Hear My Train a Comin'

Today, on what would have been his 71st birthday, it's time to praise the man again and wish him a Happy Birthday. And with that comes one mean fucking song as he wails on his ax rocking out on the blues. Jimi Hendrix has always said that rock and roll came easy to him but the blues challenged him so he set out to write that which challenged him. Hear My Train a Comin' was the classic he wrote and it's nasty.

Off the 1973 album Sound Track Recordings from the Film Jimi Hendrix, this song is a searing no holds barred blues jam that the masters would have nodded their heads in approval to. It starts off with that sick riff and is slowly and subtlety joined in by the bass before the drums kick it into a rocking groove. Then Jimi's iconic voice comes fighting his guitar for attention and it all just....works.

I can't get enough of this song and on his birthday there is no better song of his to post. His catalog is massive and there are so many other songs of his that flat out rock, but Train is Jimi at a whole other level. I wish I could have seen him perform this live. Thank you Jimi for all you've given us and Happy Birthday maestro. May you continue to rest in peace.

Overdue

This song is fire and it has nothing to do with the music. The fire is contained in the incendiary lyrics by ZZ Ward. The song is entitled Overdue and it's off her early 2012 mixtape Eleven Roses. She now has a album out, Til The Casket Drops but sadly this song isn't on it. I would have loved a more polished version of this song...or maybe not.

Don't get me wrong, while I love her blues tinged lyrics about being over her man, the music is fantastic. It fits her lyrics perfectly with it's bombast and her harmonica playing. It's a short song and maybe if she did it over it could be longer, but what we do get is an incredible appetite wetter. ZZ had some serious skills and that's evident in this song by itself. When she sings Baby let the venom sink into your chest/Try to play me like a pawn that's whatcha get/Get up off your knees bitch no need to beg... It's hard not to love this song.

Like I said, she has an album out and if you like this song, check out Cryin' Wolf on Casket. It's a favorite of mine. This song is the perfect introduction to her if you haven't heard any of her music by now. Enjoy!

When My Train Pulls In

It's been awhile since I posted something but nothing has really touched me deeply enough to warrant a post. That was until I ran across this bruiser by Gary Clark Jr. It's a bluesy rock freight train entitled When My Train Pulls In. It was originally released on his 2008 independent album Worry No More and then re-released on his 2012 Warner Bros. debut album Blak and Blu. Quite simply, this song is a burner.

When I first heard it I pegged Mr. Clark as a poor mans Jimi Hendrix, but the more I listened to the song the more I loved it (and the louder I played it). It's got a great melody and his guitar playing (on the recorded version) is vicious. It's not so much in the video posted below but don't let that fool you, this song is all fire. So much so to me that I don't even bother paying attention to the lyrics and for those that know me, they know that's downright miraculous. You can blame the crunching guitars for that.

Gary may not be a household name just yet but if he keeps playing like this, pretty soon this young man will be all over the place. Of this I have no doubt. Check out the song and enjoy the freight train.