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.

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

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.

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.

it’s insane how good this music is

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

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.

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

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

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.

Pure psychedelic rock perfection from a true musical genius.

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

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

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.

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 ...

You can't go wrong with Jimi Hendrix

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.

One of my favorite albums of all time.

I love this album. Just banger after banger

Fantastisch album

Amazing sounds, that guy was a genius

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Jimi is such an amazing guitar player (not saying anything new there). The bass and drums really drove the sounds too. The use of the right and left speakers for different sounds or moving the same sound back and forth created a unique spatial environment that put you in the room with the band.

He is unreal. Really wish he lived past 27.

The genius began here.

One of my favorites

This album is a great intro to Hendrix. More classic song structures and hints of the genius. Just enough classic songs to make this a 5. So much style and charisma in this project.

Not my favorite Jimi album but still full of great songs. Little Wing is in my top 5 of all time, and the only complaint I have about it is that I wish it was several minutes longer. This album continues the incredible synergy of the trio that make up the band; Mitch Mitchell's drumming in particular is absurdly good on this record. The fact that Noel Redding on bass handles a lot of the actual timekeeping on this record is brilliant. And of course Jimi's playing is it's own whole thing. The album runs through a lot of different tempos while maintaining Jimi's signature style, which one would expect. You could say this whole thing is just another Hendrix album, and it is. All of them are so good that it's a huge compliment. I dunno, there's basically I nothing I dont' like about this album. It's perfect.

Previously rated: Are You Experienced (5/5) Electric Ladyland (4/5) ****************************** Easy 5/5 here. Even filler tracks like She's So Fine go pretty hard. If that intro to Little Miss Lover doesn't pump you up, you are dead inside.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience's second five-star album of 1967 (talk about being on fire!) is a psychedelic masterpiece that should be in the library of anyone who has even a passing interest in having a well-rounded collection that properly represents the music of 20th century. Every bit as good as The Jimi Hendrix Experience's debut album (Are You Experienced?) that was released earlier in 1967. Has anybody ever released two stone cold classics in the same year besides Hendrix? Honest question.

lovelovelovethis album!!! a precursor for so much, and castles made of sand (+crosstown traffic) my fave Hendrix tune(S)

It's easy to dismiss Hendrix as a virtuoso guitarist, but this album proves there's so much more to him; it gets into Jimi's head and he gets into yours via stereoscopic effects and mega riffs. Almost auteur-like in its ability to take the album form and expand it beyond its limits.

Evig klassikar.

I love jimi hendrix

If this album were just 35 minutes of hummy noise and Little Wing, it would still get 5 stars.

I cannot believe this was made in 1967 holy shit. Jimi Hendrix basically invented the 70s.

This was originally my least favourite Hendrix album but after listening again I don’t even know if that’s a thing, they’re all definitely 5’s, every single song on here is just so good, Mitch Mitchell on drums goes insane and obviously the guitar is peak, even songs I didn’t like as much on previous listens like if 6 was 9 I completely changed my perspective on especially as the drumming goes particularly hard on that one. Also, the intro “exp” was a lot funnier than I remembered. Overall, I may as well just give it a 10.

Jimi Hendrix – Axis: Bold As Love (Review) Even in 2025, Axis: Bold As Love holds its weight—an undeniable soundscape that still pushes sonic boundaries. From the jump, the intro sets the tone: psychedelic, raw, and immersive. The second track absolutely hooked me—loved the energy, the layering, the journey it takes you on. “Wait Till Tomorrow” stood out with its storytelling and tight groove—classic Hendrix charisma. “Little Wing” is, as always, one of my favourites. It’s delicate but powerful, a spiritual moment in the album. Jimi paints emotion through every note, and it hits just as deep decades later. “If 6 Was 9”? That’s pure, unfiltered Hendrix. Rebellious, weird, and poetic. A statement track. And “You Got Me Floating” is banging—those upbeat drums and classic blues riffs are electric. The bassline practically forces you to move. Timeless. Hendrix still floats above most.

Is Little Wing really that short?

Erinomainen levy Hendrixiltä. Omaperäinen soundi ja loistavaa soitantaa. Kuin yksi pitkä jammailusessio, soitannassa on vapaa tunnelma. Eikä siltikään ammu yli kuten jotkin jo kuunnellut levyt (MBV), vaan on juuri sopivan kokeileva. Nyt täytyy antaa täydet pisteet.

Yep Doesn’t get much better than this. Awesome guitar work and great songs

This is the hundred fifth album I’m rating. I’ve never listened to a full Jimi Hendrix album before. Adding to my Playlist - Up from the Skies, Spanish Castle Magic, Wait Until Tomorrow, Ain’t No Telling, Little Wing, If Six was Nine, You’ve Got me Floating, Castles Made of Sand, She’s so Fine, One Rainy Wish, Little Miss Lover, and Bold as Love. Not Adding to my Playlist - EXP. All in all I liked 12/13 songs. Jimi is very good.

This isn't Jimi at his most concise, but it is Jimi at his most experimental. All of Axis: Bold As Love is just fun. You can tell they're having a good time, trying out new things, getting properly weird with it. I don't think it's the best Jimi Hendrix album, but that's a very high metric. 9.5/10

Very good never listened to from start to finish before. Really enjoyed this one

Really cool album, not sure much more needs to be said

An easy 5 stars! "Little Wing", "Castles Made of Sand", "Bold as Love", "Spanish Castle Magic"... Not comparable to anything else. Pure genius!

Classics are classics for a reason. This thing rips hard.

perfect

Woohoo!!!

Didn’t get a chance to listen so automatic 5

Favorite album of all time. The reason I have my Hendrix tattoo. A perfect blend of Chas chandlers pop sensibility with some of Jimi’s own songwriting voice coming through. 10/10 - no notes.

Again blown away by how modern and truly unmatched Jimi is, this album is just a joy to listen to. Rating: 4.5

Excellent but short

Good record. Not my jam, but I can appreciate the musicianship.

Jimi was amazing!

Jimi Hendrix was the primary force that made me want to learn how to play guitar.