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. In the top 10 albums from the entire project for me.

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

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.

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.

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

(4/5) I don't think this is Hendrix's best work. At first the beginning of the album kinda freaked me out and I thought I'd have another "Surf's Up" (a confused non-Beach Boys album.. by the Beach Boys. It's weird.), but a few tracks in his guitar lit up. Jimi truly was the best of the best on that instrument, but it sounds like he was still finding his footing here as a performer. It's mostly just stock standard 60s rock/psychedelia **with Jimi Hendrix on guitar**. That's all that makes this even remotely work. Anyone else and it would have tanked. I'll reserve my '5' for him for "Electric Ladyland" and "Are You Experienced" which for my money are way better. There are a few good tracks but the rest is .. ok. I'll wait.

I could listen to Jimi Hendrix tear an electric guitar to shreds for a long while. The guitar might or might not survive but it’d be good listening. He was a virtuoso with one in his hand and listening to him play on a trqck makes me want to believe every myth, legend, and tall tale ever told about him. Hendrix was a collection of hits when I was growing up so this is a rare album listen. Not my first time, but not often done. I had the ‘92 collection, The Ultimate Experience, when I was in high school and wore that CD out. Not many tracks from Axis on it though, just three. “Little Wing,” “Castles Made of Sand,” and “Waiting Until Tomorrow.” So the legacy of this album is apparently lower than the bands others. Which is to say not bad, but not the best. 4/5

A little bit calmer Hendrix album, but still pretty psychedelic. Maybe not his strongest overall, but still a good listen. A weak 4.

Some real good stuff, just not consistent enough to pull a full 5 stars

Not the best Hendrix album, it certainly starts off pretty poor. But some great stuff on here nonetheless.

Jimi is a master of rock and roll. This is psychedelic rock at its peak. This is some of the best rock of all time. Hendrix was a once-in-a-generation talent, and I am happy every day that I get to listen to his genius.

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

Maybe it's just me, but this was at least a 4 when it came up this morning, though I was unfamiliar with it and had stuck to Are You Experienced and Electric Ladyland previously. But this one is... not great, especially as a followup to Are You Experienced. And is the production absolute ass or is that just Spotify?? No brightness at all, super muffled and echoey. I've had that complaint about lots of stuff from that era, but this one's strikingly bad. There's certainly some good stuff here, but there's way more noise and experimental shit than I expected, which detracted from the face melting guitar. Still comes in at a 3/5 for me, which is very disappointing.

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

First track is super annoying, gets better throughout but my deep hatred for guitar solos doesn't make it better. Maybe some acid would help though. Probably something that should be listened more than once so I really "get" it. Little wing is quite nice.

I understand who Hendrix is within the history of music. And guitar playing, in particular. But I’ve never owned any of his albums. And I don’t enjoy listening to his music. And the last few weeks of albums generated to our group- we just hit 100- made me more curious about who chose & influenced these particular 1000+ albums. And specifically, what % of contributors were women (I only saw she/he pronouns in my physical copy of the book from 2013). From my math- about 15% was the answer. We started this project with the website alone. Then, halfway into our first 100 albums, we ordered the book. But I never read the preface written by the Rolling Stones founding editor Michael Lyndon or Dimery’s introduction to the book. And I only briefly looked at the bios of the individual contributors. Until now. The preface put into words part of my struggle with this project: time. I often feel like I need more time before making a decision and rating an album. “On first listening, albums unfold as books and movies unfold, each track (or chapter or scene) carrying us further into unknown territory…. over weeks and months we explore the album, hearing new beauties with each replay.” So, I started a playlist of albums I felt warranted more time- and I’ve revised a few of my original reviews after spending more time with a particular album. But the other issue I keep bumping into is what I’ll call the agro bro vibe of classic rock and metal and unfortunately, even much of early punk rock- my personal first love. And this list leans hard into that vibe at times. I’m not sure whether that says more about who gets to make music or who gets to review music or both. None of that really falls under the review or this Hendrix album per se. But it did send me down this rabbit hole…

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.

groovy, fun, free spirited , passionate I like it , it's such an exciting experience!!!!

