Axis: Bold As Love

Nice. I listened to this while insanely drunk and it enhanced my experience. I'm still not sober, so I don't even know what I'm writing right now. Man's got a lot of arms. They should call him Slimmy Jimi. I don't remember it that well, but I don't think it's exactly the album's fault.

Hot, sexy, soulful, groovy and trippy improv from the late great! No doubt other trios like Nirvana followed closely into the age of complex songs with minimalistic instrumentation. Back-to-back Little Wing & If 6 Was 9 is killer example of the diversity this record expresses. You Got Me Floatin’ & Castles Made Of Sand is another 1-2 punch of heavy lyrics and grooves. Really diggin’ in the hot tub. Thought of tipping some Hennessy into my coffee out here. Cannabis is probably too much before work. Shiiiiiit....Jimi, much obliged.

Never got Hendrix, never will. Fantastically skilled music and but just not my taste

5.0 + What a gift - one of the few records that realizes a fully psychedelic vision, in true technicolor fluorescence. Jimi is a science fiction superhero flying in swirls of brilliant pink, neon green and magenta.

There is not enough praise for this masterpiece. This album is responsible for my lifelong enjoyment of psychedelic rock music. Hendrix is on the Mount Rushmore of guitar greats. Everything about this album is masterful. The guitar, the drums, the bass, the vocals, the songwriting, the production, all of it. One Rainy Wish is at the apex of heavy psych guitar playing for me. Desert island album.

it’s insane how good this music is

I know this is like, blasphemous, or whatever. But I've always found Jimi Hendrix so incredibly boring. He's got skills, yes. He's got some hits, sure. But this album has nothing remotely interesting on it. This album is Hendrix at his worst, it's just so self-indulgent and obnoxious. The 39 minute runtime might as well be 39 years, it's just such a slog to get through.

There are days when this is the best Jimi Hendrix record. Surely it has some of his best songs on it. The production and sound on this, for 1967, is HUGE. The stereo panning is a nice touch. It’s a succinct record that covers a lot of the sounds Hendrix was trying to make and isn’t as radio forward as his previous. This is a banger. Favorite song: all of em baby Least favorite song: none

It Jimi Hendrix how is it not 5 stars

To describe an album as being full of album cuts seems ungenerous (as well as illogical). But there we have it. Lots of noodles and doodling, some esoteric songwriting, but nothing of note, really.

Trippy, groovy, fantastic. The noises hendrix squeals out of his guitar blow my mind

Pure psychedelic rock perfection from a true musical genius.

Amazing. Mind-altering. His most conventional yet most subversive.

This album is a revelation. First some background I'm 60 years old and Hendrix was the music of my older siblings...at least Are You Experienced was, and I love that album. But I never heard anything else, other than Smash Hits and Band of Gypsys. Recently I've listened to Electric Ladyland but I haven't been able to connect with it. My conclusion; Hendrix is not for me. Today was the first time I ever listened to Axis Bold as Love and I love it. I think it's a stronger album than Are You Experienced. Where AYE has some filler in my opinion, while every song on ABL is substantial. The songwriting is very strong and shows off more variety...jazzy and funkier than AYE and Electric Ladyland it seems that the production is cleaner and you can here more interplay between the instruments. A 5 🌟 album without a doubt.

This album features better songwriting than his debut and much more interesting arrangements. Songs like ‘little wing’ and ‘bold as love’ illustrate this well.

