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Some grousing from fans greets most posthumous Jimi Hendrix studio releases. And fair enough: Hendrix can’t offer his opinion anymore, and between past dubious product (i.e., the heavily overdubbed Crash Landing) and ongoing estate squabbles, there’s been plenty of sketchy business over the years. But on Valleys of Neptune — a collection of more-or-less previously unreleased tracks recorded with the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1969, assembled by the archivists at Legacy and the Hendrix estate — the music is seething, gorgeous, alive.

Unreleased doesn’t necessarily mean unfamiliar. “Stone Free,” the opener, remakes one of Hendrix’s earliest recordings, gaining in expansive arranging what it loses in garage-band immediacy (WTF, no cowbell?!). Ditto for a raging “Fire,” featuring a guitarist somehow even more fluidly dazzling than he was on the original, even if he no longer asks Rover to move over. There’s a wildly jammed, slightly showoff-y instrumental of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” and a deliciously funky take on Elmore James’ “Bleeding Heart.” For lay Hendrix fans, however, the biggest treat will be bright, revelatory mixes of tracks known mainly to connoisseurs: The lush, tuneful space travelogue of the title track; the snarling, horny blues stomp “Ships Passing Through the Night,” with its lava-spitting outro; the breakneck instrumental rocker “Lullaby for the Summer.” Are these tracks “finished” as Hendrix would’ve intended? Probably not. But as a glimpse of the guitarist extending his reach beyond the Experience trio, it’s thrilling.

Part Kanye West, part Brian Eno, producer-musician Brian Burton — a.k.a. Danger Mouse — has defined himself with his excellent taste in brilliant misfits. His biggest smash was Gnarls Barkley, with whom he turned oddball former Dirty South rapper Cee-Lo into a falsetto swinging soulman on the sublime “Crazy,” triggering moving karaoke performances worldwide. He’s helped blues-rock freaks the Black Keys find their groove; helped midcareer weirdo Beck locate his mojo on 2008’s Modern Guilt; even molded his mash-up sensibility to the arty David Lynch soundtrack project Dark Night of the Soul.

His latest one-off, Broken Bells, could be his biggest stretch yet: It pairs him with career introvert James Mercer, the sublimely melodic singer-songwriter of the Shins. The two have a little history — one track together on Dark Night — but Mercer might seem an odd match for the producer whose first big idea was combining the Beatles with Jay-Z, and whose trademark move is melding hip-hop-rooted samples and beats with vintage psychedelia.

It turns out the two pop-science geeks are a perfect match. Danger Mouse pushes Mercer’s gorgeous, existential tunecraft outward with Day-Glo dynamics. “‘Cause they know, and so do I/The high road is hard to find,” Mercer sings on the opening chorus of Bells. The lyrics are about the loneliness of decision-making — they may refer to life in the trenches of normalcy, or, perhaps, to Mercer’s recent professional decisions (he more or less fired two members of the Shins). But what sweeps you up are the sweet, ascending verses, the rolling chorus and the Danger Mouse touches: analog-synth swirls, slo-mo kick drums, a melancholy bass line — hip-hop for turned-on shut-ins.

Cool variations on the Gnarls formula — Danger and a quirkily excellent singer making arty, transcultural pop — run throughout the album. “Vaporize” begins with Mercer’s fey workaday voice and a strummed acoustic, then takes off with smeared snares, bouncy organ and a jaunty Bacharach-David-style horn break. It’s punchier than the Shins, and livelier than you’d expect from a song whose title suggests innovative marijuana consumption — an anthem of solidarity for malcontents, teenage and otherwise, not unlike “Crazy.” The catchy, midtempo “The Ghost Inside” even has Mercer singing in a T-Pained falsetto — it’s not hard to imagine it on the hit parade, along with the soaring, U2-flavored “October.”

Broken Bells isn’t all crossover ambition. Tracks like “Your Head Is on Fire” — a drum-machine space waltz floating between Syd Barrett and something from Brian Eno’s Another Green World — won’t make the short list of Glee covers. But with a new Shins record reportedly brewing, Mercer seems to be following some of the instructions in his own songs: Life is short, brother — go for it. The introverted indie guy isn’t gone, and he’s still not afraid to tell you that we’re ultimately alone on this journey. “If you want to follow me, you should know,” he sings. “I was lost then/And I’m lost now/And I doubt I’ll ever know which way to go.” Maybe. But for the moment, in Danger Mouse, Mercer has found a promising fellow traveler.

Photo: Merritt/Getty (Grohl), Mayer/WireImage(Vig)
Forget all that talk of a hiatus. The Foo Fighters are getting ready to head back into the studio, Dave Grohl revealed at the Independent Spirit Awards on Friday night. Swigging from a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey, the Foos frontman and Them Crooked Vultures drummer, who had just introduced a performance by Best Documentary subjects Anvil, said his band will work with Butch Vig on their seventh album, in part to mark the 20th anniversary of Nirvana’s Nevermind, which Vig produced in 1991. “Me and [Foos drummer] Taylor [Hawkins] have already started demoing songs,” Grohl told Rolling Stone.

