The Alternate Electric Ladyland Ltd. Ed.

Reviews

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/unauth/jimi_hendrix/the_alternate_electric_ladyland/

Contains a rough mixes, rehearsal takes, studio run throughs with only guitar and drums, and a lot of other stuff related to the making of Electric Ladyland. The no overdub version of "All Along The Watchtower" and the rough mix of "House Burning Down" are awesome.

"Taking Care of No Business" is a real Jimi rarity. Almost no guitar, but a horn section added. Great fun, and never officially released, despite that it shows a side of Jimi which is not very well known at all.
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http://zerogsound.blogspot.com/2009/06/jimi-hendrix-electric-ladyland-outtakes.html

"Electric Ladyland" was the third and final album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, released in 1968 on Reprise Records. Written and produced by Jimi Hendrix, the album is seen as the peak of Hendrix's mastery of the electric guitar, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. It is not only the last of his albums released as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but also the last of Hendrix's studio albums to be professionally produced under his own supervision. After "Electric Ladyland", Hendrix spent the remaining two years of his life attempting to organize a new band and recording a breadth of new songs.

The "Electric Ladyland Outtakes" features demos/studio outtakes/rough mixes that were recorded during 1968 and 1969 plus some Drake Hotel Demos, New York City, NY April 1968. This album offers an excellent insiders' view at how Jimi worked and how he developed his songs in the studio.

Tracklist:
1. Have You Ever Been To (Electric Ladyland) [instrumental backing track]
2. All Along The Watchtower [basic track without overdubs/effects]
3. Ain't Nothing Wrong With That [unreleased track with Noel Redding on vocals. Based on an instrumental called My Little One]
4. Come On (Part 1) [alternate take]
5. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) [an early studio-take - a breakdown because Jimi makes a mistake for once!]
6. Room Full Of Mirrors [an early version]
7. Gipsy Eyes [an early rehearsal take with onnly guitar and drums]
8. Gipsy Eyes [rough mix with different guitar overdub]
9. House Burning Down [rough mix]
10. Cat Talkin' To Me [instrumental backing track of an unreleased song]
11. Cat Talikn' To Me [track 10, different take, with overdubbed Mitch Mitchell vocals]
12. Taking Care Of No Business [a real Jimi Hendrix oddity - complete with horn arrangement. Unreleased.]
13. Angel [demo recorded at Jimi's apartment - just his voice and electric guitar]
14. 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) [same as track 12]
15. 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) [early studio take]
16. 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) [a "vocal" mix - no bass and drums]
17. Valleys Of Neptune...Arising [unreleased song - a session - like runthrough with only Jimi on guitar/vocals and Mitch on drums]
18. Valleys Of Neptune...Arising [a gentle, flowing instrumental version of the song. A Fleetwood Mac "Albatross"-like-arrangement showing that Jimi really could play]
19. Freedom [an early rehearsal take]
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http://www.me.umn.edu/~kgeisler/aelo.html

Electric Ladyland Outtakes


To sum it up, it's great! I'm so glad we crossed paths.

Some general highlights are:

* Stripped-down studio versions of classics.
* Alternate takes seem as fresh and new as new songs would.
* Noel and Mitch each get to sing a song--not Jimi, but not bad at all.

Some bad points:

* Um, Jimi didn't hand-deliver it.
* I believe some of Mitch and Noel's playing and/or singing was overdubbed in the late 80's.


Here's the track listing with my comments.

"1. (HAVE YOU EVER BEEN) TO ELECTRIC LADYLAND (instrumental backing track)"

Stripped-down, without all the effects. Great to sing along to though somewhat out of my range :)

"2. ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER (basic track without overdubs/effects)"

The guitar could be brought out a bit more in the mix, but I like the rough mix sound. The vocals are very upfront. Not too different from the final album version. I believe this is the same version of the song that appears on Master's Master.

"3. AIN'T NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT (unreleased track with Noel Redding on vocals. Based on an instrumental called MY LITTLE ONE.)"

Actually a pretty groovy tune. Noel's voice fits this one pretty well. Significantly better than She's So Fine. The vocals are almost buried in the mix, so that helps as well.

"4. COME ON (PART 1) (alternate take)"

A few of my general comments apply here. I love the rough-sounding mix. This take is far enough from the final to make it worth hearing.

