Customer Reviews

First Rays Of The New Rising Sun

5 star:		(76)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

"In 1994, Hendrix's own handwritten track selection for First Ray surfaced and was reprinted in the french magazine Folk & Rock (November 1994). Surprisingly it was never used when attempts were made to complete the unfinished project in the years that followed. Hendrix only completed a song list for three sides of the double LP, and wasn't sure where to place the track "Night Bird Flying". With a darker-colored pen, he seemed to indicate that it should be the second song on side A. Hendrix's track selection for First Ray of the New Rising Sun was:

Side A: Dolly Dagger, Night Bird Flying, Room Full of Mirrors, Belly Button Window, Freedom.

Side B: Easy Rider, Astro Man, Drifting, Straight Ahead.

Side C: Drifter's Escape, Comin' Down Hard On Me, Beginnings, Cherokee Mist, Angel."

The above and any other quotes in this post are taken from the book, "Black Gold the Lost Archives of Jimi Hendrix" by Steven Roby.

The album is refered to above as First Ray instead of First Rays because Jimi at first was going to call it First Ray of the New Rising Sun. Another quote from Black Gold:

"Billy Cox worked on the unfinished album, and recalled the time when Hendrix asked him about the correct wording: "He asked me, 'Is it the first ray, or the rays?' I said, 'I don't know. He said, 'What do you see when you get up in the morning? When you look over the horizon do you see one ray or rays?' I said, 'I'd have to check that out.'

Hendrix would seem to have had a cover for the album in mind too...another quote:

"There is also evidence that Hendrix may have had a cover in mind for the release. On September 17th, 1970, he sketched out various faces to form the shape of a cross, with his own face in the middle. The right arm of the cross had faces of white people, including J.F.K. and Hitler and two women and a baby. On the left arm of the cross was Martin Luther King, Jr., a black woman with a crown, an African woman, and a baby. On the bottom shaft, Crazy Horse, Geronimo, Cochise, two women and a baby represented Native Americans. Above Hendrix's head, the top shaft of the cross showed Buddha, Genghis Khan, a Japanese woman, and a Chinese baby, representing the Asian Peoples."

I like this CD and gave it 4/5 stars. But knowing that there are existing track listings by Hendrix out there I tend to wish they had tried to stay closer to the song orders he had chosen (Of course Jimi might have made many changes to those song orders before the album was completed).

Since these days most people can make their own CDs I would probably arrange a version (for my own listening pleasure) to look something like this:

Dolly Dagger

Night Bird Flying

Room Full of Mirrors

Belly Button Window

Freedom

Easy Rider

Astro Man

Drifting

Straight Ahead

Drifter's Escape (Can be found on the CD South Saturn Delta)

Comin' Down Hard On Me (Can be found on the Hendrix box set)

Beginnings

Here He Comes (Lover Man) (Can be found on South Saturn Delta)

Angel

Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)

Stepping Stone

Izabella

Earth Blues

In From The Storm

Approximate CD time = 79 minutes

Since the only version of Cherokee Mist I have heard is on the Box Set and has simliar patterns to that of In From The Storm I left it off. I left off My Friend since it was a leftover track from 1968. For those who are into having an instrumental open the album there is a spacey guitar instrumental called The New Rising Sun on the now deleted Hendrix CD compilation Voodoo Soup...I just wasn't sure how to fit it in due to space limitations. Pali Gap is also a track that could have been on the album as it was recorded during the same time period. Of course everyone's version of this album would probably be different (including Jimi's).

I could go on and on about this but I guess the bottom line is I like the music on this album very much I just wish it could have somehow stayed closer to Jimi's vision...

The 5 stars I've given to this disc must be understood in context. These are not the same kind of 5 stars I gave to Are You Experienced. Then again, Jimi was alive and involved in the mixing and production of AYE and he wasn't for First Rays. As a long time Hendrix devotee, I knew he'd considered naming his next LP with this disc's title. I knew all about what was going on in his life at the time he died and how he wanted his music to evolve. The reason this disc warrants 5 stars is because the people involved in bringing this project to completion did the best they could to make Jimi's vision a reality. This is love, pure and simple.