But unlike the Foos’ previous two efforts, which were recorded at Studio 606 (a cutting edge recording complex/rehearsal space/party den that the band owns in Northridge, California), this forthcoming album will be recorded entirely in analog — and out of Grohl’s garage. “We’re doing a test on Monday,” he said when asked about potential noise complaints from his Encino neighbors (and the missus). Indeed, the father of two added, “I think this could be our heaviest album yet.”

With no firm timeline for release (though the month September was bandied about), the follow-up to 2007’s Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace will also be accompanied by a documentary film, said Grohl, that will celebrate the Foos’ 16 years together and chronicle the making of the album. No doubt he was inspired by the movie Anvil! The Story of Anvil. For his Independent Spirit introduction, Grohl went off script and urged not just all musicians, but every person in the room to watch the movie that made him cry.

Nervous that his ad-libbing didn’t come out as well as he’d hoped, afterwards, Grohl clutched his bottle like a security blanket, while waiting for his wife Jordyn to peruse the tent-adjacent Elle Lounge. “If I stay another minute, I’m gonna get so fucking drunk, I’ll barf all over myself,” he cracked.

For better or worse, Miami-based DJ Khaled has been at the forefront of a clique-manifested movement, highlighted by the incessant use of southern rappers to promote his brand and name. True, he may provide the airwaves with street anthems and club bangers from time to time. However, his unabashed personality has been a deterring trait that castrates potential followers from his projects. With Victory, his fourth album in five years, Khaled continues his formula into the new millennium; big features, a street aura, and that’s about it.

Noticeably absent is Florida production duo Cool & Dre, who had been significant contributors to Khaled’s compilation discs in the past. On the other hand, The Runners keep their streak going through the single “Fed Up” , which features an all-star line-up of Drake, Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne, and Rick Ross. Over an infectiously energetic beat, the foursome goes on lyrical cruise control while Usher’s hook certainly does not disappoint. “On My Way” slows the tempo down by providing listeners with a mental picture of rappers in grind mode. However, with eight different artists laying out their own stories, the record is a bit laboring to listen to.

Despite Khaled’s passionate rants about bringing a positive image back to the hood, it’s clear that his definition of being victorious is synonymous with financial wealth. This is obvious on “Bring The Money Out,” where Nelly’s uninspiring lyrics make for a hot mess. Lil Boosie and Ace Hood don’t fare any better, leaving Schife’s bass-pounding production with nothing memorable. The cliché record “Rockin’ All My Chains” sounds exactly like you think it would; when in the club, rock all your chains. Opening with veteran emcee Bun B, the verses progressively get worse. In fact, it’s almost downright unfair to put Birdman and Soulja Boy on the same song as Bun B, which settles as an awful decision by Khaled.

One of the few highlights comes on the title-track, as Nas spends nearly two minutes weaving tales of extracurricular activities only available to the victors. Lending words to the unwise, Nas cunningly asks,  “He who has begun is half done, why you waitin’?” This is only topped by his line that acknowledges rumors of personal wealth (“I feel intelligence is my wealth / However, ‘how enormous is Nas’ pocket?’ is a pop-quiz to gossipers”). The Inkredibles and R&B singer John Legend play their positions well, taking a backseat and giving Nasir a soulful sound bed to flow over. “All I Do Is Win” is another notable performance, with the trio of Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and Ludacris rocking the mic deservingly. When listening to this track, it’s definitely easy to imagine people in the club following T-Pain’s words like a game of Simon Says.

For listeners hoping to hear something brilliant from the Terror Squad member on Victory, they need only listen to the failed nostalgia in the intro. Attempting to reenact “Victory,” Diddy’s (then Puff Daddy) hit record from the ’90s, DJ Khaled’s monologue sounds more comical than inspirational, a degradation that has been created in the last five years by his phrases “Listennnnnn!” and “We the best!” Interestingly enough, other notable rappers and deejays have established catchphrases without feeling the backlash. We may look back on DJ Khaled’s legacy in Hip Hop and see some shining moments. However, Victory as a whole product will certainly not be one of them.

Mark Ronson
TITLE TBD JUNE

LOWDOWN: “When I make a record, I draw on inspiration I get from other people,” says producer Mark Ronson, who invited members of Kaiser Chiefs and the Zutons, and former Pipettes singer Rose Elinor Dougall, among others, to collaborate on his third solo album. The disc — recorded in New York and London over the past year — reveals Ronson’s newfound fascination with vintage keyboards. (He fell in love with them while producing Duran Duran last summer.) The synths brought out Ronson’s inner studio geek and helped him find a new way to channel his influences into songs that are both retro and futuristic. “There are all these synth plug-ins for your computer,” he says, “but I believe in the real shit, if you can get your hands on it.”

LAST TIME:
• Review: Version (2007)

July and Beyond

Jamey Johnson
THE GUITAR SONG JULY

LOWDOWN: Country outlaw Jamey Johnson will release two albums in 2010: A “white album,” due first, will focus on upbeat material, including the hard-rocking singalong “California Riots” and the title track, which is sung from the perspective of old guitars hanging on a wall. (A more somber “black album” — featuring songs about money troubles — will follow in the fall.) Johnson says the abundance of material reflects a hot streak he’s been on for the past year or so. “It’s an epic journey through honky-tonk-ville,” he says. “If I record all this material, I fully intend to get it out.”

