Axis: Bold As Love

Jimi Hendrix’s ability to fuse rock and blues with his own psychedelic flair—creating almost unearthly sounds from an upside-down, restrung guitar that still leave listeners in awe—is absolutely legendary. Listening to Axis: Bold as Love in full for the first time was an experience in itself. I’d heard a few tracks over the years through a compilation album I picked up decades ago, but hearing the record front to back felt almost spiritual. The album plays like a journey, with Hendrix guiding you through it as each track flows seamlessly into the next, building toward the finale, “Bold as Love.” I have to admit, the final minute and a half gave me chills and nearly brought me to tears, especially with the way it feels like a reprise swelling to the finish. Out of Hendrix’s tragically small discography, this may honestly be my favorite album. Saying he died too soon feels like a devastating understatement.

This album is so solid and well produced. While there are fewer big hits, it doesn't remotely take away how excellent it is from beginning to end.

Timeless

This is Hendrix at his most hippie dippie and, honestly, I love it.

New journeys on every listen.

I have the mono vinyl version of this album in my collection having bought it back in 1967. Just checked on Discogs and an A1 copy is worth quite a bit. Unfortunately my copy bears all the scars of being played incessantly by a teenage boy on crappy equipment. Not that I would sell it in any case as this album is responsible not only for many happy memories but also the musical direction I was to proceed down. The album art is instantly recognisable and carrying it around then was like a badge of honour. You were stating then how different you were. Musical snobbery but in a good way. I still love to tell anyone who wants to listen that I was into Hendrix way before most of my contemporaries. It was a joy to listen to the album again today. I streamed it over Apple Music which was great but not quite the experience I have when playing my vinyl copy. It’s really on its last legs but I do love all those familiar hisses, cracks and jumps which I can anticipate in same way as the music. The best accolade I can give this album is the fact that my youngest son can give an excellent rendition of Little Wing on his guitar. The satisfaction I get from that is immense. A warm glow emanates from my soul knowing with the help of this album, I taught him well. If in doubt how good this album is - Just ask the Axis, he knows everything. 5/5 20/5/25

Maybe too trippy for some but what Hendrix could do with a guitar will never be topped.

Overall: 9/10 I love this album. It's psychedelic and heavy, but it has moments of chilling out as well. I do think Are You Experienced is a bit better but it's pretty close. Fav Song: If 6 Was 9

Might be nostalgia, but I think this is my favorite Hendrix album. It's the first I owned (on vinyl) back in high school, and it brings back memories of spinning it in my small basement bedroom and expanding the universe.

Axis may not show Jimi at his most boundary pushing - but it presents an absolutely rock-solid collection of brilliant tracks. Sublime.

Some prime psychedelic rock from one of the best to do it. Solid 5 Stars.

I’m at a 10. It’s not quite as “dazzling” as “Electric Ladyland” or “Are You Experienced” from an instrumental standpoint, but still mesmerizingly strong. I suspect the reason this has a 3.77 on the site as opposed to the other Hendrix albums is the lack of utterly mental guitar solos that feel lightyears ahead, or at least, not as many of them as one would hope for. Sure, I’d hope for them too, but this album makes up for it by balancing out the instrumentation more equally & giving just a little bit more attention to the lyrics / vocals. This album is meant to evoke a dreamier atmosphere, hence all of the ‘floating’ imagery & the vivid descriptions that are made to capture love in its most potent form. It’s less about the actions that get you there (though Jimi does seem almost as horny as Prince on a few tracks), but more about the feelings you experience. An axis is the line that everything centers around, & this album is Jimi’s attempt to capture that exact center, including its highest highs & the woeful lows that can emerge from ever feeling love to begin with. Even a track like “If 6 Was 9” qualifies as one affected by love; if the world were to ever turn upside-down on its head, Jimi’s going to stay the same, and you’ll have to accept him for exactly who he is. It’s love that’s meant to reflect from the listener back to him, and one YOU’LL be forced to accept even as the times possibly change around him. I have very few nitpicks here; maybe some slight overuse of the panning trick production-wise (though I’ll easily forgive it for 1967) & maybe just a little unbalanced in terms of the actual flow of the album from track to track (“You Got Me Floatin’” feels a little odd between “If 6 Was 9” & “Castles Made of Sand”, theming-wise), but all in all, it’s just a tight as hell 40 minutes that doesn’t waste a single second. Yes, it is the least technically impressive of the 3 albums Jimi Hendrix has here, but I think showcasing that versatility is important to understanding the scope of Jimi’s overall work. The only Hendrix track I knew going into this entire 1001 Albums thing was “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”, so between all 40-ish tracks between the 3 albums here, I’m just blown away by the impact he made in such a short time. As far as this goes, it’s just a great blend of relaxed songwriting, eclectic instrumentation peppered with pulsing percussion, & Hendrix’s more atmospheric guitar work to create an album that does loosely feel like an axis of love. It’s a 10. Jimi Hendrix should be 83 years old right now. It’s a shame he didn’t give us more, but damn, I LOVE what he was able to give.

Classic album I hadn't listened to in some time. Still holds up!

"Will this be as great as I thought it was when I was a teenager?" I wondered, a little worried about revisiting an album I had revered. Oh my god it is so fucking good. It starts strong and just builds from there. It includes my all-time favorite Hendrix track, "Castles Made of Sand" and just killer other tracks like "Little Wing," "Spanish Castle Magic" and "If 6 was 9." Jimi was the epitome of cool - his swag, his drip, his voice, and he's obviously one of the all-time guitar gods. You just can't go wrong when he's the show.

Good as fuck.

10/10

Childhood fav

So much intricacy but so much emotion. Some of the finest psychedelia of all time. Jimi is remembered for being the greatest guitarist that ever lived, but he’s also a mean songwriter. He can write great hard rockers but also enlightening poetry set to moving music. The solos are magic of course, but so are his riffs and rhythm work. The rest of the Experience also do great work, and the one song written and sung by another member is by no means a weak link, which is a bit of a rarity. Such a great record. 5/5

I'd count this as Jimi's best complete album. Just a blast from front to back. His voice is like a warm blanket draped over the swirling, adventuresome instrumentals. The whole thing is dripping with psychedelia, with whimsy tinged lyrics vacillating between the sublime and the absurd. Easy 5

it's absolutely wild how good jimi was.

This is one of the best rock albums ever! A masterpiece!

My first Hendrix album actually listened to start to finish. I really liked it. I love the hippyish “yeah, baby” add ins and stuff. I think Jimi can play guitar a little.

Amazing

Have listened to this album many times. The easiest 5 of my life!

Very concise, very nice. Awesome guitar playing, as always with Jimi Hendrix. Easy 5/5.

Love this album. Knew this coming in. 5/5

Déjà écouté. La collision, toutes guitares dressées, entre hard rock cosmique, rhythm & blues déstructuré et expérimentations psychédéliques. Ça devrait être un sacré bordel, et ça l'est un peu, mais c'est surtout un chef-d'œuvre strident et funky, grâce aux génie d'Hendrix et de ses deux bandmates. Et dire que l'album à près de 60 ans... Top : If 6 Was 9 Flop : EXP

amazing album, it gives chill, enthusiastic afternoon vibes and i like that

Despite the lyrics not being the focus of this album, they don't retract from it either by being repetitive generalisations. Very nostalgic album for me!

