Jimi Hendrix: Valleys of Neptune

Valleys of Neptune is the latest posthumous release by the legendary Jimi Hendrix. After years of recycled Hendrix music appearing on posthumous albums, everybody was skeptical of this album. The album promised nearly sixty minutes of unreleased Hendrix music. The album sort of delivers on this promise. Some of the songs have been available in some form, either official releases or bootleg CDs. However, even hardcore collectors and bootlegers will find a lot of new material on this album, and the ones that have been heard before are polished. There are some familiar songs on here, such as Fire, Sunshine of Your Love, and Red House. However, these versions are new. Nearly all of the tracks have been heard before. There are two rare tracks on the album, never having surfaced even on a bootleg. These are Ships Passing Through The Night and Crying Blue Rain. There really isn't too much more to say about this album. If you're a serious collector of Hendrix, then this is a good purchase. If you're more of a casual fan, then this really isn't for you. The songs aren't perfect, and some go on way too long, like Sunshine of Your Love or just feel like a jam (Crying Blue Rain.) While this album is better than previous releases in the sense that the songs feel complete, and not just bad quality Demos.

Overall, this is a good album, but not essential in Hendrix's extensive catalog.

★★★★★★★☆☆v☆

(7 out of 10)

Quick Reviews 5-10

1. Magical Mystery Tour (The Beatles)

★★★★★★★★☆☆

(8 out of 10)

2.All Things Must Pass (George Harrison)

★★★★★★★★★☆

(9 out of 10)

3. Surfin' Usa (The Beach Boys)

★★★★★★★☆☆v☆

(7 out of 10)

4. Dookie (Green Day)

★★★★★★★★☆☆

(8 out of 10)

5. The Pick of Destiny (Tenacious D)

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

(6 out of 10)

The Beatles: Please Please Me

Every band has to start somewhere, don't they? Listening to Abbey Road and Please Please Me are like listening to albums from two completely different bands. One is a pure britpop album, with catchy lyrics, upbeat tempos, and high strung vocals. The other is a mature rock album, with serious themes, slowed down tempos, and even a song featuring Capella singing. That's not to say Please Please Me is bad, it's just not as impressive as their later work. The album is influential, and, as stated by rolling stone magazine, it invented the idea of the self contained rock band, who played their own instruments and sung their own songs, since only six of the fourteen songs on the album are covers. The cover songs, with the obvious exception of Twist and Shout, don't offer too much. I Saw Her Standing There is an amazing song, and one of the songs that would lead to The Beatles' conquering of the american musical market. Ask Me Why, which is a Beatle original, is one of the group's weaker numbers throughout their career, and a failed attempt at a bossa nova type of song. Please Please Me is a good and catchy number, as is Love Me Do. Do You Want To Know A Secret is the first Beatles' song to feature George Harrison on vocals. It is a pleasant song, but not great. Twist and Shout is a cover song, but it might as well be an original. The way that The Beatles changed this average song into one of the best rock and roll songs ever recorded is just amazing. It remains one of the group's most popular cover songs.

Overall, there are some great songs on this album. Most of the originals are good, but the covers aren't too much. A good start to a band which would eventually become a national phenom, and eventually be widely considered one of the greatest bands ever.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

(7 out of 10)

Rush: Snakes and Arrows

Snakes and Arrows is Rush's first studio album since 2004, and their first full length, fully original album since 2002. While Snakes and Arrows is an improvement over 2002's Vapor Trails, the album doesn't contain the vitality of their previous albums. Songs like Far Cry, Armor and Sword, The Main Monkey Business (the most jamming they have done in years), and We Hold On come close, but still fall short. Malignant Narcissism is a wonderful instrumental, but still doesn't reach the levels of YYZ. The songs on this album are not bad by any stretch, however. One thing that I was pleasantly surprised to see was the heavy emphasis on drums on this album, as opposed to Vapor Trails or Feedback, which really showed Neil Peart's ability. This adds a fresh vibe to the album. The other instruments are heavy as well. The lyrical themes are also heavy and grave, almost too much so. The lyrics are about war, faith, and suffering. Malignant Narcissism is actually a humorous title, coming from a line from Team America: World Police, which is humorous, but seems out of place on this serious album.

Overall, this is a really great album. Just because it can't quite live up to masterpieces like Moving Pictures, doesn't mean it is not good. When you factor in that this band has been around since the early 1970's, it is amazing that their albums can retain such quality.

★★★★★★★★★☆

(9 out of 10)