WATCH IT:
Exclusive: Jamey Johnson covers Kris Kristofferson in the Rolling Stone offices

LAST TIME:
• Review: That Lonesome Song (2008)

Christina Aguilera
BIONIC SPRING

LOWDOWN: On her fourth LP, Christina Aguilera didn’t want to sound like herself. “I’m not interested in giving it this ‘Christina’ sound,” she says. “I want to make my voice more relaxed, less soulful.” So Aguilera invited synth-punk trio Le Tigre, Ladytron, singer Sia and M.I.A. producers Hill and Switch, among others, to her L.A. studio, where they cut tunes packed with futuristic synths and singsong chants. Aguilera got sentimental on “All I Need,” a ballad written for her two-year-old son: “It’s a sweet, sweet song.”

LAST TIME:
• Review: Back to Basics (2006)

Katy Perry
TITLE TBD SUMMER

LOWDOWN: “I want to evolve like Madonna,” says Katy Perry. “If I had to be the fruity pinup girl another day, I would jump off the Hollywood sign.” Perry’s follow-up to 2008’s smash One of the Boys has her re-teaming with hitmakers Dr. Luke and Max Martin and delivering more hypercatchy pop in the vein of “Hot N Cold” and her Number One single, “I Kissed a Girl,” while also delving into deeper matters: “My faith, my conviction and awe of the supernatural world.” And thanks to her recent engagement to Russell Brand, the album also boasts its share of love songs — 50 percent, by her estimate. Still, the pop tart hasn’t gone totally chaste. In the Prince-influenced “Dressing Up,” Perry coos, “You wanna pet my kitty?” “You’re such a dirty doggie” and “My cookie monster wants a taste,” of which Perry says, “I think those lyrics are cute!”

LAST TIME:
• Review: One of the Boys (2008)

Ra Ra Riot
TITLE TBD SUMMER

LOWDOWN: Chamber-pop six-piece Ra Ra Riot moved to an upstate New York peach farm to write their self-produced second album. They spun plenty of Wings and Genesis — and added more synth to their sound. The disc also features a collaboration with Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij. “It sounds like another version of Ra Ra Riot,” singer Wesley Miles says. “It’s got a bit of Rostam’s personality and a bit of ours.”

LAST TIME:
• Review: The Rhumb Line (2008)

The Walkmen
TITLE TBD SUMMER

LOWDOWN: For their sixth album, New York indie-rockers the Walkmen holed up in Clap Your Hands Say Yeah frontman Alec Ounsworth’s studio in Philadelphia to cut a disc inspired by classic artists like Elvis, Roy Orbison, Fats Domino and Johnny Cash. “All those guys plus Jane’s Addiction,” adds singer Hamilton Leithauser. “That influence came out of left field, but we all loved Jane’s when we were younger.” Of the roughly 25 tunes the Walkmen have written, Leithauser is stoked for the tentatitvely-titled “Eating Puppies” (“It’s got a surf rock vibe”) and the horn-powered “Heffer” (“That one bounces around”). Leithauser also hopes that leftover tracks will make it onto a pair of EPs following the album’s release. “We’ll have some quality shit leftover,” he says.

LAST TIME:
• Review: You & Me (2008)

Photo: Polk/Getty

A fire at the New York City courthouse where Lil Wayne was scheduled to be sentenced today has forced the proceedings to be postponed, a source at the 100 Centre St. court house tells Rolling Stone. The fire allegedly started in the basement of the courthouse and forced everyone at the location to evacuate the building. Neither Lil Wayne nor his legal team were present in the courthouse at the time of the blaze, as it occurred before Weezy was expected to arrive at the building. A source tells RS the building will be shut down for the remainder of the day and all jurors on the scene were told to get their belongings and exit the premises. The New York Fire Department said that a boiler may be responsible for the fire, which filled the courthouse’s lobby with a haze of smoke.

At press time, it remains unclear whether Lil Wayne’s hearing will be moved to another venue or postponed until a later date. Given the number of people in Wayne’s legal party, officials might seek to simply move today’s scheduled proceeding to another venue. A court spokesperson did say however that all court proceedings for today had been postponed. According to NY1, five firefighters, two civilians and one criminal all suffered minor injuries as a result of the fire.

As Rolling Stone previously reported, Lil Wayne was originally scheduled to begin serving his sentence after pleading guilty to weapons charges stemming from a 2007 arrest on February 9th, however some last-minute dental procedures—reportedly eight root canals—led the judge to postpone Weezy’s sentencing until today. The judge was adamant that Wayne be sentenced on March 2nd, telling the rapper and his legal team that there would be no more delays.

Wayne, who is expected to serve a year behind bars, has recently taken to his newly launched Twitter account to bid farewell to his family and friends before heading to New York’s Riker’s Island prison, where he’s expected serve his term. “the F is for family,friends,and fans… thank u…your love and prayers are felt,” Weezy tweeted. “They kant lok up my heart bekuz y’all already have it on lok.