While some, probably most, consider ‘Are You Experienced’ to be Hendrix’s best album (I mean it is among the top rated on this site) - I often found either this release or ‘Electric Ladyland’ to be the best of the trilogy of Hendrix albums; and it can honestly change between the two on any given day. ‘Are You Experienced’ was a very heavy record; just absolute firestorm rock music with Hendrix seemingly pushing his guitars to their absolute limit. It’s one hell of a fun LP. ‘Axis: Bold As Love’, however, sees Hendrix evolve and take some other avenues. It’s not nearly as full-on as its predecessor, with more varied tempos and Hendrix diving more into the sea of funk and psychedelic. But I do hold the opinion of ‘Axis’ being the better album all the more for it. ‘Wait Until Tomorrow’, ‘Little Wing’, the lengthy ‘If 6 Was 9’, the riff heavy ‘You Got Me Floatin’’, the legendary ‘Castles Made Of Sand’, the smoky ballad ‘One Rainy Wish’, and the absolutely addictive finisher ‘Bold As Love’. Sure, these are my particular highlights. But there isn’t a bad track on here; and the tracklist just flows so damn well. It’s over before you know it, but you leave it feeling so satisfied. While the musicality is little more restrained, it leads the way for Jimi Hendrix to really showcase his vocals; and on the more down tempo tracks you are treated to his more soulful side. So not only was this man an absolute monster when playing guitar, but he could also hang with some of the best vocalists out there. Jimi Hendrix was absolutely superhuman. It’s a fantastic LP in just about every aspect. The variation in styles, tempos, and production make up an absolutely phenomenal tracklist and, arguably, a collection of Hendrix’s best work. The man was ahead of his time, and there’s very few artists before or after his era that could match him; and ‘Axis: Bold As Love’ is a perfect showcase for that statement. 5/5

This guy was so far ahead of his time it's incredible. To think this album was released in 1967. Amazing. Little Wing is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.

I remember exactly where I was when I first saw the recording of Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival, performing and then lighting his guitar on fire. My teenage brain exploded. I love this album, Jimi Hendrix can do no wrong. The only weak track was the Noel Redding one, it was such a break from the style of the rest of this masterpiece. Rock on, my dude. Rock on.

This might be the strangest Hendrix project. It grew on me over the many listens I gave it through the years, and some songs are truly among the best of his.

Flawless. Just ask the axis

''Axis: Bold As Love'', de middelste van een trilogie die tragisch genoeg ook het enige 'officiële' naslagwerk van Jimi Hendrix zou worden. Deze wordt gek genoeg vaak door critici en muziekliefhebbers gezien als zijn zwakste studio-album, but I beg to differ. Dit vind ik het album met de meeste balans, waarin je niet tomeloos wordt bekogeld met Jimi's ruige riffs en proto-metal geweld. Op deze plaat is ook ruimte voor wat meer akoestische rust, en zweverige space rock. Nummers als 'Little Wing', 'Castles Made of Sand' en delen van 'One Rainy Wish' zorgen ervoor dat de in vlammen opgaande vingers van Jimi - en daarbij ook onze oren - even tot afkoelen komen. Die drie zitten dan ook bij m'n favoriete songs van ''Axis'', en van Hendrix' kwaliteitsdiscografie in zijn geheel. Maar de liefhebber van de andere - bekendere - kant van dit fenomeen komt ook aan z'n trekken. Nummers als 'If 6 Was 9', 'Spanish Castle Magic' en 'Bold As Love' worden gekenmerkt door zijn signature psychedelische hard rock, die nog steeds bij vlagen smeriger is dan metal van tientallen jaren later. Die eerste is mogelijk mijn lievelingsnummer van Jimi, en bevat alle elementen die hem in mijn ogen zijn legendarische status opleverde. Lang niet alle nummers kunnen tippen aan de kwaliteit van de reedsgenoemde songs, en daardoor is het album wellicht niet zo consistent als zijn eerste en derde muziekstuk. Maar de variatie op deze plaat is second to none, en iets waar Jimi niet altijd de credits voor kreeg. Hij is meer dan die vlammende gitaar. 9/10 Highlights: Little Wing If 6 Was 9 Castles Made of Sand One Rainy Wish

Dunno if I should give this a 4 or a 5... On the one hand maybe not quite strong enough for a 5, but on the other, the stuff that's good is so good ...

One of my favorite albums of all time.

Amazing sounds, that guy was a genius

This album was a straight classic man, I fuckin loved it.

The talent is undeniable. The style is unique and identifiable. Love the heavy interplay between percussion and guitar as well as the vocal style of Hendrix

Psychedelic blues at it's best, absolutely brilliant album.

I don’t consider myself a Hendrix fan, and then I listen to a record and am blown away every time. So maybe I am.

You can't go wrong with Jimi Hendrix

I love this album. Just banger after banger

Fantastisch album

I've never actual sat and listened to one of Jimi's albums from front to back. It's always been collections, best ofs, soundtracks, etc. I don't think I had heard a single one of these songs before and yet, the album was incredible front to back.