How The fuck Do you go from Spanish Castle Magic to Wait Until Tomorrow to Ain't No Telling to Little Wing like that, change all music forever, and do so with zero pretension If this isn't a 5 nothing is, and all of Jimi's will be

9/10 In slightly under a year and a half, the Jimi Hendrix Experience released all three of their studio albums, before Jimi’s untimely death in 1970. The quality of work that they released in such a short period of time is frankly, astounding. Jimi not only redefined what it was to play the guitar, but he did it with a staggering selection of songs that showcase not only his instrumental prowess, but also his pretty remarkable songwriting ability. This second record of that trilogy feels very much like a perfect middle ground when listened in context of those other releases. The slightly more structured songwriting focus of Are You Experienced is pulled a little further out of shape, while the instrumental freedom of the recording process is given more room to shine, while not being stretched into quite the freeform psychedelic experience of Electric Ladyland. Instrumentally, each of the group is given a little more space to indulge in their virtuosity. Jimi is obviously the star here, but both Noel Redding and, in particular Mitch Mitchell get the opportunity to shine again and again across pretty much the full track list. Mitchell’s drumming is frequently phenomenal, with a superb balance between jazz and rock drum styles, engendering the rhythm of the album with groove and drive in equal measure. Indeed there were moments when I had to wind back and listen to some of the fills and flourishes a second time, just to take them in. But I do obviously have to speak about the main man. Jimi’s quite obviously a guitar legend, who shaped the future of the instrument through his virtuosity and approach to the instrument, but what stands out most about his playing to me is how easy and organic it all sounds. Sometimes when you hear top guitarists play, you can almost hear them butting up against the edge of their talent, but with Jimi, it almost feels like he’s got another gear he could move into if he wanted to, but he doesn’t bother because he’d prefer to play with soul than with a focus on technicality. It’s just so smooth and cool to listen to and almost feels like it’s just flowing out of his fingers on a whim, things are so easily delivered. And we also have to mention his vocals here, because Jimi himself fought to have his vocal parts reduced in volume, so little did he believe in his own vocal talents. But in reality, his conversational, semi-sung vocal delivery is a perfect foil for the more instrumentally focused group. He performs with soul and charisma, but also leaves space for the music to shine, and a “better” vocalist would likely have tried to dominate in a way that would likely have been detrimental to the music as a whole. So we know the band are one of the best to ever do it, but what about the songs? To my ear, while I think the instrumental performances and freedom of expression on this album are a step up from Are You Experienced, the songs themselves are slightly less consistent and strong on this second outing. There are some stunners of course, but there are times when the freedom of instrumental performance slightly detracts from the song as a whole. Only to a minor degree, of course, but enough that this record feels just a touch weaker as a whole than that debut, despite the fact that instrumentally, it probably display superior performances. Things don’t get as loose as they do on the third record, but tracks like If Six Was Nine and She’s So Fine don’t quite connect as well as the choicest cuts on the album. But despite that, this is still an incredible listen that’s well worth anyone’s time. EXP - I mean, it’s a bit weird, but I kind of get what they were going for here. It does feel a quite dated concept, but the sound design work is at least gritty and interesting. Up From The Skies - Mitch Mitchell dropping in some excellent jazz drumming work to kick the album proper off. It’s a smooth blend of jazz and rock with a funky edge and a laid-back, freedom to the playing that still manages to stay coherent and consistent, despite indulging in those moments of freedom. The tone for the guitar solo at the end is absolutely banging too. Spanish Castle Magic - More of a straight rock tone now and this feels so energetic and driven. There are some stonking riffs, pinned down expertly by the bass of Noel Redding. Jimi lets loose with his solo, but it never descends into the completely off-the-wall wankery that he became more prone to later in his career. It’s not got the greatest central hook, but in terms of raw power, it punches in pretty damn strongly. Wait Until Tomorrow - This album is pretty broad, but has a great flow to it. This is smooth and funky and, unsurprisingly, the guitar is free-flowing and deft in all of the best ways. Noel and Mitch play an essential part of pinning down that groove though, and there’s so much feel between the three as they hunker down in the pocket. This has a more pop hook centre to it, but it’s actually given a slight back-seat by the production choices, allowing the funk and groove to occupy centre stage, but giving things enough hook to connect on multiple fronts. Excellent work. Ain't No Telling - And now we’re getting pace and groove in equal measure. The little drops into triplet groove are banging and, in fact the rhythmic range across the whole track absolutely pops. There are echoes of 60’s rock in the composition, but the band drags it kicking and screaming out of the 60s and throws it a hundred years into the future. My 8 year old son danced his way into the room while this was on with a massive grin on his face, so it still works. Little Wing - Hendrix has this way of making everything he plays sound like it’s just flowing out of his guitar and all he’s doing is channelling it out of the ether. It just feels so fluid and organic. His approach is very jazz coded in some ways, but with a self-taught, rock inspired core rather than one founded in theory. This is so smooth, but also has bite and rhythm to it. It’s just bloody excellent. If Six Was Nine - The pause and restraint in the groove here is funky and heavy in equal measure. It’s really not that far from Sabbath in some respects. And then we get more psychedelic rock through other sections. This one does have a tendency to get a little bit looser and further from its core in places, but positioned as the final track on the first side, I think it works pretty well despite that. Not my favourite, but pretty fun from a sonic point of view. You've Got Me Floating - This one touches back to that 60s rock sound and feels a bit more of a straightforward composition. It’s a pretty good example though, and there are some fun bits of production that add interest. It’s still got great groove and punch to it, and it feels like it’s easing us in to the second side, especially as it starts to ramp up the weirdness towards the end. Castles Made Of Sand - A classic, and another fine example of that fluid ‘dragged out of the ether’ guitar playing. This has got a more understated feel to it, but Mitch Mitchell still gives it power in the groove. The reversed guitar work is so well executed that it slips seamlessly into the mix, while adding a psychedelic flair and tone. The melodic work of this is actually pretty subtle, but it’s very, very good. She's So Fine - Noel Redding gets his track now. It’s pretty decent, but it definitely doesn’t feel as special or groundbreaking as Jimi’s stuff and the far more generic British rock vocal doesn’t help elevate it either. Mitch’s drumming is excellent though, and Jimi gets his moments to shine here and there too, particularly when he solos towards the end, dragging things into more psychedelic territory. Not a bad album track. One Rainy Wish - Back to the more ethereal, dreamy trip vibe of Castles Made Of Sand now, but with a heavier, rock coded section to spin around. Jimi’s guitar tone is again dripping with cool, but in different ways through the different sections, which is interesting. The melodic focus is a bit looser, but in a satisfying way, and the guitar and vocal weave around each other beautifully during the more ethereal sections. Lovely. Little Miss Lover - And now we lean back into that funk groove with loads of punch and grit. There’s a focused centre to things here, but the band are all just playing around it and having great fun strutting their stuff. It feels both free and focused in the best possible way, and the rhythm of it all is so moreish. Bold As Love - A cool, laid back groove to kick us off now. There’s more punch and drive through the choruses, but it’s the free-flowing guitar work of the verses that give this its highest level of quality and feel. There are some quality bits of melodic work in the vocals, but they’re again given a bit of a back seat to the instrumental work. As one would expect, Jimi’s solo work is soaring and excellent, and there’s a lovely edge of grit to it here too. There’s a slightly jarring cut after the drum solo, but other than that, this is great and descends into a spacey, psychedelic treat by the close.

