Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
1967
Album Summary
Axis: Bold as Love is the second studio album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Track Records first released it in the United Kingdom on December 1, 1967, only seven months after the release of the group's highly successful debut, Are You Experienced. In the United States, Reprise Records delayed the release until the following month. The album reached the top ten in the album charts in both countries. For the album, the group displayed several musical styles and critics saw it as demonstrating Jimi Hendrix's growth as a songwriter. The album introduced "Spanish Castle Magic" and "Little Wing", two Hendrix compositions which draw on his roots performing with rhythm and blues bands, that would remain in his live repertoire throughout his career. The album cover, which draws on Hindu religious iconography, has generated controversy. It was designed without Hendrix's approval, and he publicly expressed his dissatisfaction. However, the album went on to become quite successful and was certified platinum in the US and silver in the UK. In 2000, Axis: Bold as Love was voted number 147 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000). Rolling Stone ranked Axis: Bold as Love number 92 on its 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
WikipediaHot, 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
This was pretty sweet, another legend I’ve never really listened to and definitely should have before now.
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
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.
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.
Amazing album that beats Electric Ladyland for me. Any track could be my favourite, but Exp and Little Wing are great. 9/10, nice
Jimi, talentoso el shavo. El sonido 8d del intro está lol. Menciones especiales al build up de 'if 6 was 9', me resulta emocionante y satisfactorio, y a 'She's so fine', que es una canción rápida y pegajosa. Mood: frito
All in all, a fantastic album. Are You Experienced is the quintessential Hendrix album, but I’ll be dammed if Axis isn’t just as good. Always liked this one when I was younger, and that opinion has not changed.
Durante más de 10 o 12 años Hendrix me parecía bien pero no lo escuchaba, no me interesaba. Formaba parte del panteón del rock clásico que pues uno escucha en la pubertad y luego ya, a otra cosa, ¿no? Lo bueno es que uno cambia de parecer muy fácil. En los últimos años he vuelto a escucharlo y pues, lo obvio, es brillantísimo. Una revolución en la guitarra, una tan radical, tan tabula rasa, que pues mucho de la mamonería y cosas de hueva que uno atribuye a la guitarra, solos interminables y demás, viene de este wey. Pero el lo hizo bien, lo hizo genial, el resto, pues no tanto. Este disco demuestra que su música no estaba centrada solo en sus riffs y sus solos, también era un gran compositor, buen letrista y muy creativo en cuanto a influencias: hay mucho soul, mucho R&B, mucho de eso que será llamado funk, mucho blues obviamente y un sonido indeterminado que es totalmente personal que mezcla todo esto y más: country-funk-blues-jazz-r&B-garage-dylanelbardo-destruccióndelmundocomoestadosalvajedelser. Alguna mamada así. Es muy fácil dar por sentado lo que hizo, han pasado más de 50 años, pero quiero ser muy enfático, esto no existía antes. Otro concepto difícil de entender actualmente cuando somos post todo. Pero neta, no existía, no así. Y la neta, después de él, no volvió a existir. Muy disfrutable el disco. Le doy 3 millones de estrellas, 1 kilo de ácido y 2 de mandarinas.
Debo confesar que de Jimi Hendrix solo había escuchado sus grandes éxitos, tipo “Foxy Lady” o “Purple Haze”. Me dio gusto toparme con él en esta página (?). Disfruté mucho el disco con todo ese sonido tan distintivo del rock psicodélico de su época, pero me gusta además que era un artista muy sutil, sabía cuándo darle voz protagonista a su guitarra sin atascarse. Me gustaron mucho “Little Wing”, “Castles Made of Sand” y “Little Miss Lover”.
Incredible production, listening on good headphones reveals so many awesome psychedelic layers to this and it has some of the most famous and best songs of this era of rock.
One of the greatest albums ever made. Hendrix's guitar work is phenomenal and still amazes me to this day. So many other musicians cannot come anywhere close to the level of this album.
It’s Hendrix so of course it’s a 5-star album. Some great songs on here including ‘Little Wing’ and ‘Bold as Love’. It’s crazy how many innovative guitar techniques Hendrix showcases on this album.
Just an amazing album that showcases all of the band members talents in really tight compositions
Fantastic album, lots of great songs. In the opening track you canhear them struggling with pan effects, is it genuinely disorienting with headphones on. Great lyrics and Hendrix guitar playing.
This album features better songwriting than his debut and much more interesting arrangements. Songs like ‘little wing’ and ‘bold as love’ illustrate this well.
Non chitarracentrico come mi aspettavo! Godibile dall'inizio alla fine. Da riascoltare!
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.
Intro spaziale! Spanish Castle Magic <3 Una chicca dopo l'altra, una bomba direi. Dove ho vissuto fino ad ora?! Little Wing è meravigliosa. Tutto l'album è su questa falsariga: fantastico.