Great, consistent experience from start to finish. Hard not to get up and jam out. Highlights: Spanish Castle Magic, Castles Made of Sand, Bold as Love, Little Wing. Really the whole album

Dull, jammy, underdeveloped

God True story my wife's uncle was a bouncy for a concert Jimi played just outside of Leeds England, he saw Jimi come out of the venue and walk down the street, didn't speak to him or get an autograph. 😭 'So fine' is a great inclusion as it highlights how far forward Jimi was compared to the average bands, with the obvious exceptions Polymath

Phsyclassic

Great album with great songs, including the "Little Wing" or "Spanish Castle Magic" hits and also some lesser known tracks as "You Got Me Floatin'" and "She's so fine". Actually, the whole album is perfect! What I like a lot about it is that, although it sounds heavy and excessive, it's at the same time subtle. While I love first Blue Cheer and Cream (two bands sounding more or less similar to Jimi), they are more like caveman blues rock to my ears. Jimi on the other side had this magical touch, which enabled him to play like a beast but sounding gentle at the same time.

It's surprising that I've never sat down and listened to this album from start to finish in a single setting. It still sounds fresh as it does almost 60 years later. There is a reason that Hendrix is held in such high regard.

Great album. "Little Wing", "Castles Made of Sand" and "Bold As Love" my favourite songs on the album.

A much different vibe than 'Are You Experienced' or 'Electric Ladyland', often leaning towards a far more mellow, almost experimental sound, such as the more laid back groove of songs like 'Up From the Skies', 'Wait Until Tomorrow', and 'Little Wing', or the creative dynamics and transitions in 'If 6 Was 9'. The results are nothing short of incredible, particularly with 'Little Wing' - while only about 2 and a half minutes in length, Hendrix packs more soul and feeling into his guitar playing than many other artists can in a lifetime. On the other hand, songs like 'Spanish Castle Magic' or 'You Got Me Floatin'', you see the album mirroring the more frenetic energy of 'Are You Experienced', with Jimi's bombastic guitar virtuosity is put on full display as he oscillates seamlessly between rich, full rhythm playing and his technically marvelous solos. Additionally, it bears saying that, while Jimi Hendrix is always the one who gets the (well-deserved) recognition, Mitch Mitchell's drumming is incredible throughout. It's not easy to rhythmically complement Hendrix's guitar work, but Mitchell rises to the occasion. Moreover, I'm a huge fan of 'She's So Fine', where bassist Noel Redding took on vocal duties. The song has an infectious rhythm and energy, with Mitchell's ceaseless wholloping on the drums going hand in hand with Hendrix's drive. So yeah, there's a ton to enjoy here.

I'm glad I finally listened to one of his albums, the guy definitely did a lot for music. A great album to be sure.

Wow! Loved listening to this. Recorded in 1967, this is way ahead of its time. A glorious album that is truly experimental . The guitar is the star and I can hear how his inimitable style has influenced so much music after this. Great album.

Hendrix is amazing.

A Masterpiece.

Absolutely brilliant!

Spanish castle is a favorite.

Good stuff. I listened to this a lot in 9th grade. Feels like floating.

Just brilliant. Never sat down to listen to his albums, just the ones still in common rotation today. This is brilliant all the way through.

Phenomenal, just phenomenal.

Amazing album that beats Electric Ladyland for me. Any track could be my favourite, but Exp and Little Wing are great. 9/10, nice

Beginning is strange with a kinda random allotment of sounds but the album grows, after Little Wing most songs are great. Hendrix has great guitar as always.

Next level Creativity + craftsmanship and musicianship of these 3 is worthy of praise

Soooo gooood.

Excelente

This was pretty sweet, another legend I’ve never really listened to and definitely should have before now.

One of the greats to me. Listened to this so many times but I'm still struck by the variety in a not particularly long album. Engaged from beginning to end.

very good

Un classique!

It's Hendrix it is great

I not often listened to Jimi album that’s really great.

I love Hendrix but this is his slightest record and shouldn't be on this list at the expense of other greats. There are some bangers of course (Little Wing, If 6 Was 9) but it pales compared to the debut, Electric Ladyland, and Band of Gypsies.

A wild, loud, jazzy romp. They threw caution to the wind with this one and did everything they could to assault your ear drums, with care-free lyricism highlighting individuality shining through. A drug and alcohol filled smoky room personified. Almost nothing exists with more abandon.

