Jimi Hendrix
First Rays Of The New Rising Sun
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Jimi Hendrix
First Rays Of The New Rising Sun
Experience Hendrix, 1997
RiYL: The Who, Led Zeppelin |
Though Hendrix only released three studio albums with the Jimi Hendrix Experience (the classics Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold As Love and Electric Ladyland) and a live record with the Band Of Gypsys, he actually was well on his way to the creation of a new album at the time of his death. This work was disseminated, however, a large portion of the songs he had recorded being released posthumously in some fashion to fulfill contractual obligations.
First Rays Of The New Rising Sun is a latter-day attempt to recreate the double album Jimi had planned to make, with his family (founders of Experience Hendrix Inc.) and friends compiling 17 songs from those posthumous releases, complete with remastering from the original tapes by Hendrix' studio cohort Eddie Kramer. The result is a revealing document of Hendrix's direction during his last days and a worthy addition to his catalog.
Included are latter-day classics like "Freedom," "Izabella," and "Room Full Of Mirrors," the oft-covered ballad "Angel," and numerous other gems, such as the frenetic motorycle anthem "Ezy Ryder" and the plaintive "Drifting". Kramer's remasters actually do a lot of justice to these songs, many of which were only previously available in stripped-down or overdubbed versions, by all accounts untrue to Hendrix' vision. These songs show Hendrix' unique approach to his music in his later days, combining his straighter rock experiences with the soulful outlook he gained working with the Band Of Gypsys. And this compilation repositions the results as essentials in the Hendrix canon.
It's amazing to listen to the music on Rising Sun and realize that the majority of it was not even considered finished at the time of Hendrix' passing. That a song like "Night Bird Flying" or "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)" was not yet fit for release raises questions about exactly where this musical genius was headed and what he would have added to any of these tracks before putting out the album.
The latter features over two minutes of guitar wizardry as an intro, before Hendrix asks "Is the microphone on?" This imperfection has become part of the beauty of the epic song, surprising listeners caught up in the intensity of the artist's guitar playing: he's gonna sing too?
This album is a requisite purchase for any Hendrix fan not possessing any of these classic tracks. While it doesn't reveal any all-new material per se, First Rays Of The New Rising Sun is a valuable document, and its presentation is also insightful, with studio log information and detailed notes for each song.
TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.