So, the greatest, most visionary, most talented, most virtuosic, most charismatic musician of the sixies releases a second album. And of course it's wonderful. What did you expect? That Hendrix would make bad songs? In his pomp, he simply didn't have the capacity to offer substandard material. The Noel Redding song is a duffer, but in no way does it, or can it, diminish from the sheer wizardry of Hendrix, The album starts with a radio interview asking if Hendrix descended from a UFO. That's as good an explanation as any. And I have Electric Ladyland to come. What delights will come. I was listening to this on Spotify, and the album was interrupted by an ad for the 20th anniversary of a Travis album. What a fucking pollutant.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Great album. "Little Wing", "Castles Made of Sand" and "Bold As Love" my favourite songs on the album.
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.
I love this album. Little Wing, Spanish Castle Magic and Bold As Love already make the album worth 5 stars. Favorite tracks: The ones I mentioned.
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.
4/13/2022 Today's Album: "Axis: Bold As Love" by Jimi Hendrix - Crisp, warm, soulful, trippy, soulful, groovy, perfect. This record is so beyond reviewing and I think because of that I am just going to spend this time explaining why it's so amazing. From the very start, you have one of the best pieces of noise music I have ever heard in Exp. It is so abrasive and off-putting and I feel like it's the perfect test for the listener, as if it's saying, "There's a ton of cool shit that's coming up, but if this is too much for you, turn back now." The next few tracks are an immaculate display of Hendrix's expert level production, beyond-comparison guitar work, and just overall what he is capable as a single musician. The track Spanish Castle Magic reminds me of much of what I've heard from Electric Ladyland and in the best ways. The track Little Wing is just perfect in so many ways and is truly a standout performance amongst standout performances on this record. It's psychedelic and lovely and just feels like there isn't a single piece out of place. If 6 Was 9 is absolutely stunning, from it's invasive production to the cutting lyrics and vocal performance. This song gets in your face and shows you some of the most insane noise music you've likely ever heard. A clopping sound effect echoes above and just creates this absolutely crushing atmosphere for this noisy, distorted guitar to go berserk over. Castles Made of Sand has one of the sweetest choruses on the record and generally just has a really digestible and cozy vibe to it. There's also some really great sounding guitar work isolated to the left channel every so often and it really spices things up when Hendrix does that. One Rainy Wish has some really cool guitar work with these stuttering riffs and descending arpeggios and generally has this really dreamy, swaying feel to it. The closer of the album and title track, Bold as Love is a really endearing and poetic song with an absolutely killer guitar solo that ends by cranking up a really treble-heavy guitar and just going to town for a minute. It's super distorted and sort of trails off in a really pleasing way sonically to end the record. The whole album is somewhat difficult to listen to at moments with some really overbearing production and frankly horrific noises, but when you give this record the time to show you what's great about it, it really does not disappoint. It feels like one of those album that needs no alterations and is just perfect as it is. If I am not liking a part of it, it feels like it's because my musical palette cannot handle it yet and I just need to give it another try. If you enjoy well produced and densely packed psychedelic music, do yourself a favor and listen to this absolutely amazing classic record. You are bound to have a strong reaction to it one way or another because it just has so many ear-gasmic and/or productionally impressive moments. Bravo. Score: 10/10 Will blow your entire mind. Highlights: Up From The Skies, Spanish Castle Magic, Wait Until Tomorrow, Ain't No Telling, Little Wing, If 6 Was 9, You Got Me Floatin', Castles Made of Sand, One Rainy Wish, Bold As Love
The artistry really goes beyond Hendrix's guitar licks—what stands out to me now is the arrangement of the songs, the way he builds sonic structures out of noise and the basic instrumentation of rock with some surprises here and there of orchestral additions.
I’ve herd the first Hendrix album before (not on the generator) (love that) so I hope this is of similar quality… The album opens with Exp it’s a fun intro just like a radio interview then some noise a quite normal concept now for an album but not in the 60’s… The first song is up from the skies it’s a lot poppier than the harder bluesy Hendrix I’ve herd but I still like it especially the warped wah wah type sound. Now Spanish castle magic is what I was expecting it’s a really well made, clean rather heavy rock song with awesome guitar work. What else would you want? Wait until tomorrow is good too it’s poppy yet bluesy, a very solid love song again with great guitars. Ain’t no telling is short, fast paced and bluesy. The song isn’t the best but it works so well at this point on the album. Little wing has these little tapping glass sounds that make just an average slower song into a dreamy psychedelic lullaby it’s cool. If six was nine ends side one and it does that great it’s a slow blues song that slowly grows into insanity. You got me floating starts off side two it’s a good blend of all his sounds a short pop rock song with great guitars. Castles made of sand is a really good slow rocker with psychedelic overtones it especially ends awesomely with stereo headphones on. She’s so fine is written by noel redding (a member of the band) it’s a good song slightly Beatles sounding and I like that he was allowed to have a song as I enjoyed it quite a bit. One rainy wish has this really cool rain effect made with the instruments at the beginning which I loved. The song itself is an s tier ballad! The penultimate track little miss lover has a groove that would be perfect for a hip hop sonic the song itself is alright just a little filler for Hendrix. It all comes to a stop with bold as love it’s not my favourite but still a solid slow song. Yeah I can’t not give that a 5.
