There’s been another trawl through the Hendrix archives, one that’s resulted in serving up the 12 previously unreleased tracks that appear on People, Hell and Angels.

What’s especially exciting about this release is that a number of the songs aren’t just alternate takes, they’re very different versions from the ones Hendrix fans are used to: “Earth Blues,” “Somewhere,” and “Izabella” differ markedly from their officially released versions. An excerpt of the instrumental “Easy Blues” appeared on the 1981 album Nine to the Universe, but now you get to hear the full version, that’s twice as long.

The tracks are drawn from the post-Experience era, and have Hendrix working with bassist Billy Cox and drummer Buddy Miles. A real highlight is “Let Me Move You,” a raging, rocking number that runs for almost seven minutes, and features Lonnie Youngblood” on vocals and sax.

There’s also a terrific early version of “Hear My Train A-Comin’,” from Hendrix’s first session with Cox and Miles. Overall, the album offers a good insight into Hendrix’s working methods, how he’d methodically keep working with a song until he felt he’d gotten all out of it that he could. Which is what makes the closing track, “Villanova Junction Blues,” so intriguing, as it’s unfinished; who knows where Jimi would’ve taken the song if he’d been able to do more work on it?

At a dozen tracks, it’s too short. But Hendrix aficionados will still welcome the chance to experience anything new from the Hendrix archives.

Label: Legacy Recordings