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Jimi Hendrix Imagines UFOs Laughing on Wanky Blues Jam ‘Somewhere’

Jimi Hendrix Somewhere

Our first listen from the latest record of Jimi Hendrix music no one saw fit to release for decades is here! “Somewhere,” off of the March 5 album People, Hell, and Angels — the first compilation of previously unreleased Hendrix recordings since 1997’s posthumous First Rays of the New Rising Sun — is a chopsy blues workout. And they’re some chops: According to Rolling Stone, the band consists of Hendrix on guitar and vocals, Band of Gypsys member Buddy Miles on drums, and Buffalo Springfield/CSNY singer-songwriter Stephen Stills on bass. Still, decades of breathless hagiography shouldn’t blind us to the fact that these are all just human beings, and while Hendrix’s melodic, adventurous guitar solo here is out of most mortals’ reach, the loose, improvisational, not-quite-there-yet track still has plenty to say to younger heavy-rockers like Ty Segall. The basic riff recalls “Foxy Lady,” but the lyrics are way funnier: “And up in the clouds I can imagine UFOs chuckle to themselves, ‘Heh heh’ / Laughing, they saying, ‘Those people so uptight, they sure know how to make a mess, hey!'”

Okay, so it doesn’t roll off the tongue, but he actually has a point there. You win this round, posthumous Jimi; up in the clouds, we can imagine you chuckling to yourself.