A stripped-down, analytical view of this disc, song by song may not arrive at the conclusion above. Clearly, the studio work was not finished on many of these songs. The story of the making of these songs is a tragic tale. Jimi's last album of original studio recordings had been released in 1968 on Electric Ladyland. Since that LP, a compilation entitled Smash Hits had been released, as had Band of Gypsys, a live recording of new tunes as part of a legal settlement with one of Jimi's former business partners. Band of Gypsys, although excellent music in my opinion, was not what the majority of the record-buying public wanted to hear from Jimi. They wanted Purple Haze II, or something similarly familiar and comfortably psychedelically rocking. But Jimi had been around that block too many times and was in need of change. First Rays was to be the answer as he saw it.

Now, don't get me wrong here - I love this music. But not all of it was finished to Jimi's normal standard. He certainly planned to get it done and was considering a change of management and producers as solutions to get past the barriers he saw in his way. But lack of completeness can't hide the brilliance of his vision. Just consider two cuts as examples - Hey Baby (effectively the title track) and Ezy Ryder. Hey Baby shows both lyrically and in its arrangement where Jimi was headed. The opening section is one of the most beautiful guitar lines he ever wrote, combining so many of his roots into a statement so uniquely Jimi, it's immediately recognizable. The words tell me just how badly he needed to move beyond the constraints that had imprisoned him for all too long. Ezy Ryder shows that Jimi was still a rocker. But he was changed. Since taking over the production of his music, the orchestration had become more complex and synergistic. The lyrics show, as do the lyrics of other songs on this disc, that Jimi was struggling to make the message fit the rythym. But that's nit picking - these are great tunes. I am hugely appreciative that the Hendrix family got the right people together to make this happen. It's a must-have.

It should not be expected that compilations of unreleased material should live up to an artist's fundamental body of work, but the posthumous Jimi Hendrix collection, First Rays a New Rising Sun, comes pretty close. Most of its material was compiled from work meant for the guitar-slinging hippie hero's forth studio album, which he was in the midst of recording at the time of his unfortunate death in 1970. The LP was meant to be a return to the highway-roaming, rapid-fire rock of his debut, 1967's Are You Experienced. If songs such as the rollicking "Dolly Dagger," the impassioned "Ezy Rider," the Vietnam-inspired "Izabella," the epic title track and the anthems, "Earth Blues" and "Freedom" are any indications, Hendrix had a good chance at topping himself. Of coarse, First Rays does include a few tracks that may have been improved or deleted if Hendrix had completed this work, such as the half-baked "Astro Man" and the ironically meandering "Straight Ahead." But for a collection of unreleased work, First Rays of a New Rising Sun is absolutely as good as they come.

FIRST RAYS is part of the Hendrix family's recent series of remastered CD reissues of the Master's back catalog...though they're all worth your patronage, this one's a bit special in that it collates all of Jimi's final works, apparently intended for release as a double-album followup to ELECTRIC LADYLAND under this CD's title (debate, of course, rages over this claim). Most of us first heard these tracks scattered among posthumous lp releases THE CRY OF LOVE, WAR HEROES & RAINBOW BRIDGE, but here they all are collected on one CD and sounding bolder and better than ever. Compared to the mighty LADYLAND, these tracks are shorter, punchier, less the jammin' galactic majesty found on, say, 'Still Raining, Still Dreaming'. (Though there's plenty of spaced-out silver surfing here: witness 'Room Full of Mirrors', 'Drifting', 'New Rising Sun', 'Astro Man'...) What strikes me on this set is Hendrix's experimenting with different approaches, and his absolute mastery of craft: his ballads were never more gorgeous, nor had he ever written rockers as fanged as the ones on display here ('Freedom', 'Dolly Dagger', 'Stepping Stone'). You get the feeling that Hendrix was very near a transitional point, about to take his Strat (and us) to strange unexplored terrain - had he lived. The great lost Hendrix album is the one that would have followed FIRST RAYS OF THE NEW RISING SUN - the one that would've rewritten all of the rules all over again, AGAIN. We'll never hear it in this world, but you can find small shards of it all through this CD.

Now, I bought this album awhile ago, and unfortunately, the first review I wrote was somehow lost in the system. Since I have a poor at best memory, I had to just hunker down, listen to the CD again and do a proper review....

