November 24th, 2022 - Voodoo Ranger Soup

 

Hello rockers, rollers, and hop heads of all ages!  Happy Thanksgiving!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today gratefully rocking the hell out to "Voodoo Soup", a wonderful compilation of the recordings Jimi Hendrix made towards the end of his short life and a hoppy and delicious Voodoo Ranger IPA from the fine folks at New Belgium Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Jimi Hendrix
• Title: "Voodoo Soup"
• Recorded: 1968 through 1970 at Electric Lady, Record Plant, and Olmstead Sound in New York City and TTG in Hollywood, California
  Release date: April 11, 1995 (posthumous compilation album by Jimi Hendrix of songs being recorded for what would have been his 4th full length album) 
• Record company: MCA Records
• Production: Alan Douglas
• Album cover art: Moebius
• Personnel: Jimi Hendrix (guitars and vocals) with Billy Cox (bass guitar), Mitch Mitchell (drums), and Juma Sultan (percussion and piano)
• Additional musicians: Albert "Ghetto Fingers" Allen (backing vocals), Arthur Allen (backing vocals), Spencer Davis (backing vocals), Bruce Gary (drums on "Stepping Stone" and "Room Full Of Mirrors"), Buzzy Linhart (vibraphone), Budy Miles (drums on "Ezy Ryder" and "Message To Love"), and Noel Redding (bass on "Midnight" and "Peace In Mississippi")
• Musical style: Rock, blues rock, hard rock
• Sound: Although the production is a little too "bright" and "clean" from what was originally recorded and the overdubs were completely unnecessary, and "The New Rising Sun" album released in 1997 is probably a better representation of what Jimi's final album should have been, I think the importance of "Voodoo Soup" as an overview in the legacy of Hendrix and his final recordings cannot be overstated.  His guitar tone on these tracks is pure magic!
• Major themes: Life, freedom, rebellion, love, music, peace, joy, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "The New Rising Sun"
2. "Belly Button Window"
3. "Stepping Stone"
4. "Freedom"
5. "Angel"
6. "Room Full Of Mirrors"
7. "Midnight"
8. "Night Bird Flying"
9. "Drifting"
10. "Ezy Ryder"
11. "Pali Gap"
12. "Message To Love"
13. "Peace In Mississippi"
14. "In From The Storm"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colorado)
• Website: http://www.newbelgium.com
• Brew: Voodoo Ranger IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)  
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 7.0%
• IBUs: 50
• Ingredients: Amarillo, Cascade, Mosaic, Chinook, HBC 522, Mosaic, Strata, Citra hops with Pale, Honey, and Pilsner malts 
• Pour: The Voodoo Ranger IPA pours a hazy bright orange-gold with a frothy and creamy, 1+ finger, bright white head that displays lots of intricate and layered lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose is tropical, citrusy, juicy, and slightly bready.  There are aromas of pineapple, orange juice, mango, papaya, grapefruit rind, and tangerine along with more subtle notes of doughy bread, summer wild grass, light pine resin, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste, like the nose is characterized by tropical, citrusy, and light malty flavors.  There are notes of mango, guava, pineapple, light melon, fresh pink grapefruit juice, tangerine, orange juice, hints of pine, light herbal tea, and caramel/toffee. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the Voodoo Ranger IPA's mouthfeel is very crisp and very juicy with a dry, slightly bitter, yet clean finish.

Overall pairing: The punchy and aggressive, yet fruity and complex flavors and aromas of New Belgium's great Voodoo Ranger IPA are perfect for the genius of the late, great Jimi Hendrix!  Those big, hoppy citrus notes are great for the straightforward rocking depth, while the sweeter tropical and malt notes are great for the fast, melodic rhythms and vocal prowess!

Cheers!!