After being dead for 43 years, Jimi Hendrix has risen from the grave to make his album titled People, Hell & Angels. Before you go calling the Ghostbusters, you should know that the tracks on this album were written before Hendrix’s death and that this is the fourth release under the Experience Hendrix deal with Legacy Recording.
People, Hell & Angels features tracks that had been previously unreleased. Hendrix, Billy Cox, and Buddy Miles recorded many as a follow-up to Electric Ladyland. The majority of these tracks were recorded between ’68 and ’69, just a year before the artist’s death.
It’s indisputable that Hendrix is one of the greatest guitarists to live, and to hear him back is almost surreal. It’s a beautiful message that, though he is gone, his music and legacy still live on. The album features some really great songs, including “Bleeding Heart,” “Let Me Move You,” and “Inside Out.” There is also a great version of “Hear My Train a Comin.’”
The attention to detail in the production of this album is wondrous. The original recordings were very old, and had to have been in poor shape. The audio quality on these tracks is magnificent and really shows a desire to milk the best sound possible.
Hendrix left us so quickly, and every song counts. This newest album, though not his strongest, is still a fantastic piece of work that should be shared. Eddie Kramer, the engineer who recorded Hendrix, says that this will probably be the last album to feature new Hendrix music with the exception of live albums. So enjoy these tracks, they may be the last.