Classic blues-rock with elements of psychedelia — I really love Jimi Hendrix, a true innovator and artist

"I just wanna die when it's time for me to die. So let me live my life the way I want to" My issue with the 5 stars system is that there will be records you'll find who just can't be described by that simple metric. The Jimi Hendrix Experience entire discography falls under that case, and while most fans will argue over AYE or Electric Ladyland being the best, I'll rest my case on the middle ground being perfectly enjoyable and one of the most underappreciated Rock masterpieces. These funky grooves and acid effects accompanied by Hendrix's nonchalant wit are unmatched. Jimi often played with the idea of being a supernatural alien, but what his poetry (disguised by his unpeccable music) shows is that his emotions are more human than anyone would think. Just listen to the title track: "My red is so confident that he flashes trophies of war and ribbons of euphoria Orange is young, full of daring, but very unsteady for the first go round My yellow in this case is not so mellow. In fact, I'm trying to say it's frightened like me And all these emotions of mine keep holding me from giving my life to a rainbow like you" For all the earthling aliens who felt misplaced in this cold world ran by white-collared conservatives pointing fingers at them, Jimi vocalized those feelings. Few acts have made music comparable to them, and I think no guitarist ever managed to top Hendrix. That was a once in a lifetime experience, indeed... Highlights: Spanish Castle Magic, Castles Made of Sand, If 6 was 9, Bold as Love

