South Saturn Delta [Import, Limited Edition, Original recording reissued]

Jimi Hendrix | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 28, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Limited Edition, Original recording reissued
• Label: Mca Import
• ASIN: B000056QD6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #849,657 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Look Over Yonder

2. Little Wing [#][Instrumental]

3. Here He Comes (Lover Man) [#]

4. South Saturn Delta [Alternate Take][#]

5. Power of Soul [Alternate Take][#]

6. Message to the Universe (Message to Love) [#]

7. Tax Free

8. All Along the Watchtower [Alternate Take][#]

9. The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice

10. Midnight

11. Sweet Angel (Angel) [Alternate Take][#]

12. Bleeding Heart

13. Pali Gap

14. Drifter's Escape [Alternate Take][#]

15. Midnight Lightning [#]

Editorial Reviews

A stunning and insightful collection of 15 recordings, South Saturn Delta offers a unique insight into the creative process that Jimi
Hendrix undertook while crafting many of his most beloved recordings.
This compilation assembles recordings from throughout Jimi
Hendrix's career including both incarnations of The Experience,
Woodstock's Gypsy Sun & Rainbows and the Band Of Gypsys.
Features early renditions and alternate takes of the classics
"Little Wing," "Pali Gap," "All Along The Watchtower," plus
previously unheard recordings such as "South Saturn Delta". --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

94 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like the attic you hate to clean out..., May 12, 2001

By 

Brian (Oot) - See all my reviews

This review is from: South Saturn Delta (Audio CD)

...South Saturn Delta is a cluttered mess. Fortunately, just like cleaning out an attic, while listening to this, you are going to find many things you loved that you could never figure out where you placed them. Thats the best analogy that I can give in regards to this record.

Indeed, it is cluttered, and at points even difficult to stomach, but in the end when you look at the album as a whole, you see something more than the mess, something that you just can't resist. At least it's that way for me and other Jimi-philes alike.

The intent of South Saturn Delta was to find a place for some of Jimi's uncomplete work, some stuff previously unavailable after Cry Of Love, Rainbow Bridge, and War Heroes were deleted from Hendrix catalogues, and other material that even the "hardcore" fans haven't heard. While most of the material from the previously mentioned out-of-print titles was spread out over the length of "First Rays Of The New Rising Sun," some couldn't be placed there, whether it be through time constraints, or the fact that some of the stuff just wasn't complete. Instead, all of the unfinished material was pushed over to SSD.

Despite it's somewhat iffy sound quality, and half-finsihed tracks, SSD still manages to be an incredibly endearing title. Maybe it's the honestness found in the fact that Jimi wasn't perfect and he did make mistakes, or maybe it's some of the new ideas he was attempting to blend into his lyricism, I don't know. Much more spiritual, emotional, and poetic work is found throughout.

Even the instrumental tracks (whether they were intended to be instrumentals or Jimi had yet to add vocals) have a fantastic feel, and this is where Jimi shines. Without constraints in front of the mic, he was free to let loose and just whail on the Strat, visible in many of the "jam-oriented" tracks throughout.

I still do have to wonder why EH/MCA chose to release many of the tracks found here when there is an entire vault of near-complete work and live recordings waiting. Angel is missing the first two minutes do to damage done to the original master tape (yet, interestingly enough, on the Jimi Hendrix box set, the same track is found, but in complete form). Sometimes conversation can be heard, and during several tracks, Jimi himself laughs, talking to friends and to the engineer (presumably Eddie Kramer).

But even when you take this into account, SSD is still a fantastic release, and something that dedicated Jimi-freaks have been waiting for for years. It was preceded by near thirty years of dissapointing rip-offs, and maybe because of this, fans see SSD as being better than it actually may be.

If you want to find out about Jimi, and haven't really heard any of his music, I'd advise you not to invest in this set, as his complete works are a much better representation of himself.

Finished or not though, South Saturn Delta is an excellent, enjoyable release, and one that is sure to please even the most hardcore fans.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One for the fans, December 20, 2004

By 

Blues Bro "bluesbro" (Lakewood, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: South Saturn Delta (Audio CD)

The music in this CD is not five stars, to be honest with you. Many of these are unfinished tracks, jams, and second class performances from Jimi Hendrix. Why five stars then? Because this is what the fans want. We want everything there is in the vaults from Jimi. And it is extremely rare that a record company authorizes albums for the hardcore fans. Instead you get the usual greatest hits I, II, III, ultimate hits, oldies but goodies, etc. This is an album that only exists because the Hendrix family had Jimi's fans in mind. That's why I am giving this a 5 star rating. You shouldnt buy this album before you have acquire all Hendrix authorized albums and all the auithorized live recordings. But for the long time fans, this is a welcome compilation of rare and out of print stuff.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars not a great album, but a great collection, December 16, 2006

By 

resident_out_of_touch (Schenectady, New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: South Saturn Delta (Audio CD)

After Electric Ladyland, this is probably the Hendrix CD that I enjoy the most (I am only missing a few scattered studio releases). While it doesn't hold together as an album, being a compilation, it contains a lot of really incredible songs. The production throughout is fantastic, punchy and clear. Many of these tunes were unfinished studio projects post-Electric Ladyland, and as such a lot of them are very dense and complicated productions. Plentiful guitar overdubs abound, and some of Jimi's most memorable solo playing can be found here as well. Overall, these songs find Hendrix on a serious soul/funk tip, with a lot of very bassy, solid grooves and rhythmic composition. Suffice to say, this makes for great head-nodding material, and when you toss a crazy wah solo on top of it all its pure aural bliss.

I have always percieved the nutty, freaked-out "The Stars that Play With Laughing Sam's Dice" as the halfway point, dividing a distinct first and second half to the album. The first half is just beautiful, and rocks straight through, from the manic blues-rock of "Look Over Yonder" to the unbelievable funk/fusion of "Power of Soul"; an incredibly complex tune, with a 2 1/2 minute intro that is a hugely intricate sequence of call-and-response riffs over this monstrous Buddy Miles funk beat. This whole song is one my all-time favorites of Hendrix', and it's very different stylistically from much of his other work. The second half of the cd is more diverse, containing a lot of the unfinished and alternate take cuts. This makes for more interesting listening to a Hendrix fan, but is not quite as satisfying. Highlights include the mellow, hyptnotic instrumental "Pali Gap", a very early drum-machine driven prototype of "Angel", and an interesting alternate take of "All Along the Watchtower". Also worth noting is the other Dylan cover, "Drifter's Escape", which has a lot of the same energy as Watchtower. The CD wraps up with a rare solo performance of Hendrix sitting in a chair playing the blues. As is the case with such b-side material, its not the greatest performance, but the intimacy of the recording is such that you can hear him tapping his foot on the floor. A great compilation, recommended for any rock fan and essential to any Hendrix collection.