Valleys of Neptune

Valleys of Neptune is a posthumous compilation album[2] by the American rock musician Jimi Hendrix. Released in the United States on March 9, 2010, the album was promoted as having "12 previously unreleased studio recordings", including the title track, "one of the most sought after of all of Hendrix's commercially unavailable recordings".[3]

Valleys of Neptune
Compilation album by Jimi Hendrix
Released	March 5, 2010 (2010-03-05)
Recorded	1967–1970, 1987
Genre	Rock[1]
Length	62:11
Label	Legacy
Producer	Jimi Hendrix Chas Chandler Janie Hendrix Eddie Kramer John McDermott
Jimi Hendrix chronology
Live at Woburn (2009) Valleys of Neptune (2010) West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology (2010)
Singles from Valleys of Neptune
"Valleys of Neptune" Released: February 9, 2010 "Bleeding Heart" Released: March 1, 2010

The tracks on Valleys of Neptune were largely self-produced by Hendrix, and received extra posthumous production from Janie Hendrix, Eddie Kramer and John McDermott.[4] Recorded mostly in 1969 following the release of Electric Ladyland, the album predominantly features the original line-up of the Jimi Hendrix Experience: vocalist and guitarist Hendrix, bass guitarist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell.[4] The lead single released from the album was "Valleys of Neptune", on February 1, 2010, followed by "Bleeding Heart" on March 1;[5] music videos were produced for both songs.

Background

The majority of the tracks on Valleys of Neptune were recorded in early 1969, while Hendrix was experimenting with songs for his unfinished fourth album, following the successful release of Electric Ladyland in September 1968. Numerous versions have been released, both officially and otherwise, and the majority of the "previously unreleased" recordings present on the 2010 album had been released in one form or another before, albeit sometimes in inferior quality or different versions.

Album cover

The album artwork is based on a painting by Hendrix himself in 1957. "He went through a phase doing watercolors at school and this was one of the 110 drawings of his that our father kept. When I saw this one he did in 1957, it screamed 'Valleys of Neptune' to me so we knew we'd use it for this project," said his step-sister, Janie. The album artwork is a mix of his painting and a Linda McCartney photograph of him with a blue tint.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
The A.V. Club	B–[8]
Chicago Tribune	[9]
Entertainment Weekly	B–[1]
Filter	93/100[10]
Los Angeles Times	[11]
PopMatters	7/10[12]
Q	[13]
Rolling Stone	[14]
Spin	7/10[15]

Valleys of Neptune received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, it received an average score of 68, based on 15 reviews.[16] In Rolling Stone, critic Will Hermes found the music beautiful and exciting, while writing, "Are these tracks 'finished' as Hendrix would've intended? Probably not. But as a glimpse of the guitarist extending his reach beyond the Experience trio, it's thrilling.".[14] Greg Kot, writing for the Chicago Tribune, called it "a sharp snapshot of a musical genius in the studio during a period of transition".[9] Ludovic Hunter-Tilney from the Financial Times called the album "a cut above the many posthumous cash-ins released in [Hendrix's] name."[17]

In the Los Angeles Times, Ann Powers was less enthusiastic and felt "fans will be fascinated by these bluesy riffs with the Experience, but this album of unreleased material from the archives doesn't convey much that was unknown."[11] Q found it "lighter sonically" than Hendrix's better known work and ultimately of "limited appeal".[13]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jimi Hendrix, except where noted..

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Stone Free"	3:48
2.	"Valleys of Neptune"	4:05
3.	"Bleeding Heart" (Elmore James)	6:23
4.	"Hear My Train A Comin'"	7:32
5.	"Mr. Bad Luck"	2:58
6.	"Sunshine of Your Love" (Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton, Pete Brown)	6:48
7.	"Lover Man"	4:17
8.	"Ships Passing Through the Night"	5:54
9.	"Fire"	3:14
10.	"Red House"	8:22
11.	"Lullaby for the Summer"	3:51
12.	"Crying Blue Rain"	4:59
Total length:		62:11

Target bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Trash Man"	7:27
14.	"Slow Version"	4:58
Total length:		74:36

Recording details

All recording details are included in the Valleys of Neptune booklet[4]

• Track 1 recorded on April 7, 9, 14 and May 17, 1969, at Record Plant Studios, New York City
• Track 2 recorded on September 23, 1969, and May 15, 1970, at Record Plant
• Track 3 recorded on April 24, 1969, at Record Plant
• Track 4 recorded on April 7, 1969, at Record Plant
• Track 5 recorded on May 5, 1967, at Olympic Studios and June 5, 1987, at AIR Studios, London
• Track 6 recorded on February 16, 1969, at Olympic
• Track 7 recorded on February 16, 1969, at Olympic and June 5, 1987, at AIR
• Track 8 recorded on April 14, 1969, at Record Plant
• Tracks 9 and 10 recorded on February 17, 1969, at Olympic
• Track 11 recorded on April 7, 1969, at Record Plant
• Track 12 recorded on February 16, 1969, at Olympic and June 5, 1987, at AIR
• Track 13 recorded on April 3, 1969, at Olmstead Studios, New York City
• Track 14 recorded on February 14, 1969, at Olympic