No skips, greatest album oat

Una locura de album. Un par de clasicos inoxidables. Ademas me transporto a mi adolescencia

I think I found my favourite album ever! I see myself playing this on a road trip, empty clear skies, beautiful stretch ahead. I love the art

Superb

Always a favorite

Axis bold as love is a powerful and psychedelic listen. This is no sprise because it's a Hendrix record so it has his powerful and psychedelic guitar playing. The opening track is a cool skit with aliens invading a talk show with a cool use of station. The first real track "up for the skies" is a nice funky rnb. I'm not sure if it's the best opener for such an epic album but I am still glad it's on the album. I like the use of his icon waa pedal on it giving the track a smooth feel. I think the second track "Spanish castle magic" would have been a better opener because of how epic it sounds. I don't think the placement ruins the album or anything. The guitar and bass tones on this track are vary punchy and the riffs are vary exiting. The lyrics are super psychedelic and fun. The solo is impressive but the style is not quite my thing because I prefer more Melody based ones. "Little wing" is a butifal balide about a the felling of free spiritedness and loving. The guitar work is crazy on this song.I love the how effortless it sounds as if the guitar was playing it self. It's just an amazing song. One of the best on the album for sure and definitely deserves it's praise. The next track "if 6 was 9" is another one my favorites. You can definitely here we're Kurt Cobain was inspired by this song with the interlude. I like the guitar tone. Jimi Hendrix was a master at tone. The final track the self titled Is an amazing one and it has one of the greatest solos. It's moldic and epic this track is just amazing. This album is vary constant and entertaining threw out. I don't think there's a bad track. I'll give this album a strong 9

Gran disco del maestro Hendrix, varias canciones que son una gloria escucha!

I liked it a lot

1. "Spanish Castle Magic" 2. "Little Wing" 3. "If 6 Was 9"

Es un álbum espectacular, algunos acordes me sonaron a algo más reciente en la música… considero que es un disco generacional.

Vibed a lot.

hendrix

My favorite album of his. Little wing is such a special and magical song. Very influential album as well. Love and soul and guitar wizardy. Masterpiece

Legendary

Legendary. Untouchable. Songwriting, guitar, production, time capsule of the culture, touching everything from chill groove to metal to experimental art freakout. no skips

an instant classic, so revolutionary

So much cool shit going on here. I love the light and crazy moments on it. Plus, I think his voice never sounded better than it did on this record. It's perplexing to me how flashy he was with his instrument without it ever sounding overindulgent. I also think this album shows off how great an arranger and songwriter he was. Enough of my geeking now.

I'm 69 and heard this album when I was about 13. I had 3 older brothers and 2 older sisters. There was always music in our house. The first time I heard this record I didnt know what to think. But all these years later it definitely belongs on this list!

🌟 Jimi is my #1 so I loved this selection. I hadn't really explored this as a cohesive album before.

divertido, psycodelico, bom solo de guitarra

Favorite track(s): Spanish Castle Magic, Ain't No Telling, Little Wing, If 6 Was 9, You Got Me Floatin', Castles Made of Sand, Bold as Love Probably the least talked about of the Experience albums but it's Jimi all the same. Heard before Previous rating: 9/10

''Axis: Bold as Love' is probably a fair candidate for the best guitar record ever made, as some of the riffs Jimi Hendrix put together for this record are simply otherworldly. Incorporating funk and psychedelic stylings into his hard-edged rock sound, Hendrix stepped it up a level from the already brilliant 'Are You Experienced' with tighter melodies, less jam sections and some truly unreal guitar riffs, from clean and bright ('Up From the Skies', 'Wait Till Tomorrow', 'Little Wing') to hazy and heavy ('Spanish Castle Magic', 'If 6 Was 9'). Everything Hendrix manages to exert from his guitar here is majestic, as if he's completely at one with his instrument and cannot be pulled away from it. Hendrix is also ably supported here by Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell on bass and drums respectively, who provide that all-important rhythm for Hendrix to wail over. As the anti-Vietnam hippie movement began to sweep the United States, 'Axis: Bold of Love' was one of the pivotal albums to spurn the peace and love on. Hendrix's sensational career was all too brief (a victim of the 27 Club), but he transformed the role of the electric guitar in rock seemingly overnight, and he left an undeliable impact on popular rock as a result. 'Axis: Bold as Love' is arguably Hendrix's best record. It's the tightest, grandest and most focused collection of music he ever put out. One of the most important records of the 1960s, maybe all time. Best songs: Up From the Skies, Spanish Castle Magic, Little Wing, If 6 Was 9, You Got Me Floatin', Castles Made of Sand, One Rainy Wish

the title track is one of my favorite hendrix tunes. "spanish castle magic", "ain't no telling", "little wing", "if 6 was 9", "castles made of sand", all great. maybe don't let noel write a song.

slick and slinky

Damn this shit is groovy.

So gooood

It's hard to pick a favourite Hendrix album but this one is definitely up there. Spanish Castle Magic, Wait Until Tomorrow, Little Wing, If 6 Was 9, Castles Made of Sand, One Rainy Wish and Bold as Love are all fantastic and this gets an easy 5.

Lots of experimentation with stereo panning and other effects in the studio. From a recording perspective, this album SOUND amazing, even without considering the music itself. The drums and bass are hot for some tracks, but it works, much like LZ II. Fortunately, the music itself is fantastic so you can hear every instrument's contribution to each composition. The songs on this album have more complexity than the songs on 'Are You Experienced?' without having any feeling of just going on unnecessarily long.

Somehow I liked this a lot more than Electric Ladyland. Incredibly skillful playing (obviously) mixed with deep grooves and fantastic songwriting. This is a psychedelic, bluesy, rock masterpiece. 1967, too. My God.

This is really nice music. It’s this psychedelic kind of music that if you were high I bet it would be even more awesome. The guitar is amazing. I will definitely listen to this again, and stuff of his other stuff.

Brilliant

Pretty sweet. Lots of good weird stuff you know Jimmy was inventing psychedelia

It's a sin to rate Jimi under a 5.

Wow. I skipped this one last week because I've always chalked up Hendrix to Boomer nostalgia...like, how great is this guy, really? So, today, Sunday, I caught up on the albums I skipped because it's a spring cleaning day. Got MJ and Yeezus, both 3s, ugh, need something great... move on to Hendrix...holy freaking shit! Mind blown. 5/5 Favorite songs "Little Wing" and "If 6 was 9", but really the whole album is added to my catalog now. What a freaking delight! I love this project!

It's interesting, I feel like this album is usually the overlooked middle child of Jimi's catalogue and Are You Experienced and Electric Ladyland get more of the attention. Which is a shame, because this album is really darn good. The more I listen to it, I think it could be almost as good as AYE and even better than Electric Ladyland. Solid all the way through. Fantastic album!

3/11/26. Love Hendrix to death. Although this is my least favorite of the Hendrix Experience, still a great listen from front to back. Never get tired of his guitar playing; Castles Made of Sand is an all time favorite.

Joyfull, cool, Never actually listened to this record, but knew a some tunes from covers. For example Little Wing, Sting and Bold as Love, John Mayer.

Gawd Dayum

Thoroughly impressed by the whole album. I always was told Jimi Hendrix was important but now I hear it. He feels like he just goes out and channels all the gods of music into his performance. Hats off.

muy buen album, genial

Sexy as fuck.

This is pretty great. I've never had anything against Jimi Hendrix—I got the greatest hits from BMG a million years ago, for what that's worth—but I really appreciated the deeper cuts and other songs I haven't heard a million times.

Finally, we get Jimi and looks like, not surprisingly, all 3 studio albums are on this list - as they should be! All 3 could really go for 5 stars, but for me Axis was always a touch weaker than other 2. However, I can see I could not decide and rated all three at 4.5/5.0 on RYM. Possibly, I will rate this as 4 and then other 2 as 5, or if I give this one 4 I might reduce one of the other two. This is a touch one for some reason. P.S. I keep spinning this on repeat today and really this is such an enjoyable and great record through and through I added couple more songs into my Jimi playlist and started really liking a couple of more, so I will after all, give this one 5 stars I think.

