Jimi Hendrix, ‘Somewhere’ – Song Review

Jimi Hendrix is one of the most exhaustively chronicled musicians in rock music history. Though he released just three studio albums in his lifetime, he has been the subject of a seemingly inexhaustible series of mostly-exploitative posthumous releases.

On March 5, Experience Hendrix hopes to rectify some of that with the release of 'People, Hell & Angels,' and now you can get your first listen to a track from that collection titled 'Somewhere.'

Originally released in a different version on the 2000 box set ‘The Jimi Hendrix Experience,’ the track features Buddy Miles on drums and Stephen Stills on bass. It comprises many of the signature elements of the trademark Hendrix sound, with clean, funky chording, wah-wah solos and his inimitable conversational vocal style, all topped off with the kind of bizarre stream-of-consciousness lyrical imagery that characterized much of the legendary guitarist's work.

So does it live up to the hype? Not really. It's certainly not bad -- hell, it's Hendrix, it's not gonna suck -- but even though it serves as a showcase for many of his strengths, 'Somewhere' is hampered by a raw, demo-like production that lends it an unfinished quality. And while that's almost certainly because Hendrix didn't live to finish it with the type of innovative studio treatment that marked his completed studio efforts, it still simply doesn't stand up alongside his best work. It is what it is: a great guitar solo on top of an otherwise fairly predictable track.

That said, it's still Jimi Hendrix playing guitar, and that alone makes it more than worth hearing. Just don't expect it to be the second coming of 'Purple Haze.'

Listen to Jimi Hendrix perform 'Somewhere' at Rollingstone.com.