Jimi Hendrix: Valley of Neptune
This week I am going to review Jimi Hendrix’s latest posthumous release, Valley of Neptune.
Track Listing 1. Stone Free, 2. Valleys of Neptune, 3. Bleeding Heart, 4. Hear My Train A Comin, 5. Mr. Bad Luck, 6. Sunshine of Your Love, 7. Lover Man, 8. Ships Passing Through the Night, 9. Fire, 10. Red House, 11. Lullaby for Summer, 12. Crying Blue Rain.
Let me first start out by saying this is not a polished/finished album, but they are not rough demos either. Some songs like Sunshine of Your Love have no lyrics and others like Valleys of Neptune have no solos. Now most fans know that Hendrix has been dead for 40 years now and for those of you who dont now you do. These songs are from the last two years of Hendrix’s life. Along with some “Slight Returns” to some of his old tunes most of these songs are previously unreleased. Stone Free, Hear My Train A Comin, Fire, and Red House are all previously released, Hear My Train A Comin was first released on another posthumous Hendrix album called Blues.
The opening track of course is a return to the Stone Free. Hendrix made a more complex rhythm as compared to the old one. Other than changes in the rhtyhm the lyrics stayed the same. The solo is of course different and I prefer the new one.
The title track of the album lacks on Hendrix trademark and that is a guitar solo. But it starts out almost Pink Floydish. After the intro the song picks up and goes into a typical Hendrix sound with his mystic lyrics.
This is an old Elmore James tune that Hendrix covers. It humorous because Jimi is heard saying Im gonna start this like Elmore. This a typical blues song but Hendrix does his think and makes you think he wrote the song, as he does later with Sunshine of Your Love. Hendrix makes this song pretty funky with the rhythm that he plays.
Hear My Train A Comin is one of my favorite songs of this CD. Its got a much bluesier feel than the Elmore James tune before. Hendrix also plays the melody while he songs on this one a la Voodoo Child (Slight Return). During the solo he also harmonizes his voice with his guitar and shows of his vocal talent along with his guitar prowess.
Mr. Bad Luck is a driving tune that bears more or resembelance to 70s rock than it does to Hendrix’s previous work. This is one of the songs that I think shows what Hendrix’s future held musically. This song has some of the Hendrix tendencies but it also has a way different feel than other songs.
Sunshine of Your Love is a cover of the Cream tune made famous on Guitar Hero, and honestly I like this version better than Cream’s. This also is one of my favorites of this CD, but sadly there are no lyrics on this track which would just enhance it that much more. But it is Jimi showing of his chops and ability to change rhythms.
Lover Man is another tune that just has more drive but it has a much stronger tie to Hendrix roots. It once again reminds me more of a 70s rock song than a hippie song. It just seems a bit raunchier and meaner than older songs.
Ships Passing Through The Night is a completely Hendrix tune that has the mystic drug induced symbolism in the lyrics coupled with Hendrix using some sort of effect that makes the guitar sound likes its underwater to me. Which I see as part of Hendrix’s creativity for using this tone on a song about a ship.
Fire is of course another rework of a previously released song. This song is much more raw and faster than the studio versions. I dont notice any major difference in the rhythm or some parts of the solo. There are parts in the solo that contain phrases Hendrix hadnt really previous used. Overall I dont see it as much of a change from the original.
Redhouse is the last rework on the album. And again this a much more raw version than the orignal release. This one is a classic blues tune that has a very strong resemblance to the orignal but to me he has much more of that blues sounding vocal than on the studio track.
Lullaby for Summer is one that if it wasnt on a Hendrix album you would mistake for someone else. This song is driving it has balls and it doesnt have the typical Hendrix rhythm to it. The lead work may give it away some but you would guess rhythm is someone else. There are no vocals on this track either and I would like to hear the words or at least see what he was going to sing because this song is a major departure from his work in the past.
Crying Blue Rain is a Hendrix blues song that has some spank in the rhythm. Once again it is a different feel than other Hendrix work but it is not much of a stretch from it. This song contains no real lyrics but it shows some of Hendrix’s blues roots. Towards the end it does pick up and have that 70s rock feel again but the beginning is very Hendrix.
Overall it is a good album but it doesnt have the kind of songs that everyday music listeners will enjoy. But Hendrix fans will really enjoy it because it is interesting to compare this work with some other pieces of work and hear the evolution of Hendrix from the hippie blues rock to a heavier 70s rock sound.