Really aweomse rock. He dives into some more experimental stuff here which I also enjoy
Jimi is one of the greatest of all time. But considering they only had three albums, this feels a little lacking in 💥Killer Hits💥. It’s not an issue of the quality of the tracks though, it’s the fact I’ve not listened to this album enough and am not familiar with all of the intricacies. In need to listen to most Hendrix.
The Hendrix album I’m least familiar with.... but it’s just excellent obviously. No guitarist comes close!
I'm still getting surprised by the amount of noise in certain old records. This was some excellent guitar music. Less energy than, say, a James Brown, but more refined and similar in terms of flourish. I imagine I need to listen to live recordings to hear the band really jam.
I was only really familiar with "Little Wing" for the most part, but this was a darn good record. Guitar work was (obviously) very strong, but I did like the songs as a whole.
Liked it a lot. Interesting to see the mix of sonic experimentation and blues songwriting.
Great alb but not my fav Jimi. Although Little Wing and If 6 was 9 are top 5 Jimi songs
Hendrix's creative genius is on full display here. Occasionally drifts into "pushing boundaries that don't need to be pushed" territory. Best track: Little Wing
Some great tracks on here, I'm sure super influential, but some ones I don't really care for too. The intro is legit awful. But a really cool and a really ahead of its time album
Unsettling swirling stereo mix on intro and some songs, otherwise as awesome as expected from Hendrix.
I feel like when I listen to an album like this I start off like 'I'm a rocker, I've forgotten this, I love this shredding shit' and then by the end my head hurts. I went on a long run and listened to this, it was a bit warm too so my head wanted to explode by the end. That being said this was exactly what I needed.
Hendrix can play the guitar, that’s obvious. Singing is secondary, but he’s solid at that too.
Enjoyed this, never really spent much time listening to Hendrix. Stand-out song was Spanish Castle Magic
Familiarity: 1/10 Notes: Although I'm familiar with his legacy and live career, I have not listened to much studio Jimi Hendrix. This album exceeded by expectations sonically and was a journey worth taking Real Rating: 7.5/10
Not a lot of hit singles on this one, but it doean't matter because the album is amazing as a whole. Hendrix's style is just great and it's hard for me not to like whatever he's recorded.
Hard to believe this came out only seven months after "Are You Experienced". Standout on this listen was "Ain't No Telling"
I didn't recognize a single riff from any song in this album, so that means I probably hadn't heard any of these before. Classic rock like this is enjoyable to listen to, but it's not a cornerstone of who I am. So whether I hear a great album or a mediocre album, they both kind of hit me as "ok". I appreciate this though, and especially in comparison to Hawkwind, I appreciate the length.
As soon as it started I thought "this is going to be awesome." And it more or less was.
Some classic guitar songs on here like Little Wing, but only a couple of these songs really make me want to listen to again.
this is one album, that if you listen to, only having heard Hendrix's hits, will honestly make you question how more of his music didn't make it on the air. this is an amazingly crafted piece of musical history, and is inspiration for countless bands and musicians out there.
Very good. Still prefer the debut and Electric Ladyland. 8/10 1. Little Wing 2. Castles Made of Sand 3. Spanish Castle Magic
Veldig kult. Har ikke hørt så mye Hendrix før, men den var ikke overaskende. Nydelig gitarspilling, kule sanger, kul synging. Ingen sanger stod ut som noe jeg ville lagt til i en liste, men det var ganske gøy å høre gjennom en gang. Kanskje jeg en dag går gjennom det igjen. For nå blir det en svak 4
No sé si mi sentir sea correcto, quizá es una obviedad, pero sentí por varias canciones como si Jimi fuera una gran influencia de Prince. Hendrix es, para mí, una de esas figuras que de tan icónicas se me han escapado, alguna canción por ahí namás, pero sin ponerle atención; después de escuchar este disco, me queda claro que los elogios no son por nada (?). Toda la parte psicodélica de repente me marea, no soy fan, pero la guitarra y el bajo de repente hacen maravillas. Sólo queda imaginarse lo que en su momento provocaba, aunque diría que, a diferencia de otra música de los 60 que nos han salido, esto me suena mucho menos ""anticuado"", a veces nada. Canciones que destacoI: "Spanish Castle Magic" y "Castles Made of Sand" (las de los castillos). Quizá "If 6 was 9" es la que me hizo ya querer el disco y tiene un gran gran cierre, esa "Bold As Love". 8.5/10
obviously incredible guitar, listened to this bad boi with headphones and that was an experience to be sure. At some points the sound was a bit overwhelming even
Entre caos, fraseos atropellados y experimentos s e encuentran canciones con una solidez envidiable a punto de encontrar el equilibrio. Apenas se muestra en pequeños fragmentos, como los dos últimos temas (magníficos) o Castles in the Sand. Pero en cualquier caso, hay momentos magistrales, emocionantes, brillantes, con una base rítmica a la altura de las circunstancias. Interesante también los intentos estereo, algunos más brillantes y efectivos que otros.