"5. VOODOO CHILE (SLIGHT RETURN) (an early studio take - a breakdown because Jimi makes a mistake (for once!))"

Great raw-sounding take. The end just kinda falls apart, but honestly, it doesn't sound that bad. Must be a fairly early take.

"6. ROOM FULL OF MIRRORS (an early version)"

Slow and rolling. Could be longer :)

"7. GIPSY EYES (an early rehearsal take with only guitar and drums)"

Not too shabby for "an early rehearsal take"!! I have no idea why they spelled it that way.

"8. GIPSY EYES (rough mix with different guitar-overdubs)"

Not far from the album version. The different overdubs are noticeable and IMHO slightly inferior, but I guess that's how it's supposed to work.

"9. HOUSE BURNING DOWN (rough mix)"

Not far here either. Strange, though slight, effect on Jimi's voice--I like it. A little weaker in the heavier parts, but still mucho enjoyable.

"10. CAT TALKIN' TO ME (instrumental backing track of an unreleased song)"

Interesting, but kinda slow. Significanlty rougher/earlier than the following. The intro is right from the middle of Ezy Ryder, the music leading up to and including "How long do you think he's gonna last..."

"11. CAT TALKIN' TO ME (track 10, different take, with overdubbed Mitch Mitchell vocals)"

I don't think I've ever heard Mitch sing before. I'm surprised at how his voice sounds. He's pretty good. He's got a perfect late-60's-sounding voice--gee, go figure.

"12. TAKING CARE OF NO BUSINESS (a real Jimi Hendrix oddity - complete with horn arrangement. Unreleased.)"

Big tuba. Slow, swinging blues. A sitting-on-the-porch-in-the-summer-heat-drinking-something-cold-and-watching-the-day-go-by-kind of song.
"I'm so broke I can't even pay attention."

"13. ANGEL (demo recorded at Jimi's apartment - just his voice and electric guitar)"

This is the same as on the Home Recordings disc included with the Illustrated Legend Book, though the sound quality is perhaps a hair poorer here. Fortunately this is one of my favorite two tracks off of the Illus. Legend disc.

"14. 1983... (A MERMAID I SHOULD TURN TO BE) (same as track 13)"

Fortuantely this is my other favorite track off of the Illustrated Legend disc. :) Sound quality another hair poorer on this one.

"15. 1983... (A MERMAID I SHOULD TURN TO BE) (early studio take)"

Still playing with the lyrics and melody a bit. It's pretty much the full-band version of the home recording version. Very interesting and enjoyable in it's own right. A dreamier sound.

"16. 1983... (A MERMAID I SHOULD TURN TO BE) (a "vocal" mix - no bass and drums)"

Actually, the bass and drums are present briefly at the beginning. Close to the album version, not perfect, jimi still has a few things to iron out here.

"17. VALLEYS OF NEPTUNE...ARISING (unreleased song - a session - like runthrough with only Jimi on guitar/vocals and Mitch on drums)"

I wasn't previously familiar with this tume, so I don't have much to say other than I'd love to hear a final version of this tune, if there is one that is.

"18. VALLEYS OF NEPTUNE...ARISING (a gentle, flowing instrumental version of the song. A Fleetwood Mac "Albatross"-like-arrangement showing that Jimi really could play...)"

Ok, the guy writing these descriptions is starting to get a little over-tired here or something. Jimi is saying something at the beginning--prerecording chatter--but I can't make out what he's trying to say. Inclusion of the bass allows Jimi to do a bit more solo work. The begining of this is the end of In From the Storm.

"19. FREEDOM (an early rehearsal take)"

Playing with the lyrics a bit here too. Could be a hair faster and heavier for me. Mitch is clear as a bell and a delight to listen to. A nice mellow "live-in-the-studio"-type thing. Don't get me wrong, it has energy!

At the bottom, it reads:
"All the demos/studio ottakes/rough mixes on this CD were recorded during 1968. Tracks 17-19 were recorded in 1969."

You hear a lot about how Jimi did a million virtually identical takes of the same tune just to get it perfect. Well, this album would seem to suggest something else. The progressions are clear, and I've come to really respect the "perfection" of the final album, though I suppose the mixing and production and stuff might actually make the most of the difference. This cd really got me interested in outtakes, runthroughs, and rehearsals. Ah, the master at work....