Somehow haven't heard this Hendrix album and it's the first one I've heard that I really loved. Like I enjoy Purple Haze if I'm in the mood, don't get me wrong. But this album is very slept on.

I love this album so much. Jimbo is the mf man. So innovative and forward thinking, crazy it came out almost 60 years ago it hold up so well. Love the mix between beautiful guitar work and the points where it almost devolves into pure noise but still works. This album makes me feel all the emotions, it’s fun, makes me happy, sad, pumped up, relaxed it demands my full attention when I put it on.

one of my favs 4ever

Great

I mean it’s Jimi

Jimi is why I picked up the guitar. His records are all great.

This is not only a rocking album and an incredibly innovative one, but it is also very beautiful from subtle ways of the way Hendrix plays to the production and composition of the songs and album. It is a more cohesive experience than I knew, which makes me feel I've maybe never heard it all the way through before (though I had thought I did). Great, essential album.

I'll search for detailed information about this classic Jimi Hendrix album to provide you with a comprehensive review. Let me search for more specific information about the production and engineering aspects of this album, as well as its cultural impact. Based on my research, I can now provide you with a comprehensive in-depth review of **Axis: Bold As Love** (1967), the Jimi Hendrix Experience's sophomore album. --- # **Axis: Bold As Love** — In-Depth Review ## Overview Released in December 1967 (UK) and January 1968 (US), *Axis: Bold As Love* arrived just seven months after the groundbreaking debut *Are You Experienced?*. Recorded primarily at London's Olympic Studios with producer Chas Chandler and engineer Eddie Kramer, the album represents a crucial evolutionary step in Jimi Hendrix's artistic development. While often overshadowed by its predecessor and the sprawling double-album *Electric Ladyland* that followed, *Axis* reveals a more sophisticated, melodic, and experimental side of Hendrix that many critics now consider his most cohesive statement. --- ## **Musical Evolution & Style** ### From Raw Power to Refined Artistry Where *Are You Experienced?* announced Hendrix's arrival with explosive, face-melting rockers, *Axis* demonstrates remarkable growth in just half a year. Hendrix himself described the album as "prettier...more gentle" than his debut . The songwriting matured significantly, moving beyond the power-trio blitz into more nuanced territory: - **Jazz Influences**: "Up From The Skies" features a sophisticated wah-wah driven jazz vamp with sci-fi lyrical themes, showing Hendrix's fascination with science fiction (he was reading authors like Robert Heinlein and George Stewart during this period) - **Psychedelic Soul**: "Little Wing" and "Castles Made of Sand" represent Hendrix at his most emotionally vulnerable, incorporating what would become known as "psychedelic soul" - **Funk Foundations**: "Wait Until Tomorrow" and "Little Miss Lover" hint at the funkier direction Hendrix would explore more fully on *Electric Ladyland* - **Controlled Chaos**: The title track "Bold As Love" achieves what Noel Redding described as "three different rhythms at the same time" — an almost Sun Ra-like experimental approach within a rock framework The album showcases Hendrix's genre-fluidity: R&B, blues, jazz, psychedelia, and hard rock coexist seamlessly, often within single tracks. --- ## **Lyrics & Themes** ### The "Axis" Concept Hendrix envisioned the "Axis" as "a freeway from earth to space to infinity, a living form of energy, music and love" — a communication system to give people "direct feeling and deeper understanding" . This utopian sci-fi concept permeates the album's dreamlike, often surreal lyrics. ### Key Thematic Elements: **Color Psychology in "Bold As Love"** The closing track uses colors as emotional metaphors in ways that predated and arguably influenced later psychedelic rock: - *Purple*: Anger ("towering shiny metallic purple armour") - *Green*: Jealousy and envy ("fiery green gown sneers at the grass ground") - *Blue*: Life-giving waters taken for granted - *Yellow*: "Not so mellow" (a playful nod to Donovan) - *Red/Orange*: Confidence and strength - *Turquoise*: Peaceful spirituality The song culminates with Hendrix admitting these conflicting emotions prevent him from fully committing: *"And all these emotions of mine keep holding me from/Giving my life to a rainbow like you"* **Existential Reflection in "Castles Made of Sand"** This masterpiece explores impermanence and the futility of human ambition — "Castles made of sand melt into the sea, eventually." Yet rather than despair, Hendrix finds liberation in accepting transience, suggesting we shouldn't stress over unfulfilled dreams since time obliterates everything eventually **Individualism & Counterculture in "If 6 Was 9"** The album's defiant anthem where Hendrix waves his "freak flag high, high" includes the iconic declaration: *"I'm the one that's gonna die when it's time for me to die/So let me live my life the way I want to"* — a statement of autonomy that became a counterculture rallying cry. The track also famously inspired Robert Plant's opening line in Led Zeppelin's "Thank You" **Narrative Storytelling in "Wait Until Tomorrow"** A darkly humorous tale of a father confronting his daughter's suitor with a shotgun, demonstrating Hendrix's underappreciated pop sensibility and storytelling ability --- ## **Production & Engineering** ### Technical Innovation Engineer Eddie Kramer considered *Axis* a significant technical advancement from the debut. Working with four-track half-inch tape at Olympic Studios, Kramer implemented several innovations: **Stereo Expansion**: Unlike *Are You Experienced* which used mono drums and guitars, *Axis* featured **stereo drums** spread across two tracks, creating a wider, more dimensional soundstage . Kramer used paired microphones (likely Neumann U67s or Telefunken ELA M 251s) to capture Mitch Mitchell's drumming from the drummer's perspective . **The "Color" Language**: Hendrix and Kramer developed a unique communication system where colors represented sonic textures: - *Green* = Reverb - *Red* = Distortion - *Purple* = "Really stupid distortion" **Psychedelic Textures**: The production embraces phasing, backwards guitar solos ("Castles Made of Sand"), echo effects, and aggressive stereo panning that was radical for 1967. While The Beatles were still somewhat "two-channel-phobic," Hendrix and Kramer "delighted in sweeping the channels around to maximize the disorienting textures" **The Lost Masters Incident**: In a famous mishap, Hendrix lost the master tape of side one in a London taxi. Chandler, Kramer, and Hendrix remixed the entire side overnight, but couldn't match the original mix of "If 6 Was 9." Noel Redding had a crumpled backup copy that Kramer had to iron flat, inch by inch, to save the track --- ## **Influence & Legacy** ### Impact on Rock Development *Axis: Bold As Love* played a crucial role in expanding what rock music could encompass: **Guitar Revolution**: While Hendrix's guitar heroics were established, *Axis* demonstrated that virtuosity could serve emotional subtlety, not just pyrotechnics. "Little Wing" became one of the most covered Hendrix songs, with versions by Derek & The Dominos, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Sting **Psychedelic Rock Maturation**: The album helped move psychedelic rock from novelty to art form, proving that studio experimentation could enhance rather than obscure songwriting **Genre Fusion**: By blending jazz, blues, funk, and Eastern influences (the Indian music touches in "Little Wing"), Hendrix pioneered the genre-fluid approach that would influence later artists from Prince to Lenny Kravitz to Gary Clark Jr. **The "Middle Child" Reassessment**: Long considered the "sophomore album" between two masterpieces, critics have increasingly recognized *Axis* as potentially Hendrix's most focused and consistent work. As one reviewer noted, "*Axis* edges out *Are You Experienced* and *Electric Ladyland* by a plectrum" after decades of listening --- ## **Strengths (Pros)** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Songwriting Maturity** | Hendrix's most melodically sophisticated and emotionally varied collection; "Little Wing" and "Castles Made of Sand" are among his finest compositions | | **Production Innovation** | Eddie Kramer's stereo drum recording and psychedelic textures created new standards for rock production | | **Musical Range** | Successfully integrates jazz ("Up From The Skies"), funk ("Little Miss Lover"), hard rock ("Spanish Castle Magic"), and tender balladry ("One Rainy Wish") | | **Cohesion** | At 13 tracks and under 40 minutes, it's more focused than the sprawling *Electric Ladyland* | | **Experimental Courage** | "EXP" and the title track's rhythmic complexity show Hendrix refusing to repeat himself | | **Emotional Depth** | Explores vulnerability, existential reflection, and romantic complexity beyond the "guitar god" persona | | **Vocal Development** | Hendrix's singing became more nuanced and expressive, particularly on "Bold As Love" | --- ## **Weaknesses (Cons)** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Filler Material** | Several tracks don't reach the heights of the masterpieces: "Ain't No Telling" is forgettable blues-rock, "You Got Me Floatin'" can grate with repetition, and "Little Miss Lover" is often considered the album's weakest cut | | **Inconsistent Quality** | The gap between the best tracks ("Little Wing," "Castles Made of Sand," "Bold As Love") and the filler is significant; Hendrix may have been rushed by the 1967 release schedule | | **"EXP" as Opener** | The experimental noise piece, while interesting, makes for a jarring, somewhat off-putting album introduction | | **Noel Redding's Contribution** | "She's So Fine," while decent, interrupts the flow of Hendrix's more sophisticated compositions | | **Rushed Completion** | The lost masters incident forced a rushed remix that Hendrix himself felt could have been better with more time | | **Muddy Mixing (Original Release)** | Some original pressings, particularly US versions, suffered from mastering issues that reduced the spatial effects Kramer intended | --- ## **Verdict** *Axis: Bold As Love* stands as a pivotal document of 1967's psychedelic zenith and Hendrix's rapid artistic evolution. While it contains some filler that prevents it from being a perfect album, its highs are among the highest in rock history. The album captures the Experience at the height of their creative synergy — before the interpersonal tensions that would eventually fracture the band. More than just a bridge between the debut and *Electric Ladyland*, *Axis* represents Hendrix's most balanced statement: experimental yet accessible, fierce yet tender, cosmic yet grounded in human emotion. The 2025 box set *Bold As Love* (featuring remastered stereo and mono mixes, plus 40 alternate takes) confirms the album's enduring richness and the remarkable productivity of this brief, magical period . **Essential Tracks**: "Little Wing," "Castles Made of Sand," "Bold As Love," "If 6 Was 9," "Wait Until Tomorrow," "Spanish Castle Magic," "One Rainy Wish" **Rating**: 9/10 — A masterpiece with minor flaws, essential for any serious rock music collection.