Not Hendrix’s strongest album, certainly the albums either side of this one are stronger overall. Like all Hendrix albums it lacks a little cohesion and is thematically/lyrically a bit silly. Nonetheless the Hendrix, Redding, Mitchell trio again here show their creative and technical prowess and Axis is more than deserving of its place on this list. Spanish Castle Magic is a raw and exciting psychedelic rock song and stands up against the likes of Purple Haze, Foxey Lady and Voodoo Chile, but it’s the softer side of this album where it really shines; Little Wing is just gorgeous, Castles in the Sand is breathtaking - two great examples of the genius of this man. The greatest ever.
I've never heard this album, but I've heard several singles from it - Castles made of sand, Spanish castles, 69, little wing, and bold as love. The other songs in the album really bring it together. One thing that surprised me here was how ahead of their time his producer was with stereo sound. They make it known from that first track that they're going to use stereo to its full effect. Highly recommend listening in stereo for the full album. Favorite song: don't make me choose - see above. Least favorite song: She's so fine (what the heck was that?)
This album reminds me of being a kid and my dad blasting music while cooking dinner. My senses would be overwhelmed by the vibration of the noise and the smells from the kitchen. It's that kind of unsettled wonder of being dipped into someone else's world from before you existed.
Glad I got this, a solid album. Before listening to it I only knew like 3 of Jimi’s songs but this one got me a bit hooked ngl. Favs: Little Wings, Castles Made of Sand, Bold as Love, One Rainy Wish.
Very relaxed and I love the sixties sound. The album was over before I knew it. Have not listened to the lyrics, just the flow and instruments.
Loved this album. An ageless guitar driven masterclass. Could listen to Little Wing for hours
Good. Some definite bangers in there. Appreciated many of the slower jams. Instrumentation on point as expected.
It had some really good songs. It was a fun album. First time I have heard this from start to finish
Good album. This one isn’t as good as the other two as it has less hits but it’s still Hendrix and he doesn’t make anything less than average. 7.9/10
Really enjoyed it. Cracking guitars and drums. The last track Bold as Love is brilliant
Jimi's estate is too litigious. This is the first album I have not been able to listen to through YouTube Music. It's a shame because Jimi was such an influential musician and this is limiting the potential for more people to hear and experience his music.
I was always under the impressions that people thought are you experienced was his best album and i think that is a bit shit, so this is a pleasant surprise.
u 130. albuma, već su ispucani svi Jimi Hendrixovi albumi (ovo je zadnji ispucan), i bome su svi albumi čiste četvorke, neki možd malo jače. Volim njegov zvuk, sve u svemu, dosta dobar album - energičan, hedonistički nastrojen i topao album.
Quisiera estar high on lsd, tirada en mi alfombra en los 80s escuchando esta joya en el reproductor de vinilos que acabo de comprar, brutal
So I had to bootstrap this album together from different sources on youtube so the listening experience is way out of wack. Spanish Castle Magic finally gets the album started with some really modern sound guitar. Little Wing is a forceful beautiful song. Jimmy's guitar work is outrageous how relevant is still is.
Starts so goofily but really lifts off with "Spanish Castle Magic." There's a loose almost carefree feeling to the album. Sounds like they are having fun creating things in the studio.
Pretty good album, great instrumentation. Songwriting is sort of so-so. The songs are fine, but they don't sound fully fleshed out. The album doesn't really have any breakout songs either.
Quick album to listen to. Not a bad listen - Hendrix was def a pioneer and sounded great. Can only imagine getting stoned to this in the late 60s lol 7/10.
Thom Yorke said "anyone can play guitar." And that's totally true. If you have a guitar, I guess. But not just anyone can play the guitar like Jimi Hendrix. Most songs are just a bit too short - I wanted them to keep going! And then "If 6 Was 9" showed why keeping things short was a good thing. Leave them wanting more, don't wear out your welcome. And certainly not with a weird flute solo. Was that a flute? It was weird. The song with Noel Redding vocals was also weird, and yanked me right out of the album's flow. Aside from those two minor issues, "Axis: Bold as Love" is a great glimpse at the brilliance of Hendrix. And if it was just the guitar work, that would be enough. But Jimi proves his voice works so well in his style, and that he can blend seamlessly with the Experience to create a full sound that isn't overwhelmed by one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
Little wing and castles are standout - lovely musicianship but as an album is not the most balanced
Really enjoyed this one, strong 4 that could go up over time. Some great songwriting and guitar melodies, I would probably appreciate it even more if I were a guitar player myself
Just wow, but careful about listening to the first track with any sort of hangover - although the stereo effects are pretty cool.