It's nearly impossible to follow up an album like Are You Experienced, but this album does an admirable job. I enjoy the expanded sonic palate and some of the songs here are absolute rippers.

Dosta zanimljiva zavrzlama oko covera, nikad nisam išla za time. Oduvijek imam mixed feelings oko Hendrixa, iako sam, naravno, svjesna kolika je legenda. Mislim bez sumnje je ovo vrhunski, samo da, nekako nismo kliknuli, nezz. Kako bi Tiho rekao, "ne vlaži mi pizdu" 😂. Mislim da mi je najveći problem što mi on nimalo nema karizmu, a ni njegova glazba. Opet kažem, kužim ja koliko je ovo kvalitetno i važno glazbeno nasljeđe, samo jbg, kad ne sjeda ne sjeda. Uzevši sve u obzir, meni će ovo biti 4/10 ili 7/10.

So I was quite familiar with Jimi’s work while in middle school and high school via the great FM station in Cleveland at the time, WMMS 100.7 – but never owned a Hendrix album until I got to college in 1981… That was when I really dove in, and vividly remember listening debut album “Are You Experienced” all the way through the first time – and it absolutely blew my mind… I then worked through the next 2, and while there are amazing tracks on both “Axis: Bold As Love” & “Electric Ladyland”, neither could touch the start-to finish magic of “Are You Experienced” … Really enjoyed the album, and you could hear the progression in Jimi’s song-writing and musical compositions… As for me, the best tracks are listed below, along with my usual 7-star ratings scale – because you know that 5 isn’t quite enough, and 9 would just be silly… : ) “Spanish Castle Magic” – 5-stars out of 7… “Ain’t No Telling” – 5-stars out of 7… “Little Wing” – 7-stars out of 7… “If 6 Was 9” – 6-stars out of 7… “Castles Made Of Sand” – 5-stars out of 7… I will say that the album loses stream after “Castles Made Of Sand”, as those are several of the weaker tracks on the album – also have no idea why Noel the bass player sang “She’s So Fine” – probably his song, but would have been better if Jimi had sung it – but still the most forgettable track on the album… Since “Are You Experienced” is going to be a 5 for me, I’d probably have “Axis: Bold As Love” clock in at a 4.25, so will round it down to an “exceptional” 4 in my book…

Nr. 141/1001 Exp NR Up From The Skies 3/5 Spanish Castle Magic 3/5 Wait Until Tomorrow 4/5 Ain't No Telling 3/5 Little Wing 5/5 If 6 Was 9 2/5 You Got Me Floatin' 4/5 Castles Made of Sand 4/5 She's So Fine 4/5 One Rainy Wish 4/5 Little Miss Lover 3/5 Bold As Love 3/5 Average: 3,5 Unquestionably a incredibly talented guitar player. Still I sometimes struggle with his songwriting. Like A Bird is a classics though.

Actually very good. It’s the first Jimi Hendrix album I’ve ever listened to

Listen I know that it's probably a music snob crime to say this but... this is a cooking album for me. I'll absolutely return to it but it will be while cooking and maybe a gummy. I want to be grooving in my kitchen to this. Not quite a driving album. An evening album. I'm listening to it in the morning so I'm more picturing how I will feel listening to it in the right conditions. Again, this is probably blasphemy to cool people. Actually this is also a getting ready album. Again, an evening vibe. But i want to put on eyeliner and perfume to this while a candle is burning. Okay I think that covers it. This is probably a humiliating note. Hope it isnt public.

Axis: Bold as Love When I was more into Hendrix around Uni times I don’t think I was aware this was a proper album, bI think I thought it was one of the myriad posthumous Hendrix estate releases. It probably does get lost between Are You Experienced and Electric Ladyland generally, despite If 6 was 9 and Little Wing being two of his more famous songs, being released only a few months after Are You Experienced. It’s not quite as good as either of those, it lacks the number of great songs on Are You Experienced and doesn’t have the drugged out cosmic expansiveness of Electric Landlady, and also suffers from him leaving the masters of side one in a taxi, but it is still a better psychedelic 60s rock album than many of his peers, and there are a few indications of the more funk-rock direction he’d go in with Band of Gypsys a few years later. Spanish Castles Magic, Little Wing, If 6 was 9, Castles Made of Sand, One Rainy Wish and Bold as Love are probably the strongest tracks, with the superb Little Wing, the funk rock of If 6 Was 9 and Castles Made of Sand being the standouts. While there’s nothing awful, the rest feel largely either unfocused or less strong retreads in the style of the first album It’s right on the border of 3 and 4, but I think it settles as a high 3. There’s a couple of great tracks, some decent tracks and some more forgettable tracks, and it probably rightly sits in the shadow of the albums either side. 🪽🪽🪽 Playlist submission: Little Wing