Great love hendrix

A classic. Very nice.

know this one from youtupe :))) a very easy and fun listen with lots of fun little treats for knowing ears.

Wow. Not a bad song on the album. Virtuoso guitars, driving bass. But did get the sense that need to be stoned to appreciate fully.

Just gorgeous

Jimi Hendrix is one of the best, most soulful and innovative guitar players that ever lived. This record has two of his very best songs, If 6 was 9 and Bold As Love, as well as the fantastic Little Wing, Spanish Castle Magic, and Castles Made of Sand. And the rest of the tracks are magnificent in their own right. Not a bad track here. Jimi sings and wails on his guitar as if it was a direct reflection of his soul and Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding nail the rhythm section duties. Only a perfect set of R&B/rock tunes is all.

Wow! I knew Jimi Hendrix could play a mean guitar, but his music is transcendental. Easy listening + Rock + psychedelic vibes, all on top of being the master of guitar. Blew me away! 5/5

Huge fan of this album. Hendrix is one of the greatest guitar players of all time and adds such a soulful sound to each track. I also probably appreciate this album a little more than most because of how much of an influence it has had on John Mayer, if you haven't heard his covers of Bold as Love and Wait Until Tomorrow, definitely check them out.

Flowing. I had the idea in my head that the first jimi record was the accessible one and both others were kind of out there. There are a couple of short experimental bits here, but for the most part this feels smooth and beautiful. The noisy bits feel well placed and interesting. The very direct blues stuff from the first record is gone, but it's all very blues infused in a tasteful way. Just feels like him finding his songwriting voice

Sheeeeesh, Jimi went off with this one.

Still sounds like it's from the future

My favourite Hendrix album. So ahead of its time and so clearly influential for so many bands that followed. The tone he gets particularly for the first few tracks is a template for so many others. I imagine this is a bit like the music equivalent of ‘Down and out in Paris and London’ - everyone rightly remembers 1984 or Animal Farm, but there’s something special and different about it which helps it stand up taller

Amazing. Not as good as are you experienced, but better then electric lady land for me. Probably because it's more similar to are you experienced? Anyway, nearly 60 years after release, it still sounds fantastic. Castles made of sand has always been one of my favorites of his 5

Se não é o meu album favorito do jimi então anda lá perto. Little Wing, It 6 was 9, Castles Made Of Sand (minha música favorita dele) são alguns dos destaques de um álbum que é uma vibe incrível. Sabe sempre bem ouvir Jimi Hendrix.

Psychedelic. Cool

You know, it's good shit man

Really nice with multiple great songs

these boys were *cooking*. an incredibly energetic studio album. there's so much going on and it's done so well that it doesn't even matter that the lyrics are pretty nothing. a couple of these tracks i'd love to hear more development on, but there's nothing wrong with what's on the record.

Poco más se puede decir de Hendrix después de escuchar sus dos álbumes más reputados. Este me ha gustado mucho más que “Are You Experienced?”. La capacidad de experimentación con la guitarra se muestra más consciente y eso que solo habían pasado siete meses desde la publicación de aquel. “Spanish Castle Magic”, “Wait Till Tomorrow”, Little Wing” o “She’s So Fine” (con lejanas referencias al “Tomorrow Never Knows” de The Beatles, son flipantes, verdaderas joyas del rock de los 60 e influencia de miles de artistas posteriores. Discazo.

Little Wing, the most gorgeous

The world is a better place because albums like this exist....

It's so good. The only bad song is the one the bass player sings. GTFOH with that.

Such a fan of Jimi. As soon as I refreshed with this album coming up this morning, I walked into the front room and immediately put on this vinyl from my collection. It's an old, well used copy with all the scratches and ticks. And it sounds straight out of the psychedelic late 60s. Perfect vibe to start off the day.

Bold as Love is one of my favourite songs ever

This might be my favorite of his. There definitely is more of a definitive melody present than his others. What an incredible person despite such a tough life. This album is amazing the whole way through, the pacing as well is quite nice. The runtime speeds by which is always a good way to tell I enjoy it. Rating: 4.8

Wooooow

There will never be another guitarist like him...as this fits for almost any guitarist, nothing special, but he was...

Ugh needed this !!!!!! Exp takes me back.....remember dad playing this haha wow....I did not make many comments :( that's my b.....anyways a classic !!!!! LOVE this one overall, an amazing album but we already knew this !!

let ur freak flag fly!!!!! this had more jimi songs that i’m familiar with alien spaceship intro is awesome wait until tomorrow is my fave from him i think

Perfection

I don’t think I have ever sat and listened to a full Jimi Hendrix album. Really enjoyed it!

It's the first album I listened for this 1001 project and I'm not disappointed! I thought through the 1-5 rating matter and here's what I've got. I will try to be generous with fives. I'm not going to save the highest grade for the elite, groundbraking pieces of music because I can always write a short comment to express my opinion. 5/5

Solid 4.5 My favourite Hendrix album. Haven't heard it in years, but was very pleased to have my ears blessed today. Little Wing is one of the most beatiful guitar pieces ever.

Castles made of sand, melt into the see, eventually.