Personnel

Primary musicians Jimi Hendrix – vocals, guitars, production on all tracks except 5, front cover painting Mitch Mitchell – drums on all tracks except 3 Noel Redding – bass guitar on all tracks except 1, 2 and 3, backing vocals on track 9 Billy Cox – bass guitar on tracks 1, 2 and 3 Additional musicians Rocki Dzidzornu – percussion on tracks 6 and 12 Roger Chapman – backing vocals on track 1 Andy Fairweather Low – backing vocals on track 1 Juma Sultan – percussion on track 2 Rocky Isaac – drums on track 3 Chris Grimes – tambourine on track 3 Al Marks – maracas on track 3

Original production personnel Eddie Kramer – posthumous production, mixing, engineering on tracks 1, 2, 5 and 14 Chas Chandler – production on track 5 George Chkiantz – engineering on tracks 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 13 Gary Kellgren – engineering on tracks 1, 3 and 8 Jack Adams – engineering on track 2 Posthumous production personnel Janie Hendrix – production John McDermott – production, essay Chandler Harrod – engineering assistance Rick Kwan – additional engineering Derik Lee – additional engineering Charlie Stavish – additional engineering Aaron Walk – additional engineering George Marino – mastering

Graphic personnel Phil Yarnall – graphic design Linda McCartney – front cover photography James Davenport – back cover photography, booklet photography Jerry Schatzberg – booklet photography Jonathan Stathakis – booklet photography Graham F. Page – booklet photography John Sullivan – booklet photography Ulvis Alberts – booklet photography Willis Hogan Jr. – booklet photography Peter Riches – booklet photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2010)	Peak position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[18]	6
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19]	6
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[20]	7
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[21]	2
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[22]	13
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[23]	4
French Albums (SNEP)[24]	6
Irish Albums (IRMA)[25]	32
Italian Albums (FIMI)[26]	5
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[27]	3
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[28]	17
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[29]	23
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[30]	5
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[31]	23
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[32]	7
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33]	8
UK Albums (OCC)[34]	21
US Billboard 200[35]	4
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[36]	1
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[37]	1
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[38]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (2010)	Position
US Billboard 200	124[39]

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Netherlands (NVPI)[40]	Gold	25,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Sinclair, Tom (March 3, 2010). "Valleys of Neptune". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
2. Kreps, Daniel (January 11, 2010). "Hendrix's Final Recordings Set to Arrive on 'Valleys of Neptune'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
3. Valleys of Neptune (front cover sticker). Jimi Hendrix. Experience Hendrix. 2009.CS1 maint: others (link)
4. McDermott, John (2009). Valleys of Neptune (booklet). Jimi Hendrix. Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. pp. 20–23.
5. "Jimi Hendrix's rare blues cover to be released after 40 years". NME. February 18, 2010. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
6. "Hendrix's Valleys of Neptune off LP of last recordings hits the web". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
7. Westergaard, Sean. "Review: Valleys of Neptune". AllMusic. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
8. Phipps, Keith (March 9, 2010). "Jimi Hendrix: Valleys Of Neptune". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
9. "Excerpts from Greg Kot's review of the latest Jimi Hendrix release". Chicago Tribune. March 12, 2010. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
10. Elder, Matt (March 18, 2010). "Reviews - Jimi Hendrix". Filter. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
11. Powers, Ann (March 5, 2010). "Album review: Jimi Hendrix's 'Valleys of Neptune'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
12. Murphy, Sean (March 11, 2010). "God Is Not Dead: The Jimi Hendrix Re-Issues". PopMatters. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
13. Q: 127. April 2010.CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
14. Hermes, Will (March 18, 2010). "Valleys of Neptune". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
15. Young, Jon (April 2010). "Historic Heavyosity". Spin: 89. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
16. "Reviews for Valleys Of Neptune by Jimi Hendrix". Metacritic. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
17. Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (March 5, 2010). "Jimi Hendrix: Valleys of Neptune". Financial Times. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
18. "Austriancharts.at – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
19. "Ultratop.be – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
20. "Ultratop.be – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
21. "Jimi Hendrix Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
22. "Danishcharts.dk – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
23. "Dutchcharts.nl – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
24. "Lescharts.com – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
25. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 10, 2010". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
26. "Italiancharts.com – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
27. "Charts.nz – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
28. "Norwegiancharts.com – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
29. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
30. "Portuguesecharts.com – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
31. "Spanishcharts.com – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
32. "Swedishcharts.com – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
33. "Swisscharts.com – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
34. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
35. "Jimi Hendrix Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
36. "Jimi Hendrix Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
37. "Jimi Hendrix Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
38. "Jimi Hendrix Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
39. "Best of 2010 – Billboard Top 200". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
40. "Dutch album certifications – Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Valleys of Neptune in the "Artiest of titel" box.