His first album is probably still my favorite, but the songs that dial back the psychedelics are great.
This album really showcases Jimi's creativity. It has an experimental feel to it, especially If 6 was 9, which is free form jazz-ish (is the loon sound at the end really a guitar??) and the way he jumps from funkier tracks to hard rock to ballads. There are 3-4 classic songs and the guitar playing is other-worldly.
Little Wing might be my ATF guitar picking song. Jimi is at his finest. Shame they decided to fade early and keep the song at less than 2 1/2 min. Jimi's live versions keep it going for another minute. This song is a perfect showcase for guitar players to strut their stuff. Clapton's live version was 3 x as long to allow more soloing time. Stevie Ray did a 7 min cover version and he never got around to singing the verses. Some of the experimental stuff, including the first track " Exp", was worth a try but didn't really work imo. "If 6 was 9" is an interesting experiment. Could we label this the precursor to the drum & bass genre? It's nice that Jimi gives his bass player and drummer a chance to be front and centre. The psychedelic drumming and bits following the false stop in Bold as Love are enjoyable as are the two castle songs. Overall not Jimi's best LP but still quite good.
Finally got to listen to an album I own on vinyl. Really like this album and it's psychadelic soundscapes. Good stuff!
I punkish friend of one of my sisters taped this for me when I was 14 back in 1987. He'd taken the liberty of excluding Exp and the Noel Redding track, which was a good call. This is the first time I listened to this album since the early 90s but it still is a sonic blast and Hendrix was a true pathfinder. I had forgotten what a good lyricist he was, especially with Little Wing and Castles Made of Sand. Got me listening to a bunch of other Hendrix today which isn't not a bad thing
It really had that generic Jimi Hendrix vibe, kinda outlandish and interesting. The guitar playing in this album is amazing, you zone out when he is just shredding on the guitar.
What can you say? Classic. A very specific moment in music and the world that coagulated into a cultural high point that couldn't happen again the same way.
Classic rock sound, not listened to much Hendrix before and liked the songwriting and guitar work but also surprised by the drums. Good stuff.
The bridging link between AYE and EL. Some songs play like basic psychedelic rock, others play like the heavy rock and blues influenced EL. I'm more partial to the latter, but the whole record is pretty nice, with some relaxing moods and heavy tracks. Favorite tracks: "Spanish Castle Magic", "Little Wing", "Ain't No Telling"
Some of this is not perfect, but a lot of it is perfect. Little Wing is one of those songs that defines Hendrix. The Rolling Stones would only be so lucky to put together 2:25 like that, and they have tried...like all the time. Castles Made of Sand is another masterpiece. This is Hendrix at his lyrical best, but also maybe some of his rhythm guitar best. Like I said some of this is messy, but what a follow up to Are You Experienced. It doesn't reach the heights of that one, but damn close.
Trippy cover, trippy album, though what they have to do with each other is unclear. Listening to any individual song is rewarding, but is isn't an easy listen, not to me at least. I was particularly entranced with One Rainy Wish. My favorite on the album is Little Wing. All in all a pretty amazing work of art.
Super interesting album. The instrumentation, specifically the guitar work, was phenomenal (it's Jimi Hendrix, what did you expect?). The basslines also stood out to me, and I thought they fit each song very well. Seeing the vocal and lyrical prowess of Hendrix on this album was also very fun, and I feel like it's overshadowed by his guitar playing. No matter the case, this album, albeit short and sweet, is certainly solid and worth a listen.
I was in a different headspace when I first listened to this album for this project (I had listened before), and didn't remember what rating I would have given it, so I decided to re-listen. Oh no, listening to Jimi Hendrix again :) 1. Exp- I may try to ignore this song so it doesn't unfairly torpedo my ranking of the whole album. It was acoustically upsetting and I was looking forward to it being over. 2. Up from the Skies- I've always liked this song and still do. I like when Jimi is a little bit chill :) 3. Spanish Castle Magic- A little heavier than I'm usually in the mood for, but it's done well. 4. Wait Until Tomorrow- One of my favorite songs on the album. I like how it has more of a hint of strutting soul in places than most of his tracks. 5. Ain't No Telling- Solid album track. 6. Little Wing- Good guitar, which, duh, but the opening made me just want to close my eyes and listen. It isn't one of my very favorites overall, but it's a nice one from this album. 7. If 6 Was 9- Good lyrics, good guitar. It was too intense for me on my first 1,001 albums listen, but I enjoyed it a bit more the second time. It does still go a little too sharp and trippy toward the end for me, though. 8. You Got Me Floatin'- This one is fine, nothing special for me. 9. Castles Made of Sand- Pretty sounds but depressing lyrics. I also don't get the last verse. 10. She's So Fine- Weird to hear a different voice on a Hendrix album, but apparently Noel Redding got to do this thing. It has a little more of a "traditional" late '60s rock sound, but it's likable. 11. One Rainy Wish- Not remarkable, but it was fine :) 12. Little Miss Lover- At the very beginning it reminded me of Tommy Roe's Dizzy (which came out after, so there you go) but I was like, what else does it remind me of? Oh, Foxy Lady LOL 13. Bold As Love- This wraps up the album well. Oh that guitar at the end bumps it up a little :) Going song-by-song has made me a little pickier than I would have been, so I should call this a 4.5 instead of just 4. Even with the songs I don't like as well, I can almost listen to this album all the way through. (Some days I know I couldn't take the sadness on Castles Made of Sand, and in an ideal world I skip Exp every time.)
