Even if he lived to be a hundred, the world never would have been ready for Jimi Hendrix’s death. He certainly wasn’t, as this unfinished album contained some of his most poignant statements.

And not just musically, though he certainly continued plunging the depths of his six strings. Jimi touches on social issues, particularly in the numerous pleas for freedom that litter the lyric sheet. And though only half of the songs were completely finished at the time of his death, the half-done raggedness of the barer tracks actually complement the playlist. Like most psychedelic acts of the mid-60s, Hendrix started to veer more towards blues rock. Although unlike The Doors, Jimi had the chops and the soul to support his blues. Hendrix also was experimenting with jazz fusion, like the excellent saxophone-like guitar solo that weaved through the overlooked Drifting, which might be my new favorite Hendrix song. The world will never know what else Jimi Hendrix would have done if his life hadn’t been cut short, but if Cry of Love is any indication, it would have been absolutely awe-inspiring.