I liked the vibe but not a single song felt like a hit for me

This didn’t hit me the way I expected it to. It feels like one of those albums where I can tell there’s a lot going on, I’m just not fully connecting with it yet. The guitar work is clearly impressive, but not in a way that immediately sticks with me. The production is creative and interesting, though sometimes it feels like it gets in the way instead of pulling me in. There are moments where it clicks, especially when the groove settles in, but overall it felt more like a collection of ideas than a complete experience. Definitely something I might come back to once it finally clicks.

I know, he's a genius. I even like some of his songs, like "Up From The Skies" for example. But I don't enjoy listening to Jimi Hendrix.

Bom álbum! Jimi Hendrix é realmente um excelente músico.

The greatest guitar player ever. And one of his best albums.

I just recently spun up this classic on vinyl, but I had no qualms about giving it another spin this morning. Just an amazing album from start to finish. I had to laugh at some of the lower scores, then going to their profile and seeing one of their favorite artists almost always being Bob Dylan. No taste for some people.

Transcendent.

sensual guitarra

Bold, groovy, with insanely good guitar work, this album is such a fun listen and a display of Hendrix’s craft at its best. The songwriting is unique and soooo interesting throughout the album, and backed by the unmistakably Hendrix tone, it really does impress. I'm also listening to this stone cold sober and loving it - I can only imagine how it feels to listen to it the way stoners in the 60s would have done. 10/10.

One of the best

Rating: 5.0/5 Short Review: More concise than Electric Ladyland, but in some ways even more complete. This is Hendrix growing as a songwriter without losing an ounce of imagination. Every song feels purposeful, and the album flows beautifully from start to finish. Favorite Track: “Little Wing.” Only about two and a half minutes long, yet it feels infinite. One of the most beautiful guitar performances ever recorded.

Brilliant album. Spanish Castle Magic is easily my favorite Hendrix song (and one of my all-time favorites).

Yesterday, I had to listen to Pink Floyd's "Piper At The Gates of Dawn" which was a chore. I like Pink Floyd overall, but their first album drags in comparison to anything else they made later on. That album came out in 1967 and so did this one. Both considered "psychedelic." Only one of them did it right....Floyd was like "Here's a gnome and a bunch of random shit." Hendrix was like, "Here I am redefining what a guitar can do, how you can record in a studio and here's tightly constructed songs with color and tone." Little Wing is proof of the genius...it's like he opened up heaven for two minutes and showed you what's going on and then closed it before you could understand what the fuck was going on. It's the middle of the greatest three album run in history. And I don't mean the best three albums in a row, though you might be able to make a case for it but there's strong competition from the Beatles, Zeppelin and others. But his first album, "Are You Experienced?" was released in May of 1967 if you were in the UK. Not until August if you were in the States. And then he releases Axis Bold As Love in December of the same year. In October of '68, he releases Electric Ladyland. And then, he's done. He doesn't release anything in 1969 and he's dead in September of '70. So to me, it's the greatest three album run in history...not because the albums are great, but he completely detonated rock n roll and reimagined what someone could do with a guitar in the span of about 16 months. And before someone says Beatles...that's four geniuses and George Martin evolving over years. It's an arc and it's a hell of an arc. But by the time Rubber Soul came around, they'd already been together for years. Hendrix arrived fully formed. Guitar, songwriting, studio sound/creation, blues, psychedelia and live performance all at once. He redefined everything instantly. And he still improved across his recording career. I remember getting this album on CD when I was in high school in the late 90s, taking it on a family vacation and falling asleep with it on at the beach house we were staying at. Waking up and hearing the coda on the last track, right when Mitch Mitchell hits that little drum fill/solo and then Hendrix comes in with the guitar solo that sounds like an airplane taking off. And how it moved around in the headphones, left to right, front to back, just swirling around...unbelievable. It's hard to pick between this and Electric Ladyland as far as my favorite Hendrix album goes....this is so tight and packed into 39 minutes. Electric Ladyland gives it all to you and leaves nothing on the table. But sometimes in life, the best things leave you wanting more.