One of the albums that really pulled me into rock music and into playing guitar. I was probably 17 or 18 when I first really sat down with Axis, already familiar with old-school heavy rock like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. I was also listening to blues at the time, and Jimi felt like the natural connection between those worlds. Looking back, it was probably my first real moment of musical exploration, where different styles started to connect and shape the way I’ve discovered music ever since. Back then I was completely mesmerised by the guitar playing, and only later did I really start to listen to the lyrics. Coming back to the music today, I hear even more nuances that explain why this album is as great as it is. When Hendrix sings and plays, it feels like a duet, almost a conversation. He sings a line, then answers it with a guitar lick or a subtle chord change. Everything flows across the guitar neck with total ease. He sings, and then he sings through the guitar just as naturally. For me, Little Wing sits firmly in my top five songs of all time. Tracks like Castles Made of Sand and Bold As Love are right up there as well, and If 6 Was 9 adds a real sense of excitement. The rest of the tracks are strong too, filling out the record and making it feel like a complete, coherent album.

pretty good , lots of songs got added to my playlist

Classic Coldplay.

really enjoyed this a lot great music to exist to

++*: Up from the Skies, Spanish Castle Magic, One Rainy Wish ++: EXP, Wait Until Tomorrow, Ain't No Telling, Little Wing, If Six Was Nine, You've Got Me Floatin', Castles Made of Sand, She's So Fine, Little Miss Lover, Bold as Love 9,9/10

Had never listened before, what a trippy, awesome album. This man was lightyears ahead of his time.

Never listened to Hendrix outside the big three or four tracks. This was great.

YES

It’s Jimi Hendrix

Guitar God!

Psychedelic and fantastic!! This is soooo good and maybe as good as are you experienced. Love it!

Great album with some of my favourite Hendrix tracks

No notes

Super Dope

genius, floating on clouds of sound, with a telepathic band, captured on to tape by craftsmen who were pushing the boundaries of what was possible but also gathering the magic as it happened Mitch Mitchell is particularly swinging and driving, Noel Redding supports without getting in the way, and Jimi sings his heart out while building a new vocabulary for electric guitar

so good

Musically, this is an amazing album - a caravan through psychedelia with a procession that is decades ahead of its time. Hendrix does things with a guitar that no one else can and his ease and comfort wandering through the grooves is fearless, joyful and infectious. It makes listening to these songs a pleasure, even though they can get repetitive and the lyrics are a bit flighty and aloof. The band is tight, the sound is seminal. This album is truly a 9 out of 10. But, after 3 full listens today, I feel it’s missing that last something that gets it to the very top level. I’m not sure what it needs, but whatever that something is, it doesn’t really matter and I’ve gotta round up because it’s MF’ing Jimi. Plus, he plays the recorder on one track. The recorder. Name another guitar god who solos on the recorder. Yeah, I couldn’t either…

I'm sure this album benefits from the use of mind-altering substances. But even if you're stone cold sober listening to this on a Monday afternoon at work, this thing is a work of creative genius. Easily five stars within the first minute or so and it never stops justifying itself and its inclusion in this list.

Little Wing has to be up there for one of the greatest songs ever created, and I will always argue how important it is. The fact they also have Castles Made of Sand and Up From the Skies on this album makes me give it top marks. Nothing to fault on this album at all.

this is awesome. there are so many sounds and themes that then get repeated throughout lots of 60s and 70s rock music.

Rock on Jimi

Groovy, sexy, playful, wildly creative. This would have thrilled and scared in equal proportions back in the 60's. Absolute classic and fully deserves to be on any "best albums ever" list. 5 Favourite track - Castles Made of Sand

finally some real music

1 song in my favorites. Will listen again.

Listened on a cold dark run. Favourite song: Little Wing

Throughout listening to this album, I felt like a white kid discovering jazz music in the 40s. I loved hearing the jazzier side of Jimi Hendrix in this. While every track is distinct, they work together like a machine only the divine can understand. I certainly don't, but I know. Favorite(s): Spanish Castle Music; Bold as Love

Yes

gostei!

het album was beter dan ik had verwacht

Jimi Hendrix is a God on guitar. The use of the wah pedal is insane and so distinctly Hendrix. My favourites are Spanish Castle Magic, Wait until tomorrow and Little wing

Den här och Are you experienced samma år, 1967. Det mest banbrytande i hela rockhistorien? Jämnt skägg mellan de två skivorna i alla fall. Den här mer chill och eftertänksam. Är båda 5or? Lyssningsförvåning: minns inte att little wing var så här jävla kort? Stevie ray vaughan har meckat med ens minnesbild där. Bold as love är nog hans finaste låt. Castles made of sand också en favorit. 4,5

I feel religious after this Jimi Hendrix Experience. Jimi Hendrix describes this music as feeling as though its coming straight from heaven and I can agree with that. Beginning with studio chatter and feedback is beautiful- try and alienate the audience, but they don't like it they love it. Everything about this album just kicks ass. I wanna melt into it. To listen to Little Wing and One Rainy Wish brings me ecstasy.

Probably my favorite non-live, "official" Hendrix album. It isn't perfect the whole way through, but its lows are decent and its highs are near the apex. There are so many dynamite songs on here: "Castles Made of Sand," "Spanish Castle Magic," "Little Wing," "Wait Until Tomorrow," and "Bold as Love," are all absolute genius, both in composition and execution. They're still listenable, exciting, and inspiring more than a half-century after its release. That said, Hendrix was at his best when he was live, raw: take a listen to the live version of "Spanish Castle Magic" on "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" quadruple album and you'll see why. These songs feel alive and moving in their studio versions, but they reach another level when Hendrix gets to bring it on stage. You'll note I haven't mentioned other songs quite yet. That's because they're pretty heavily overshadowed by those already mentioned. They're not bad, but I'd be lying if I said that "She's So Fine," "If 6 was 9," and "You Got Me Floatin'," are half as impactful as "Little Wing." The main benefit of these songs is that they give some variety, offer some easier listening, and do not detract from the overall feel of "Axis: Bold as Love." All in all, this is a legendary album and is undoubtedly one everyone should listen to before they meet Jimi in person. It might not be your thing, but it is foundational to modern music.

Bold as love has been one of my favorite songs since freshman year of high school. This whole album is one of the reasons I play guitar

Something dawned on me while listening to this album. Something I should have realized a very long time ago. I know for sure I won’t be the first person to ask this question, but it must be asked. What on Earth was up with Jimi Hendrix and his complete obsession with towers and castles? Just building structures in general really. He didn’t make a lot of music in his very short time on this Earth, but a good deal of it happened to be about certain kinds of buildings. Yes, I know what metaphors and allusions are, I just find it funny is all. None of that had anything to do with this album. Anyway, this is the second of 3 Jimi Hendrix albums I've rolled, following Electric Ladyland. That albums length approaches over an hour and a half minutes long, and I criticized it a tad bit for being that needlessly long, and notably having a ton of (still pretty good in it's own right) filler. Meanwhile, Axis: Bold As Love is only 39 minutes long, and barring the extremely annoying intro bit, "Exp", I think it's actually better as a whole. There are a few filler tracks around the middle, but not nearly as many as there were in Electric Ladyland. What it lacks in Jimi's biggest hits, it makes up for in being so tight, and having, in my opinion, his most under appreciated but still very much appreciated song, "Little Wing", my favorite song on the album. Other songs I added to my favorites playlist included "Up From The Skies", "Spanish Castle Magic", and "One Rainy Wish". I'm also thankful I had the right headphones to appreciate this one with, a lot of these songs have funky spacial audio mixing on Spotify that just make listening all the more enjoyable. I think I was going to give this one a 4 for some reason just like the last one, but writing a review this lengthy and in depth helped me realize just how much I actually adore this album and can find very few things to legitimately criticize about it. It's so Funky, it rocks a whole hell of a lot, and leaves me actually wanting even more. I've still got Are You Experienced to get through so I can definitively rank all 3, but as a complete album, I actually enjoyed this one the most so far. So it's getting a 5. Will Jimi end up in the favorites category? I really hope he does. Screw it, I might even go back and give Electric Ladyland a 5 after all. I don't know. Point being is that this one was absolutely awesome!!!!

