a waste of technology, it gives a false sense of accomplishment to people who want to play their favorite music. i say pick up the real thing and practice and learn, don't waste your time hitting buttons and flicking a bar while staring at a tv screen for hours. I wan't trying to slam Jimi in any way, yes he is the great, but guitar hero is the dumbest video game known to mankind.

 

[msteeln]

He's both our #1, obviously you weren't slamming him, and doing the real thing is infinitely better than wasting that effort on a toy.
Flip side, I've seen kids go the next step and get into real guitar thanx to the game, and others that gained significant appreciation for the instrument/music/musicians, so it has it's potential positives, and it sure keeps them off the streets.

:dude

 

[Tig]

He's both our #1, obviously you weren't slamming him, and doing the real thing is infinitely better than wasting that effort on a toy.
Flip side, I've seen kids go the next step and get into real guitar thanx to the game, and others that gained significant appreciation for the instrument/music/musicians, so it has it's potential positives, and it sure keeps them off the streets.
:dude

ka9-o-caster, you have a really good point about the game, but I must agree with msteeln as well. The positive benefit of the game is that it has exposed some great music to so many kids, and yes, some have picked up real guitars because of it.

 

[Tig]

Anyone buy it yet?

It was released March 9th. Only at Target and iTunes, I've read.
Anyone buy it yet, and what's your take?

 

[msteeln]

1) Stone Free 3:45, a way different 'funkier' less driving version than usual with a different ending.
2) Valleys Of Neptune 4:01, sounds better overall than the sample in this thread.
3) Bleeding Heart 6:20, a couple of out of tune moments. Again, a funkier version with vocals differing from the norm. He starts it by saying "Oi, I think I'll start off like Elmore James". He's having fun with this.
4) Hear My Train A Comin' 7:29, standard take.
5) Mr. Bad Luck 2:56, much like I remember the original, but better(?). Ends wierd.
6) Sunshine Of Your Love 6:45, rather standard version, @ 2:00 Jimi backs off and riffs on sparse rhythm while Noel jams some distorted bass til the 4 min. mark and then they start to bring it back. Good.
7) Lover Man 4:15, starts off harder/slower/and again funkier. Faded ending. I like it.
8) Ships Passing In The Night 5:52, has a SRV w/Reese feel (Leslied guitar). Med tempo with (sorry) a funky rhythm style & some cool Octavia soloing over the top. At 5:00 the band lays out and let's Jimi take over til the end.
9) Fire 3:13, standard '68 version w/good solo.
10) Red House 8:20, typical RH w/more Octavia. Faded ending.
11) Lullaby For The Summer 3:48, triple tracked guitar 2/Octavia'd. Another abrupt ending. Sounds like a work idea.
12) Crying Blue Rain 4:56, slow til 2:30 and then it increases til the faded ending. Mostly just a jam.
Bonus tracks
13) Slow Version (...of what?) 4:56, heavy distorted rhythm jam for 2 mins and then cool soloing til the fade.
14) Trash Man 7:23, more distorted jamming which gets quite lyrical around 5 mins in til the fade.

Bottom line, nothing ground breaking or earth shattering, unless you compare it to everybody else!
Mostly working versions that would have never been allowed out by Jimi the perfectionist.
Well worth the $10.

 

[Kazz]

I will have it in about 10 minutes.