While definetely not the best Hendrix album, it is probably the best post-humous one (that's in print, at least), as far as studio work goes. Jimi had an obsession with capturing his ideas on record, and this just further examplifies that obsession. While I'd obviously get his official recordings (AYE, A:BAS, EL, and BOG) and probably a live record or two (Woodstock, Fillmore East), this does prove to be an excellent record for the person who just can't get enough Jimi...

Much more polished than "South Saturn Delta," the release that followed "First Rays...", this album was meant to compile the material that was to end up on Jimi's fourth studio effort of the same name. While Jimi originally planned to keep recording and produce a second LP to go with the first, his death unfortunately cut that plan short, and record producers were forced to spread out what had been completed over three post-humous, now out of print releases (Rainbow Bridge, Cry of Love, and War Heroes).

What we have now on "First Rays Of The New Rising Sun," is an attempt to compile the available material onto one disc, in an order as close to Jimi's original wishes as possible. Unfortunately, any claims that the CD was produced directly from Jimi's notes is a half-truth at best. No one could have possibly known Jimi's plans, especially considering Jimi's distinct style. He knew of a broad range of music, and so tracks may have been altered to give some a bluesy feel, or a jazzy feel.

Despite this, "First Rays of The New Rising Sun," is still an incredible album, and still worth picking up if you are an intense Jimi-phile like me. Although some tracks weren't mixed by Hendrix himself, and at least two tracks weren't the masters that Jimi had been working at, they still provide fantastic insight into one of the most creative minds of the twentieth century. Intensely beautiful tracks like "Belly Button Window," "Angel" and "Drifting" are seperated by heavy rockers like "Ezy Rider" and mild blues/rock tracks like "Dolly Dagger," and "Izabella." Throughout, the album retains a sense of "togetherness," with a feel that most of the songs fit where they are on the CD. It definetely is an intense listening experience, one that cannot totally be felt by just casual listening while performing other tasks. No, instead, invest in a good pair of headphones, turn out the lights and lay still as you take everything in...

While not being perfect, "First Rays" is probably the best of the post-humous Jimi releases, and definetely worth the time and money it may cost you. Even the liner notes are fantastic, including many rare photos, and almost 25 pages of fantistic track descriptions and essays.

If you fancy yourself a Jimi fan, than this record is for you. If you respect Jimi's work, than this is for you. Get it, it's probably one of my top 15 favourite CDs...

*(one warning though): If you have a multi-speaker surround sound system, then you might want to invest in a smaller unit. The mixes are sometimes fuzzy or tinny, and sometimes only are audible from a single speaker. Other than that, I don't have any real complaints.

"I see hands and tear-stained faces, reaching up but not quite touching the promised land..." -Earth Blues. An example perhaps, of how a maturing Hendrix sees the situation of his people (african-americans) and using poignant imagery to convey his feelings.

First Rays Of The New Rising Sun, along with all of his music in 1970, shows a very different musician to what people might expect. Gone are the pop tunes that were produced solely for commercial profit and in with a fusion of styles that surely leaves this album as one of the most under-rated of Jimi's career. From the truly amusing Astro Man to the flowing harmony of Hey Baby (Land of the New Rising Sun), every track on this disc is music that needs to be heard and savoured! Compared to the limited experience of Noel Redding (sorry Noel), Billy Cox gives Hendrix' sound a new dimension with simple yet innovative bass playing. Cox had become friends with Hendrix in 1962, when the two were serving Uncle Sam- and on many tracks you can hear Jimi playing in unison with Billy's bass riffs and then leaning into his no-doubt improvised solo. Let us not forget Mitch Mitchell, whose jazz drumming education keeps his rhythms progressive and complimentary with the wonders of Jimi's imagination and his guitar-playing. Mitchell was the architect of "Beginnings" the only instrumental that features on album- four minutes of sounds with swirling moods that leave you wanting more.

If you're looking for album with a difference- try listening to First Rays of The New Rising Sun.

First off, I'm going to have to agree with The Invisible Man a few reviews up about the instrumental "Beginnings." I think that another selection should have been made..."Pali Gap" comes to mind.

And secondly (this is very trivial), but I feel that Jimi's Experience really is forgotten about...Mitchell and Cox were just as big a part of these recordings as Hendrix was. I think that they almost never get the credit that they deserve.