Awesome guitar work and fun songs.

Classic immaculate sensational

insanely good

Just ask the Axis.... Such a great album. It's far more out there than the other Hendrix Experience albums. It's not the pop album their first studio was, it's not the blues experiment Ladyland was. It's an experiment in psychedelic rock, it opens weird and embraces it and then moves forward with it. Such a great album, Hendrix is one of the best guitarist in history. His influence on music is far reaching and eternal. This album is a huge part of that legacy.

Pretty good Jimi Hendrix album. It takes a special kind of disconnection from reality to properly appreciate Jimi's lyrics. When he starts singing about flying on a dragonfly as a perfectly acceptable and logical means of conveyance, you know he's HIGH. Like, higher than you've ever been on today's chemical enhancement, and this was in the 70's, when the weed wasn't as good as it is today.

👍🏻👍🏻

Totally beyond his time. Icon.

What do you mean 3 people made this in 1967. This is nuts.

Revelatory! So many ideas and I feel like if he’d wanted to, Jimi could have turned each of those songs into an album long track. Brimming. I will listen again and to more since I really knew a couple of the famous tracks but not much else. This generator list is making me reevaluate my previously held view of myself as well listened - there is a lot I’ve missed

He wasn’t around long enough, but his influence and musical legend live on. This LP show why.

Psychedelic rock at it's finest. 1967 was a wild year. Not quite as impactful as AYE? or EL that followed, but as a tryptich, there isn't anyone who did what Jimi did. Took everything that happened before, crushed it up and blasted it out of an amp with explosive gusto, and re-made everything that came after.

Incredible. I wish it could’ve been longer than 39 mins.

The best Hendrix album.

(90/100)

It's perfect. I just wish we had so much more.

A classic!

Are you Experienced was the fire being lit, this is the vision statement.

Great one appropriate amount of wankiness no blues jams.

This is a true classic, Full Stop! Need I say more? Ok… for all you 2-star twats that say “don’t get Hendrix”, or “I know he’s supposed to be great, but…”, or “I’ve never done drugs, so…”. Thank you for coming, appreciate your feedback, now gather your shit and follow the signs that say please Fuck Right Off. God Bless Jimi Hendrix!

Apart from the first song 'Exp', which is a peculiar interview with dizzying background music, Hendrix's second album is a blues/rock masterpiece. On the whole, loose, free-flowing melodies, combined with Hendrix's judicious use of wah-wah and phase pedals, create a semi-wild experience. Along with well known hits "Little Wing" and "Castles Made of Sand", the album is also stacked with less known, but just as good numbers, such as "Ain't No Telling" and "She's So Fine". Overall, a beautiful composition packed with consistent, catchy tunes.

Have always been a huge Jimi Hendrix fan. It was good to go back and listen to this album. It’s been a long time since I actually sat down and played the whole thing through. Him and the band were so amazing.

Damn. Love every minute of it.

Fuck yes! Jimi at his most experimental in the studio.

This has two of my favorite Hendrix songs; Little Wing and Castles Made of Sand. This guy is a fucking legend and he died too soon. 5

One of the best to ever do it. This album brought back memories of 10th grade English class. I listened to tons of Hendrix in highschool. The guy is just in a category of his own. Spanish Castle Magic and If 6 Was 9 are two of my all time favorites.

An instant classic. Jimi Hendrix was a god, no other musician ever came close to sounding like him. Mitchell's drums are also crazy good. This is psychedelic rock at its best - technically excellent, superbly produced, soulful, both groovy and hallucinated at the same time... The diversity of styles featured here is also insane - classic rock, jazz, blues, psychedelia, and even a bit of noise rock 20 years before it was even a thing. I could play it on a loop all day long. 10/10

Hendrix, damn god almost at his best, backed by Mitchell’s incredible groove… what else can you ask for? Because it is usually overshadowed by his guitar genius, people rarely talk about Hendrix’s voice, even though it’s a huge part of the Experience’s vibe for me. It’s not his greatest album, but even here, it’s pure and definitive rock: fluid, raw, and organic, only held back by those little psychedelic detours. What a vibe, some grooves are just insanely good!

Hendrix can pretty much do no wrong for me. I say “pretty much” because the first two tracks on this record are kinda rough, but it’s smooth sailing after that. I love Jimi Hendrix so much. This might be my least favorite record of his, and it’s still awesome. 4.8/5

The variety of tone Hendrix is able to achieve on the guitar is amazing. I do prefer the pared down songs to heavier, because I think they show off more inventiveness and journey from one place to another.

hendrix is the GOAT

he does it well i cant lie

I think I'd pnly heard Hendrix singles before, and this was a pleasant experience. After the quaint opener, Spanish Castle Magic feels like thunder in your ears. It SOUNDS huge and must have blown minds at the time. Little Wing, If 6 was 9, Castles Made Of Sand are perfect little nuggets. His playing is lyrical and flowing, and I think his voice is underestimated - its soulful and warm. A few places, lyrics get a bit hippified, but it doesn't fall into the self indulgence of most psychedelic music. Nothing like this would come again for years. I've talked myself into a five.

The Good: It’s all about the coalition! The Bad: Love isn’t bold… The Ugly: Jimi’s mood when he saw the album cover… Little Wing… nuff said. What a glorious album, where only 1 song feels out of place and we can blame Mr Redding for this. Not going to waste words, just gonna listen to it one more time! Here’s to Jimi being Bold as Love!!!

Almost right after Funkadelic's Maggot Brain. What a treat :)

A classic ... what to say ... love !

Oh man who doesn't love some Jimi Hendrix on a nice fall morning? Or any morning for that matter. I mean I hate to give this a 5/5 just because it's Hendrix but goddamn, what an album. I could say that about any of his records though. So much on here that's just pure gold. I feel like the first three Hendrix albums should be mandatory listening for everyone growing up, just like everyone reads Romeo and Juliet in school. "Ok class, today we start our 6 week unit on Jimi Hendrix. Part 1, what is a Stratocaster?" I'd go back to school for that. Anyway, fantastic album, no notes. 5/5

Oh boy this is it for me! I gotta come clean, I’ve actively listened to Hendrix. I’ve never jumped on my phone and pressed play on a track/album. Apparently been missing out big time. Favorite tracks: Spanish Castle Magic (!), Wait Until Tomorrow, Little Wing (!), If 6 Was 9, Bold as Love. I love his voice, the guitar work is all-time of course, and everything else like percussion flowed really naturally. Didn’t listen to intently cuz I was at work but overall I was just jamming again and again. It’s crazy that it sounds like it could have come out today, in the sense that the sound is timeless in the most positive. I can’t wait to listen to more Hendrix through this and on my own.