Every time a Hendrix album comes up in this project, it puts me in such a good mood. And this is possibly his most upbeat record of the three. “Wait Until Tomorrow”, “Ain't No Telling” and “Little Miss Lover” are the perfect examples of that energetic, positive groove that's present throughout the album. But there's a lot more than standard rock fare going on here. The record starts off in the weirdest way possible. We step into the middle of a quirky interview about UFOs. Warbling pitch-shifted voices debate the existence of extra-terrestrials, before Jimi's guitar melts our ears with some crazy sci-fi noises, panning from left to right until it's revolving around us in a circle. Trippy. What a way to open. “Up From the Skies” is an understated (and criminally underrated), dark, dusty wah-soaked blues tune. “You Got Me Floatin’” and “Castles Made of Sand” are two very different songs that share one common element: reversed guitar effects. The former is a lively rock tune made more interesting by the decision to play Jimi's solo backwards. The latter is slower and lighter, full of gorgeous, complex guitar riffs. The reversed guitar acts as a swirling texture here, before another backwards solo. My favourite part is when the riff is slowed down at the end, before an intense outro. “One Rainy Wish” begins like it's going to be the trippy jazzy track of the album. It's soft and spacey, but in true Hendrix style, it switches up from a minor to a major and the chorus gets a bit more bite. And what a chorus that is. I'd forgotten how great this song is. Seriously, what a tune! But there are three absolute classics on this album that deserve special mention. “Little Wing” starts off with one of the most iconic guitar intros of all time. Every single guitarist in the world has tried (and failed) to replicate this intro perfectly. Jimi was a phenomenal rhythm guitarist - his fills are from another world. And this song is a perfect example of his ingenuity when it came to rhythm guitar. That whammy bar lead-in to his solo is absolutely inspired. One of the all-time great solos (one of two on this album). And it doesn't stay around a second longer than it has to, fading out mid-solo. A gruff minimalist riff signals in the amazing “If 6 Was 9”. The intro riff switches to match Jimi's vocals, but an octave lower. And just as momentum is building, the chorus bursts into an explosion of jazz. That moment when his guitar hits that E7 note in the second verse… my gawd! Hendrix’s song-writing and lyricism is full of confidence here: “If all the hippies cut off all their hair, I don't care.” There’s a moment of silence before Jimi's spoken word interlude. Then as he declares “I'm gonna wave my freak flag high”, he does so by dunking us head-first in a full-on jazz odyssey. It's amazing. We're not done yet. In the final verse, we have delay and echo-soaked guitar effects lingering in the background, and Mitch's drums can't contain themselves, consuming Jimi's vocals completely. And just when you think the song has gone in every direction, that crazy recorder comes in. And we haven't even gotten to the best song on the album yet. “Anger”, chug-chug. Hendrix’s guitar mimics the lyric, sounding like a gun being cocked. Jimi's lyricism is at its absolute best here in the title track. Colours represent emotions, personified. Like some sort of anthropomorphic synesthesia. The verse melody is great, but the take-off to the sparkling guitar textures of the chorus is just epic. Then Jimi crawls up the fretboard in anticipation of launching into one of the greatest solos of all time. The song sums up the album perfectly: melodic, intensely enjoyable and still out-there. A false ending is broken-up by a phaser-affected drum fill, before an even better guitar solo kicks off, in an amazing coda. Phaser effects swoosh all around our heads as Hendrix plays us out in the best way imaginable.

Favorite Track: Bold as Love

Great album, although more trippy and out there than I was expecting. Iconic album so 5 stars, but not something I'd listen to often.

2nd time listening and holy is it amazing. Love the psychedelic vibe and reverse guitars!

Loved the guitar

Brilliant. Not quite on the level of Electric Ladyland, but still some of the best guitar and songwriting I've ever heard. Little wing is one of the most gorgeous songs ever written, spanish castle magic + if 6 was 9 + castles made of sand + bold as love are all insane. Only weak point might be the weird intro (which I kind of like) and up from the skies isn't a great first real song

fuck yeah 9/10 best song - castles made of sand

Not as fire as Are You experienced but Jimi is a legend

Jimi was a bit underrated as a song writer as well

ohh yeah im aaa im bold as loveeeee

Jimmy dropped his nuts of this one, he really cooked.

Obviously a fantastic album, i have nothing negative to say about it, just great overall, easily one of the best albums ever guitar-wise.

Another great record of Jimmi. It all went by in a long psychedelic funky rush. Altough psychedelic, it was all very listenable. I especially liked Spanish Castle Magic.

Another great Jimi Hendrix album. This one is more funk than rock compared to his other albums, but still very fitting of the incredible work this man can do on a guitar. Definitely an album I will be checking out again later