Third, I will also have to agree with Danno a few reviews up that this is really the only posthumous CD that you have to have, although I would highly recommend The Jimi Hendrix Experience Box Set too (the cream of the posthumous crop, in my opinion). That said, "Hendrix in the West" and "Rainbow Bridge" are also must-haves for any real Hendrix fan (you'll have to either get imports or buy off of eBay), so I don't think that this is the only posthumous compilation that you should purchase if you're interested.

I was very satisfied with the purchase of this CD...unlike some of these people, I didn't really notice any flaws in sound, but then again, perhaps I just don't have an ear for it. I had "The Cry of Love" on cassette but it was garbage (the tape quality was crap), so I picked this up. I initially thought that it would just be like "The Cry of Love" with bonus tracks, but I was wrong. Aside from containing the entire "Cry of Love" LP, this has some really good tracks like "Hey Baby," "Room Full of Mirrors," and "Dolly Dagger," just to name a few. (Most of the "bonus tracks" can be found on "Rainbow Bridge.")

If you stop and think, given what Jimi's posthumous crew had to work with, I think they did a damn fine job of cranking this one out. I give it four stars if only because it wasn't Hendrix's project from start to finish, so it lacks a little something. Other than that though, this album is definitely worth the money and certainly worth at least one listen. I would definitely recommend this one to any Hendrix fan.

Back in the 70's I wore out my vinyl copy of Hendrix's Cry Of Love Album. Songs like, Drifting and My Friend have been floating around in my head for all these years and I had tried to find a copy of CRY Of Love on cd several times with no luck. Well, here it is under a different name and with some additional songs ! These are some of the best cuts Jimi Hendrix ever recorded and the music sounds as good today as it did when I was a kid. Absolutely great stuff.

This is a compilation of the best tracks of Jimi's post-Experience years. Many of the tracks were originally featured on several posthumous albums released in the early 70s, including "Cry of Love" and the "Rainbow Bridge" soundtrack, among others. The tracks here were all digitally remastered so the mix quality is far clearer than the originals. Jimi's playing easily reached its zenith here. His voice is confident and clear, and his guitar work continues its advanced up a path that guitar players and others are still trying to fully understand and emulate. Lyrically, many of the songs are far more political than what had come before. For example, "Freedom", "Izabella", and "Earth Blues" make "If 6 Was 9" seem tame. And the ballads feel more mature. In fact, I found "Angel" and "Drifting" to be remarkably superior to everyone's usual favorite, "Little Wing". The rhythm section, by the way, puts the Experience to shame, and it's good to hear Jimi finally playing with musicians that were his equals (or nearly so) on their respective instruments. This makes for a great driving album and has been an inspiration to me on the guitar, even if I only know about 4.39 % of what he's doing with those six strings and all those effect pedals. The standout track is "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)". While it's not the most musically challenging track, it carries a certain significance with me, with its references to alien visitation and the fact that it's the only Hendrix tune I can actually play decently.

After guitar god Jimi Hendrix died, he released more albums than he did when he was still alive. Control of Jimi's music fell into the hands of attorneys who saw the opportunity to turn a fast buck, and quickly released this excellent music chopped up into several different albums (Rainbow Bridge, Cry of Love, War Heroes, etc.,etc.). After much litigation and several years, control of Jimi's music was given to Jimi's father and sister. They formed the Experience Hendrix record label and went to work. The first task at hand was to put together First Rays of the New Rising Sun, Jimi's title to the double-album he was putting the finishing touches on when he died. Through interviews with the producer, engineers, and musicians who worked on the project, they finished the album according to Jimi's specifications. The music on the album is sophisticated, energetic, and precise. Hendrix fans will recognize most of these songs. Freedom, Angel, Dolly Dagger, Roomful of Mirrors, Isabella, Hey Baby(New Rising Sun), and the beautiful Drifting are all highlights. Like The Beatles leaving behind the cute mop-top Beatlemania era with Rubber Soul and Revolver, Jimi seemed to be breaking away from the psycadelic wild-man theatrics of his early days, and getting down to the business of creating serious music with a conscience. You will find some of Jimi's best songs, vocals, and guitar playing on the aptly titled First Rays of the New Rising Sun. No Jimi Hendrix fan should be without it.