I don't really like the mix on this, there's nothing natural about it. No doubt some of the effects they were using would've been revolutionary. Fond memories of Castles Made of Sand being played on road trips.
Great tunes. The guitar work is so technical and yet so smooth and dreamy. What a god.
First half is stellar and 'Little Wing' alone is worth the price of admission. Second half lags a little though with 'Castles Made of Sand' the only major highlight.
I really liked it, liked pretty much every song. I had to go back and remind myself what each song sounded like though, it just flowed to I couldn’t tell when songs would change(which is good or bad)
The Hendrix album I am least familiar with, I reckon. Gets off to a bit of a rocky start, but soon hits its groove. Fave track - "If 6 was 9", perhaps? "Castles Made of Sand" and "Bold As Love" are both contenders too...
first 2 songs sucked lol Ain't no telling - zany, upbeat, cocaine-fuelled guitar strangling Little Wing - classic and sexy If 6 was 9 -
Why is Little Wing so short. It's just getting started and it ends, I want more. Patchier and scratchier than the debut certainly but still some stonkers here.
For me this album is not as good as are you experienced or electric ladyland but it's still an absolute classic. 4.5* instead of 5*. Fave tracks: castles made of sand, little wing and if 6 was 9.
I like this album. The songs mostly jump into life and they are inventive. JHs work as astonishing. It feels like its recorded live which is good. Little Wing and the title track are classics. Its a tad indulgent at times but i think that is part of its charm. 4 I think.
Drugi krazek w dyskografii Jimiego Hendrixa i jego Experience, plyta z 67 jest pozycja mocno osluchana, ktora jednak zostaje gdzies w tyle poza dwoma pozostalymi albumami zespolu, moze to przez przesadna eksperymentalnosc w niektorych momentach, bo jest sporo zabawy przesterami na trakach jak openingowy exp czy little miss lover, kolejnym powodem dlaczego nie jest to fajf starowy krazek jest jego czas grania, bo 13 trakow jest upchniete na 39 minutach, co daje mocno radiowe czasy grania poszczegolnych utworow, a jak dla mnie w muzyce Hendrixowej to wlasnie epickie instrumentalne fragmenty ciagnace sie po kilka minut robia najwieksza robote, ale i tak mocno zbazowany jestem oceniajac takie albumy ktore sluchalo sie x razy wczesniej, gdzie zna sie juz trakliste i teksty, a sam odsluch jest pewnego rodzaju przenoszeniem sie w czasie do poprzednich sesji sluchawkowych, magiczna sprawa jak i caly krazek ma w sobie cos magicznego, bo przeciez temat milosci mozna rowniez poruszyc w mistycznym znaczeniu, tutaj dochodzi do tego jeszcze orientalnosc, ktora bije juz z samej okladki czy liryki hiszpanskich zamkow w chmurach czy pisakowych budowli, na plejke raczej nic nowego nie dodam, ale hajlajtowymi trakami sa dla mnie z dzisiejszego sluchania zamykajacy bold utwor bedacy rowniez tytulem albumu, wiec bold as love oraz if 6 was 9, za te jego surowosc wyrozniajaca sie na plejliscie no i przez te dzikie dzwieki ktore ciezko rozszyfrowac nawet po tylu odsluchach, sporo tutaj lejerowych niespodzianek pochowanych
The first two songs had me a little worried, because they felt meh and were missing significant guitar sections. But it definitely picked up by the third song. Not his most impressive album, but still magnificent from a musical and enjoyment perspective.
I have never listening to a Hendrix album, I only know his stuff in the every present social culture of his hits, inclusion on soundtracks/comps etc. This album is great, and a lot more noisy and disjointed than I was expecting--in a very good way. Dude rips for sure.
Liked it, though I think it merits another listen. I don't feel I was able to truly appreciate it yet.
Me encantó el juego con el paneo y obviamente la guitarra de Jimi. Quizá en algunos puntos es mucha psicodelia pero hay varias rolas muy buenas.
