In an all too brief period of just 18 months between May 1967 and October 1968 Jimi Hendrix released the only three studio albums that would be issued during his lifetime, the explosive stunning debut Are You Experienced, the equally brilliant sophomore effort Axis: Bold As Love and his final masterstroke, the psychedelic opus Electric Ladyland double LP. The years following the Seattle born guitarist’s tragic and untimely death in 1970 at the age of 27 have seen an astonishing number of posthumous albums released in his name, 64 to be exact. Both Sides Of The Sky is the latest.
Since gaining control of his catalogue over 20 years ago the Hendrix family has been meticulous in their attempts at protecting the legitimacy of Jimi Hendrix’s legacy beginning with the album that gave him the most difficulty. The early months of 1970 saw Hendrix busying himself in preparation for his 4th studio album. Capturing the essence of a proper follow up to Electric Ladyland was proving to be a difficult endeavor for Hendrix, an earlier stab at it one year prior in 1969 had already been abandoned. Ultimately, a completed 4th album would permanently elude Hendrix by the time of his passing on the European leg of the Cry Of Love tour in the dying days of summer 1970.
Within six months of his death the very first posthumous Hendrix album appeared. At the time Cry Of Love (1971) was the record company’s knee jerk response to losing their star meal ticket, an attempt at weaving disparate bits and pieces of unfinished recording sessions together to serve as the inevitable follow up to the Electric Ladyland LP. Two and a half decades later the family run Experience Hendrix group revisited this tricky issue of the ever elusive 4th Hendrix album with their exhaustive First Rays Of The New Rising Sun album in 1997. Later that same year the Hendrix family fleshed out the remaining tracks from this same period for the release of the South Saturn Delta album in October 1997. Two additional Experience Hendrix studio albums were to follow, Valleys Of Neptune (2010) and People Hell And Angels (2013) both focusing mostly on Hendrix’s initial attempts throughout 1969 at completing the Electric Ladyland follow up album.
Like the four before it, Both Sides Of The Sky, the 5th and most recent Experience Hendrix studio album, was produced by Hendrix’s sister Janie Hendrix, John McDermott and Eddie Kramer, the esteemed recording engineer who worked on every Hendrix album made during the artist’s lifetime. According to Hendrix’s sister Janie, “We have a growing commitment to preserve the legacy of Jimi. Jimi and I once made a promise to each other. He said he would take care of me and I told him I would take care of him. Through his music and our preservation of his work, my brother and I honor one another. We are now in our third decade of watching over Jimi’s creative works and our resolve to maintain the integrity of what he left us has only grown stronger with time.”
Over the years, the good folks at Experience Hendrix have proven time and time again their enduring commitment to authenticity and craftsmanship when it comes to all things Hendrix. Both Sides Of The Sky is no exception. The absolute joy, playfulness and wild abandon Hendrix exuded every time he suited up, guitar in hand, with the red “recording in process” light on is present on each of its 13 tracks. According to Hendrix’s original recording engineer Eddie Kramer, “Jimi’s true home was the studio, that’s where the music and the magic happened. He loved everything about recording and it’s been my distinct pleasure and an honor to play a part in that process both then and now.” Like Jimi once said, “Not necessarily stoned but, beautiful.”
Rating: 9/10
Star Rating: 4/5
2018 Song Of The Day Club Album Review 27/52