2013, Music

People, Hell and Angels (2013) by Jimi Hendrix

This is apparently the “final” official rarities collection we will get from the Hendrix vaults. These are the last previously unreleased studio tracks. It only took 40 years.

This collection shows off the direction Hendrix was contemplating post-Electric Ladyland, the funkier, rootsier one displayed on First Rays of the New Rising Sun, his unfinished final album. But these performances are looser than that record, and they have fewer overdubs. It’s fairly obvious that most of them are just (complete) early demos.

But the music is fantastic – Hendrix is on fire, even if he’s playing more lead (and more conventional rhythm) than he used to and even if the music is mostly less risky than at his peak. (Also, Billy Cox is so much better than Noel Redding.)

It’s notable that some of the performances are pretty unconventional for him: at least two feature different lead singers, at least two also feature a saxophone, a real rarity for him, and I think there’s an organ on one of them.

This is absolutely an album for Hendrix fans. It’s probably a terrible introduction to the man; though his playing is awesome, as usual, it is not his best set of songs by a long-shot – the lyrics are particularly weak, relatively speaking – and it would convince you that all he did was play blues rock. But if you love Hendrix already, you should check it out as even Hendrix’s demos are worth listening to.

6/10

All tracks written by Jimi Hendrix, except where noted.

  1. “Earth Blues” 3:33
  2. “Somewhere” 4:05
  3. “Hear My Train A Comin'” 5:41
  4. “Bleeding Heart” (Elmore James) 3:58
  5. “Let Me Move You” 6:50
  6. “Izabella” 3:42
  7. “Easy Blues” 5:57
  8. “Crash Landing” 4:14
  9. “Inside Out” 5:03
  10. “Hey Gypsy Boy” 3:39
  11. “Mojo Man” Albert Allen, Arthur Allen 4:07
  12. “Villanova Junction Blues” 1:44
  • Jimi Hendrix – guitars, vocals, (bass guitar on track 9)
  • Billy Cox – bass guitar (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6–8, 13)
  • Buddy Miles – drums (tracks 1–4, 10, 12, 13)
  • Mitch Mitchell – drums (tracks 6, 7, 9)
  • Juma Sultan – congas (tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 12)
  • Larry Lee – rhythm guitar (tracks 6, 7)
  • Jerry Velez – congas (tracks 6, 7)
  • Stephen Stills – bass guitar (track 2)
  • Lonnie Youngblood – vocal & saxophone (track 5)
  • Rocky Isaac – drums (track 8)
  • Al Marks – percussion (track 8)
  • Albert Allen – vocal (track 11)
  • Jame Booker – piano (track 11)
  • Gerry Sack – triangle & mime vocal (track 6)

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