Super groovy

Jimi was a gift to all....

Love me some elite 60s psych rock, and there’s no better than Hendrix. As an entire record, it’s inconsistent, but the musicianship is unbeatable and the album cover bumps it up from a high 4 to a 5 for me.

Classic psych rock that feels so effortless despite being some of the catchiest and most interesting music to come out of its decade. Jimi Hendrix is a wizard, of course, but repeated listens will show just how tight the entire band is on this one. Electric Ladyland is his personal masterpiece, this one is the full Experience.

Man I just got REALLY into Hendrix this year- I’d long appreciated him- so I would probably give five stars to a steaming pile of shit, but this one earns it.

Great album. There's a heavy mix of that 70s experimental impressionism before it really gets into the groove of things. The lyrics and guitar are pure poetry. Essential listening for any rock-lover. Favorite track had to be "Bold Love." An epic finale for a great album.

Such a fantastic album. People give this album a hard time. I give those people a hard time.

One of the cooler experiences I've had is that I hadn't heard this album until a little later in life. Hell, I hadn't heard any of the songs from it, or at least none were so ingrained into me like all the singles off of "Are You Experienced". So basically, it was like listening to a completely new Hendrix album and not knowing what to expect. So yeah, this may be my favorite Hendrix album. It's not as experimental as their debut, but all the songs (except maybe "Exp", which serves more as an intro track anyway) are just killer.

It's Jimi Hendrix man.

Exp - X/10. Not Rated. The start of the Jimi Hendrix distortion style, though. Up from the Skies - 8/10. Jazzy and cool. Very nice. Spanish Castle Magic - 9/10. This is exactly what I expect when I see Jimi Hendrix. Straight fire. Wait until Tomorrow - 9/10. Awesome, if more subdued than most Hendrix stuff. Ain't No Telling - 8/10. Excellent. Little Wing - 11/10. I've heard two different covers of this (Derek and the Dominos and Stevie Ray Vaughan). All of them are absolutely incredible. This one, the original, goes to 11. If 6 Was 9 - 10/10. Basically perfect. You Got Me Floatin' - 9/10. Another banger. Innovative and virtuosic guitar work. Castles Made of Sand - 9/10. Outstanding. She's So Fine - 8/10. Great tune. One Rainy Wish - 9/10. That guitar is so good. Little Miss Lover - 8/10. Excellent. Bold as Love - 11/10. Why is this song not played? It's everything that makes Hendrix great. This one also goes to 11. Overall Rating - 4.54/5 (9.08/10). All killers, no fillers. Words fail me beyond that.

I really enjoyed this psychedelic trip of an album. It was so groovy, funky, and mesmerizing, the guitars, drums, everything is just so fun to listen to. I also like how all the songs are different enough but they all are just short little jams that all rock. What a visionary Hendrix was, I really need to listen to all of his music.

Top album, just like his others! An emotional, psychedelic masterpiece. An exploration of cosmic affection, bittersweet nostalgia, and a "rainbow of feelings". Hendrix’s genius with R&B-infused soul and guitar lyricism is sublime. Easy 5.

värske, pehme, mahe, vinge, ergas, rõõm.

An absolute classic that doesn’t last nearly as long as you’d want it to. The collaboration midway through is a really fun inclusion- I’d kill to experience the energy in the booth that day. Jimi’s unique voice can’t be overpowered or lost in the sauce, but it’s really fun to see how well that style plays with others. For many reasons I wish Jimi got to live a long life with plenty of art and collaboration.

Incredible every song is a 10/10

what a perfect journey! Very talented man, every song was unique and groovy and interesting. 9/10

I think this might be my favourite Hendrix album. It is conscise and it flows really well, has some nice experiements and also some of his most expressive guitar playing and best songs. Easy 5

Вау. Это пинкфлоид на гитарах и метла в зачатке