Instead of a typical review, I'm just going to write a love letter to this album because this was a formative one in my listening. I remember the first time I ever heard this record. My family was in Virginia beach for my sisters softball tournament for a long weekend, I was around fourteen at the time. There was a rest day in between games, and while my parents were trying to make sure my sister was recovering, I was left to my own devices. I decided to walk a couple miles to check out the boardwalk, and popped this album into my corded headphones. I was starting to play guitar and was familiar with a few tracks on the previous release, Are You Experienced?, but something looked different about Axis, mainly the psychedelic cover art, which drew me in. I was walking down the sidewalk in the summer heat, letting this album wash over me. Never before then had I listened to something front to back so readily. I can see in my mind where I was standing when I heard Little Wing for the first time, standing out looking at the ocean with a sandy breeze hitting my face. From there this album has always had a special place in my heart. If I could go back and undelete playlist I made from forever ago, you'd always see "Castles Made of Sand" or "Wait Until Tomorrow" scattered throughout. I still play the Little Wing intro (haphazardly) when there's nothing else to play in a guitar store. I got this album early when I started acquiring vinyl. And to this day, even shuffling the tracks bring a smile and a tinge of nostalgia. Does it have as many tracks as AYE?, maybe not. I'm of the opinion that this is Hendrix at his best when you look at composition and coherence. Just enough structure to keep it moving, but just jammy enough to take you on the ride. Not to mention heady lyrics and use of panning effects to create an otherworldly atmosphere. Overall, in my opinion this is a defining album of the genre and the time period, and is an essential on this list. Thanks for reading!

hvala majci što ga je rodila

Jimbo.

FAB 70s dream, wearing my new denim flares ha!

Maybe Hendrix’s druggiest album? Definitely the most psychedelic. Are You Experience bore more of the blues and hard rock influence, whereas Electric Ladyland brought the funk. This is pure psychedelic songwriting, and Spanish Castle Magic and Bold as Love are my two favorite Hendrix songs.

niceeeee

Hendrix rules. His band rips. There’s such an intensity that comes through, to my ears that’s what separates JHE from any other blues-rock band. It just sounds so goooood must-listen #241

Innovative guitar sounds that shaped rock forever. Wish the production was better

One of the best psych rock albums, pure mastery on guitar by Hendrix

I bumped this up to a 5. There are a couple of tracks that I completely adore and really enjoy everything else. Kiki and his band are falling out a bit at this time I think, but they still have ‘it’.

Foda

Een plaat die je alleen al een hoog cijfer geeft omdat hij bestaat, zou je zowat denken. Immers, toonde Jimi de wereld niet hoe dat moest, helemaal losgaan op de elektrische gitaar? Na Van Halen en alle andere virtuozen die we inmiddels langs hebben horen komen, hebben we misschien niet meer in de smiezen hoezeer deze man de wereld de weg wees. Het 'Citizen Kane'-effect, zeg maar. Hoe dan ook, je herkent z'n stem en gitaarspel meteen, bijna 60 jaar na dato nog altijd een prestatie. Dan ben ik wel even degene die de 5 geeft, heel graag gedaan.

Top 5 all time album here for me. Too easy

9/10

The guitar on this album is ridiculous.

My dad's guitar hero was Eric Clapton, and although I can appreciate his work with Cream and derek and the Domino's, I found his later work plain dull and never got that he was called The GOAT. It was certainly time to find my own guitar hero at the age of 12, and thank God, there was Jimi Hendrix! Started of with an compilation cd, it didn't take long to collect all his albums and live recordings. This has always been one of my favourite albums, in particular because of the mix of bluesy psychedelic rock ("Spanish castle magic", "If 6 was 9", "little Miss Lover") as well as ballads (the beautiful "Little Wing" ) and the dreamy, jazzy inspired songs as the groovy "Up from the Sky". it truly shows how much more Hendrix had upon his sleeve than only hardrock bangers with virtuosic solos. Absolute classic! 5/5

what else we have to listen?

Absolutely incredible

one of the most interesting openers i’ve ever heard. as expected great guitar playing, impressed by the drumming. Very interesting soundscape, surprising and unique at every turn. great use of stereo audio. 70s bowie (especially. zigged stardust) seems very reminiscent of the 60s hendrix sound (especially in songs like castles made of sand). i fear this album might become to me what pet sounds was to paul mccartney.

Love a bit of Jimi 🎸

I heard this album so pleasantly,every song had something to say,something to offer,so,so interesting even the trippy ones.Genius guitar playing by Jimi Henrix in all songs and his songwriting is amazing. Who said bluesy psychedelia is boring? My favourites: Spanish Castle Magic, Wait Until Tommorrow (funky as hell), Little Wing (my favourite), Castles Made Of Sand,such an intimate storytelling song, One Rainy Wish, Bold As Love (what a closing song-i can see why the album was named after this). Easy 5/5.I wish i could give more.That's why it's an experience.

I really wish I could have listened to this for the first time, back when it came out. It's so bold and unique and earth shattering. It's still all those things today but it would have been amazing to experience this in the musical landscape that it was created in.

I mean… how could I not

Wow, not even Jimi Hendrix best album but so great. Listened on repeat.

trop fort

This was way weirder than I was expecting

Already said everything I had to say about Jimi in the reviews for the other two albums. This is a step up production wise from Are you experienced and a perfect bridge between it and Ladyland. 5/5 album. Legendary songs, incredible playing!

Absolute classic. Hendrix is my idol as a pure musician, and that‘s coming from a natural bassist

5 out of 5. Again like his other albums there's some amazing guitar work and effects here. The distortion, the sound of the drums banging, Hendrix and his band were glorious.

Songwriting, amazing playing Spanish Castle magic Wait until tomorrow Little wing

Hendrix showing us he’s more than just wild solos, it’s this trippy, soulful, tender and explosive. “Little Wing” feel almost fragile, while “Bold As Love” chaos in the best way. It’s like stepping into his head and seeing all the colors swirl.

Oooo baby one of theGOATs

Always thought this the lesser of Jimi Hendrix's albums. It's not, is it? It's fucking brilliant. It's got Little Wing, Castles Made of Sand, If 6 Was 9, Wait Until Tomorrow. The Experience are the greatest rock trio of all time and Jimi's playing is cosmic. Jimi Hendrix released 5 star albums exclusively. Great Cover Art.

That Hendrix soul edged guitar and his beautiful distinctive voice. Saved a bunch of tracks from this one. Listened before? N Saved to library? Y Favorite track(s): Spanish Castle Magic, Little Wing, If 6 Was 9, Castles Made of Sand, One Rainy Wish ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Loved it! Saved most or all of the tracks.

Awesome

Awesome album, can’t believe I hadn’t listened to it before. Songs are interesting, catchy and distinct. Album is a great length. Music has a distinct time and place feel to it.

Another cracking album by Hendrix and Co (his second album of 1967). It's a bit more varied, with some mellow tracks and a popsike contribution from Noel Redding, but there's still plenty of experimentation, and of course the usual masterful guitar playing from Hendrix.

Seminal guitar noodling. A giant of that era, and unsurpassed.

Always wanted to listen to this one

Anything by Hendrix is an automatic 10/10. I can’t even begin to list the ways in which this guy was groundbreaking and revolutionary. Masterpiece…

maybe my least favorite of the three "canonical" experience albums, but it's still a great album. the highs are so high and the lows are still pretty good. of course, jimi's guitar playing is incredible, as is noel redding's and mitch mitchell's. just a great ensemble album with transcendent guitar.

One of my all time favorite albums! The drumming, guitar and bass are exquisite!

I had this poster in college. One time I smoked a bunch of salvia listening to this album. In the instrumental outro portion of Bold As Love, the deep black color of their afros started expanding, until the poster was just Jimi’s face floating in a black abyss. Jimi’s face slowly exited, leaving only darkness. Suddenly, he flew back in, winked at me, and disappeared into the abyss again. Great album and maybe my favorite song of all time.

Left Purple Haze in the dust

Yes! One of my heroes, Jimi Hendrix! What a relief after a stretch that included Frank Sinatra and Steely Dan. I may like Are You Experienced even more but this is still comfortably a 5. That rawness, creativity, energy and fantastic guitar playing doesn't stop to amaze me. What an album.

