Today was a Day for the new Jimi Hendrix 180g Vinyl Releases

Actually, to be more specific, it was a day for the 1 new release and 4 new re-releases that just came out on Tuesday. I'm sure you have heard the hype for Valleys of Neptune [best album review that I have seen for it is here at the Telegraph, though this one at Popmatters is quite good at updating the big picture of Jimi's studio work], the first new officially-released Hendrix studio recordings in 13 years. The fine folks at the family-run business Experience Hendrix also re-released Jimi's other 4 big studio albums--his original 3 and the 1 other quality posthumous release from 1997 (First Rays). I was able to pick up all 5 of these LP's on some beautiful 180g vinyl:

1967's Are You Experienced? by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (1LP)
1967's Axis: Bold As Love by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (1LP)
1968's Electric Ladyland by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (2LP)
1997's First Rays of the New Rising Sun by Jimi Hendrix (2LP) 
2010's Valleys of Neptune by Jimi Hendrix (2LP)

In order to pay for recent big music purchases, I have been selling some of my CD's to downsize my collection by a bit in order to reinvest the monies elsewhere. Of my 2,400 or so CD's/CDR's/bootlegs I have put about 125 of the original CDs up for sale on Amazon.com. Thus far I have sold around 60 which has given me several hundreds of dollars to play with for "new" music purchases. I suppose the question you might be asking is why I am selling CDs to buy more vinyl? Let's just say the short answer is that I think the vinyl will last longer. And I got rid of some of the crap in my collection and replaced it with stuff I otherwise wouldn't be able to afford (the 5 Hendrix vinyl releases, the 10-CD Complete Hank Williams, and the 13-CD Beatles Mono Box, etc.).

But anyway, back to my new Hendrix LPs. They are glorious. Wonderful packaging/artwork and perfect vinyl discs. They were pressed in one of the best plants making vinyl in our current times. There is not much I can say about the first three albums that hasn't been said. If it has been a while since you pulled them out and played them, give 'em a spin (either on vinyl, CD, or digital). You won't be disappointed. The same can be said for 1997's First Rays--a very fun listen.

As to the "new" album, Valleys of Neptune, I'll write a more extensive review sometime soon that explores the nature of posthumous releases in general and two albums in specific. It will be a review of the latest Hendrix release coupled with an album review of the latest (and last) Johnny Cash American Recordings album (which I also picked up on vinyl earlier in the week.) Not sure when I can get around to that, but hopefully soon. Until then, spin some Hendrix, mofos!