Not my favorite Hendrix album, but another easy listen. Feel like he doesn't get enough credit as a songwriter, people just think woo-hoo-guitar-guy.
Skulle ønske jeg likte det mer enn jeg gjorde. Syns albumet mangler den råheten jeg syns albumet trenger.
Very "out there" experimental funky psychedelic guitar playing. An influential and important album, I'm sure, but it's one that I'm only happy to have listened to purely for its historical significance. Hendrix's talent is undeniable, but I couldn't really get into the album and I didn't find it especially enjoyable to listen to.
Tighter and poppier than I would have expected. I've not listened to this studio album before now, but was expecting more of the psychedelic freeform guitar work he's know for. Still firmly in the stoner category but less trippy. The title track in particular is a great balance of the styles. Despite the documented recording difficulties of the album, I'm impressed by the clarity and imaging.
Aye it's sick like what do you want me to say just wagga wagga woo on the geet all day boy wouldn't know how to do a tax return but he would know how to do a slight return I tell ya what voodoo chile
Not my favourite Hendrix album but even this one has some incredible playing. A bit uneven and disjointed though
Struggled to actually listen to the album through the links. Not sure if that was just me...
Quite nice. Much mellower and less noodling than I would have expected. Fine, but not massively memorable.
some classics mixed in with other standard jimi. probs listen to a mix album instead of this specifically but otherwise good.
Jimi Hendrix is a legend. The guitar work is just on a different level. This style of music isn't something I care to listen to often, but there are some jams on here for sure.
Another album I'd like to give more time but really just needed to catch up. One listen was pretty enjoyable, so I think I could come back to this one Saved: Little Wing, Bold as Love
Enjoyable listen, has one of my fave Hendrix tracks in Castles Made of Sand but quite a lot is forgettable albeit lovely to listen to
Jimi Hendrix is always good, but l would say there are only a few must hear songs on this (along with all his albums).
Not my kind of music but I enjoyed it, there were some songs I really liked despite de album started boring me by the end, the guitar in this album is so melodic and clear, not sure if I would listen to this again but it was good.
I love Little Wing, Spanish Castle Magic and the title track, but not much else is as memorable. Great guitar and drumming as usual.
this definitely isn't hendrix at his best but it still had a few good songs really not into that pyschedelic bit that every 60s artist felt like they had to do
Там много новых идей, но он размытый, это как бы зачатки идей не доведенные до ума, но есть 1-2 цельных песни. Возможно из-за такого вокала и ухода от мелодии альбом не цепанул. Но в этом определённо что-то есть. На момент выхода это было невероятно наверное
I wanna like this more than I do. Clearly Jimi Hendrix is a guitar-god, but when it comes to listening pleasure it's just... ok? Personal enjoyment is a 3.5.
What exactly was the point of the first track? This album contains some good songs (Little Wing, Castles Made of Sand, One Rainy Wish), but I really don't care for the noisy sound effects that a lot of artists on this list appear to be a fan of. Second half of the album is generally better.
This is hard to rate, because more than a couple of the songs on here kind of feel like they exist just as an excuse for Jimi Hendrix to have a guitar solo. But those solos are INCREDIBLE. And there are some pretty good songs on here too. Not sure if all the panning was necessary. Things would randomly move quickly all around and I don't know why. Overall, solid album with some quirks.
There are some elite tracks on here: Little Wing, If a 6 Was 9, Castles Made of Sand, and Bold As Love. A 5 star bonanza of sorts. The rest…mmm…a lot of filler. These other 9 songs drown out the elite and drag this album down to mediocrity.
Trippy intro, the time before trippy intros were cliche. Wild to think this is the same year as sgt peppers. Not really into this kind of guitar rock any more, but little wing still slaps.
This is a solid album with some fine songs, but it doesn’t have any knock out punches that we got on his debut album Are you experienced or his 3rd release Electric Ladyland. She’s so fine and Exp seem out of place and result in an uneven effort.
Some of my favorite Hendrix songs are on here (i.e. Castles Made of Sand), but this is probably my least favorite Hendrix album. Just not that deep.
I'm enjoying it more and more on each listen. So far the standout tracks have been Castles Made of Sand—She's So Fine—One Rainy Wish. I appreciate the excellent guitars but not something I tend to gravitate towards in music. Feels a bit wasted on me, tbh. 3.5/5
It occurred to me that, while I really like some of Hendrix’ songs, I don’t think they combine into particularly good albums.
New album to me. Enjoyed much more than other JH collections. That said, not my favorite music.
This album surprised me a bit. I didn't expect to hear Noel Redding singing or a skit about aliens, for starters. Then there are some poppier tracks than on the debut, and also some more soulful tunes that clearly inspired John Frusciante etc (Little Wing, Bold as Love - these are the highlights for me). One Rainy Wish was my favourite new discovery. Lush. 3/3.5
In realtà non è che mi sia particolarmente piaciuto. Queste meteore brillanti della storia della musica - che si schiantano in fretta - mi generano un po' di sospetto.
