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MIDNIGHT LIGHTNING

Jimi Hendrix

Proto-Prog


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Jimi Hendrix Midnight Lightning album cover
2.61 | 25 ratings | 1 reviews | 16% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

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Studio Album, released in 1975

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Trashman (3:15)
2. Midnight Lightning (3:49)
3. Hear My Train A Comin' (5:43)
4. Gypsy Boy (3:45)
5. Blue Suede Shoes (3:29)
6. Izabella/Machine Gun (7:36)
7. Once I Had a Woman (5:20)
8. Beginnings (3:02)

Total Time 35:58

Line-up / Musicians

- Jimi Hendrix / guitars, lead vocals

With:
- Mitch Mitchell - drums (3)

(All other original backing musicians were wiped in 1975 re-recordings)

Added in 1975:
- Jeff Mironov / guitar (1-3,5,8)
- Lance Quinn / guitar (2,4,6,7)
- Buddy Lucas / harmonica (7)
- Bob Babbitt / bass
- Allan Schwartzberg / drums (1,2,4-8), percussion (3,4)
- Jimmy Maelen / percussion (2,8)
- Maeretha Stewart / backing vocals (2,4,7)
- Hilda Harris / backing vocals (2,4,7)
- Vivian Cherry / backing vocals (2,4,7)

Releases information

Rare and previously unavailable tracks, posthumously rearranged under the musical direction of producers Alan Douglas & Tony Bongiovi

Artwork: Jerry Pinkney

LP Reprise Records ‎- MS 2229 (1975, US)

CD Polydor ‎- 825 166-2 (1989, Germany)

Thanks to mogorva for the addition
and to Quinino for the last updates
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JIMI HENDRIX Midnight Lightning ratings distribution


2.61
(25 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of rock music(16%)
16%
Excellent addition to any rock music collection(24%)
24%
Good, but non-essential (20%)
20%
Collectors/fans only (32%)
32%
Poor. Only for completionists (8%)
8%

JIMI HENDRIX Midnight Lightning reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by ZowieZiggy
PROG REVIEWER
2 stars Dear old Douglas continued to experiment with Jimi's music just like he did with ''Crash Landing''. And the result is no much better, unfortunately.

Basically, he kept Jimi's vocals and guitar play and mixed it with session musicians who replaced the initial Mitchell, Cox, Miles etc. Some awful backing vocals (like during the title track) are absolutely useless and truly awful.

There are two mythical tracks here though. Both of them were live anthems: ''Hear My Train?'' and ''Machine Gun''. It is their only studio version to my knowledge, and even if the former is quite acceptable, the live versions available (''Woodstock'', ''Fillmore'') are much superior. But in the current circumstances, it is the best track from this midnight with no much light.

The latter also offers some good parts and can be considered as another highlight. Of course, here as well, the live versions available on the double live set from the Fillmore East are much superior, but amongst so many average numbers, one has to consider this as welcome.

There are some very painful moments during this album (''Gypsy Boy'' and the title track) and some average ones like the opener ''Trashman'' (but this one sounds too heavy to me). A live classic from the early days is the cover of the classic ''Blue Suede Shoes''. But I'm not thrilled with this funky version.

The closing number (which was a Mitchell composition) has been refreshed in a much appropriate manner on ''First Rays?'' which will be released in '97 by Jimi's sister.

IMHHO, Alan Douglas would have been inspired to have released only one album instead of two. At least we could have had a decent to good work instead of two below average ones. In his defence, he will do a better job with some live material.

I rate this album higher than ''Crash?'' for the two emblematic songs that it holds. Two stars.

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