The actual album as a whole is not the greatest but if you just listen to the guitar it’s amazing. Jimi is a wizard on the axe
Very cool, very trippy album by Jimi Hendrix. I felt like I should have been on mushrooms or acid to appreciate this to the fullest! Hendrix is a master on the guitar and it is evident here. I don't know I'd it was the version that I listened to on Apple music but the way the album was recorded and mastered it seemed like some sounds and vocals would switch ears. Again all the more reason to be in a different mind state to appreciate, lol. No real stand out tracks for me at least after only one listen, but there were also no tracks of his that I have heard before on this album. For me I would definitely have to give this album a second and more focused listen.
Great guitar play as always but the songs itself lack a real structure and are not much more than some jam sessions
I will always respect him, but the arrangements and general production and psychadelia are not for me.
No me ha parecido una cosa súper interesante. No está mal, pero tampoco es que digas o que obra maestra.
I always thought that Jimi was a bit overrated and this didn't change my mind in the least. Dude can play guitar, but there's some real dud songs to be found here. Jimi didn't really sing very well either. I'll die on that hill. Virtuoso guitar player, boring vocalist. In the end, I did actually enjoy it more than I disliked it though; mostly because of Jimi's guitar abilities. A 3. I'd much rather listen to Are You Experienced? if I was to listen to an entire album.
This is totally the sound I had envisioned when hearing about Hendrix. Its got the psychedelia, it's got the guitars and all of the guitar solos which are undoubtedly absolute top notch. However, that is not enough to save many of the songs of the album of which are quite frankly forgettable. Axis: Bold As Love has an airiness to it, where it is easy to see how Hendrix & team have a high (pun intended) association with hippies and stoners. Looking at the album cover will definitely trip you out. Best: Castles Made Of Sand Worst: One Rainy Wish
All good songs. A couple of great songs. Had never heard this entire album before and I was expecting more. 3.5 stars
Jimi Experimenting. Not as powerful as his debut album, "Are You Experienced" but still has some classics many have come to know and love, of course Little Wing being the star of the show. While outside the main hitters, there are not any songs that standout, compared to the slew of classics other albums may have, this is an easy listen however, and any Jimi fan will appreciate what he has going on, especially as he was starting his career.
I find the slower pieces more to my liking, the imprisoned more easily appreciated. I recognize the exceptional quality of the arrangements and of his guitar playing
Mucha textura, un par de canciones interesantes, parece ensayo para lo que hizo en discos más adelante. Lo más interesante Little Wing, If 6 was 9, Little Miss Lover.
Nope. Who thought any of these backing vocals were tolerable? EXP is also a really rough start. Little Wing carries a star... Bold as Love and One Rainy Wish helps. I can leave the rest.
Mucha textura, un par de canciones interesantes, parece ensayo para lo que hizo en discos más adelante. Lo más interesante Little Wing, If 6 was 9, Little Miss Lover.
No coneixia aquest disc de Hendrix. És innegable la seva aportació al rock i la seva gran perícia amb la guitarra. Tot i així, aquest àlbum m'ha deixat una mica indeferent. He trobat a faltar algun hit més clar, temes més concrets i directes. Crec que Jimi Hendrix té millors àlbums que aquest.
Alot going on with that cover. Enjoyed the guitars but thought the songs lacked hooks and melodies. For someone so legendary i was left a little dissapointed. 2/5
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Spanish Castle Magic, Wait Until Tomorrow, Castles Made of Sand Cutting Edge: Bold as Love Overall Notes: Messy by design. Not the biggest fan of these classic electric guitar driven albums, so this isn't really my thing. Seeing that Little Wing had over 180 million streams shocked me. 2.5 that I'll round down because some of these songs are borderline unlistenable.
Speciel intro. Hyggeligt nok, men tror ikke jeg vil lytte til det igen. Ikke lige min kop te tbh. Også lidt for rocket til mig
Guitar obviously impressive, and often engaging. Lyrics are not as intelligent as they should be. Would not listen to a second time.
Never been a massive Hendrix fan. The album is ok, but much prefer other artists from this era. 2/5
even more trippy than "experience", not my jam, but I respect the innovation and expertise
Excuse me while I diss this guy. I’m not a fan of Jimi Hendrix AT ALL. The only reason I’m not giving this a 1 (my “it shouldn’t have been included” rating) is because music critics and time clearly feel otherwise.
Another album is fine. I really feel like you need to be in the right setting to enjoy this kind of music. Not the best for the work day, but bliss relaxing/being social.
I want so badly to like Jimi Hendrix, but he never sounds like I want him to. How's that for messed up
Альбом звучит как набор лабораторных демок, которые по-отдельности возможно и звучат неплохо, но вместе...
Iconic album
Dat begint goed. Als je dit gehoord hebt kun je echt nog niet dood!