I like doing drugs. I like listening to rock music. BUT if you look at my history on this site, you'll see that one of my least favorite genres is apparently psychedelic rock. I always thought, what's wrong with me, why can't I get down with something I should theoretically like? Well today I learned I'm not the problem. Everyone else is the problem for failing to come anywhere close to the Jimi Hendrix which I know think ought to be the gold standard in the genre. This kicks ass and has reaffirmed my love of drugs - thank you Jimi!

Super

Excellent Jimi music

Starting off with a UFO skit using guitar feedback is pure genius; then you get to the actual songs. I can't be unbiased, Hendrix is my favorite guitarist of all time, so this was always going to be a 5. Probably the most diverse Experience album in terms of style and story telling. There's existential ballads about space and life, Romeo & Juliet dramas, and songs about hot ladies. And Hendrix just tearing ass on guitar throughout; it's not just fingers-on-fire solos, he lays out these wonderful progressions of weird chords. What a King. P.S. I don't care what MDDK says, this version of Little Wing is far superior to Stevie Ray Vaughan's (who is also a king)

Amazing

It's where it all began! Before this album, I'd never heard anyone rock so much and decided I needed to play guitar like Jimi. 5/5, even nostalgia aside. It's like an album of Jimi jamming.

The Experience's second release is probably their least regarded. But for this compulsive and convulsive Hendrix-listener, it's just as seminal as the other two. I love that the psychedelia is simultaneously reined-in and fully explored, w/ only 'If 6 Was 9' exceeding the five-min mark and 'Little Wing' the pithy exponent of singer-songwriter hallucinational rock. It's an album comprised of songs, not just ideas, but since it's Hendrix (+ Mitch + Noel), every strum, pluck, and hit is experimental in nature. Lyrically, it's loaded but never dense: 'I just wanna know about / the rooms behind your minds / Do I see a vacuum there / or am I going blind?' It's always uncanny hearing Jimi out, the pivotal instrumentalist in rock music, and a voice lazy as pert.

I liked this the first time I listened. Immediately played it again and realized, no, I actually loved it. Just wow. Listened before? N Saved to library? Y Favorite track(s): Spanish Castle Magic, Little Wing, If 6 Was 9, Castles Made of Sand, One Rainy Wish ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Loved it! Saved most or all of the tracks.

Solid album, couple of good hits the rest were likable no skips 4.8

Always a joy listening to Jimi Hendrix. For the album considered the ''least'' of his 3 big albums, this one sure is filled with a lot of great songs. There's a vague alien concept going on here but the strength of this album mainly comes from all the great individual songs on here. I love Hendrix' playing and his subdued voice really fits the album.

7 months after his debut Hendrixed dropped gold. The pinnacle of late 60s psychedelic blues fusion. Hendrix is blues and rock royalty because of this masterpiece. I need'nt say much more. If you don't know shame on you.

Just ask the Axis. The knows everything. This is the height of creativity and a record you must know. It’s an hour long but doesn’t feel like it at all. The bands performances are great and jimi was getting away from blues driven volume rock and into compositions. If 6 was 9 sounds like it could be released today.

Helt fantastik skiva, har aldrig lyssnat på hela skivor av Hendrix förut. Mycket finare och mjukare än jag trodde. Förstår verkligen att detta slog hårt när det kom. Högsta betyg med det i åtanke.

I love Jimi Hendrix. Hot take I know. Insanely good guitarist who was taken from us far too soon. I got the middle child of the Hendrix albums - I know why people don’t talk about this one as much being surrounded by the debut at Electric Ladyland but it’s a shame because this album stands toe to toe with and may even be better than those albums (I’d have to relisten to them first tho) “Up From The Skies” is one of the more chilled songs on the album and I love it. “Spanish Castle Magic” is driving with a lot of distorted guitars and is one of the best on the record in terms of showing off Joni’s guitar skills, “Little Wing” is smooth and might be my favorite here, though my favorite also might be “Castles Made Of Sand”, “You Got Me Floatin’” is also really great. “She’s So Fine” is another with heavy guitar all over and it’s great. “One Last Wish”, “Little Miss Lover”, and “Bold As Love” are also amazing. Like seriously an album that deserves to be talked about with the same level of adoration or at least close to the same level as Are You Experienced and Electric Ladyland.

Interesting start to an album I'm used to John Mayer's cover of Wait Until Tomorrow, so it always been slightly strange to me hearing the original Overall it was a great album. The wailing guitars were insane on this record

Wave your freak flags high, Jimi, Noel and Mitch! Now and forever. ✌️

Just incredibly. You can hear the studio being used as an instrument and the guitar as a sound effects pedal straight from the first track. Spanish Castle Magic sounds like proto-heavy metal. You can hear Sgt Peppers feeding into this then this feeding into songs like Helter Skelter. Such a prodigous talent, so much good music at this time. Might actually be my favourite Hendrix record.

Grateful for the spaceship that brought Jimi. This stuff is not of this world. My GOAT

pffff

This album is actually pretty wild. Some of the songs are unfinished all songs start out pretty straightforward and then go into outer space. There’s like an undertone of anger throughout this. I’m picking up. if six was nine has an ocarina solo, which is so amazing.

Love Hendrix, love this album. Favourite track - if six was nine.

5/5 Some of the best rock songs ever written on this album with some in-between songs that showcase Jimi's wild and wonderful mind.

This is pretty great. I've never had anything against Jimi Hendrix—I got the greatest hits from BMG a million years ago, for what that's worth—but I really appreciated the deeper cuts and other songs I haven't heard a million times.

Dope

love it! gorgeous quitar play. it reminds me of old rock and roll somehow? or maybe it has a little bit of jazz? i just compare what im hearing with what i know. reminds me also of 20th century's America and its my fav.

In my graphic design career, I have met and worked with other designers that made me want to hang up my hat and just go home. They are just too fucking good it makes me wonder why I am even trying. Likewise, It must have been such a bummer to be a rock band in the time of Jimi Hendrix. I imagine Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Pete Townsend, Carlos Santana, and more must have felt pretty chilly standing in Jimi's shadow. And Jimi earned it—he was a dedicated musician who played for hours and hours and hours every single day. What's more though, you can hear clear as day that this dude was born to do it. Aside from being a virtuoso guitarist at such a young age, he also had such a talent for songwriting and composition. Jimi was apparently also very open when it came to collaboration and taking notes from producers and engineers. On this record he slips effortlessly from these glassy fluid figures into arpeggiated rhythms soaked in blues so often it sounds like his guitar has an actual voice and isn't something simply laying the foundation for the vocals. Even in slower tracks, there is an energy to his music that just feels vital... I mean, it bleeds. This masterpiece opens with straight up UFO references kinda suggesting War of the Worlds and moves into wild-ass panning distorted guitar noise. It gave me chills. All over this thing the band plays with rhythm and time signatures in really compelling ways. "Castles Made of Sand" grooves in smooth liquid textures and yet has this incredibly propulsive rhythmic foundation that hits and complements the swirly reversing guitar notes. It's in 4/4 but somehow sounds almost like 5/8. I think a lot about how he wrote his watery melodies. Although they seem scale-based, they are also super complex and the playing of them comes across as effortless. Ultimately, however, this is a very drum-forward record. Although everyone pulls their weight, Mitch Mitchell is an absolute monster on practically every track. Axis: Bold as Love is psychedelic rock at its absolute peak. This album is totally overflowing with imagination. You can tell Eddie Kramer had a blast in the studio after the session applying phaser effects and taking it to another level. Like the other songs about castles, "Spanish Castle Magic" absolutely rocks and grooves at the same time. "Little Wing" is gorgeous, and I cannot believe they got away with using a freakin' glockenspiel on a 60s rock ballad, but here we are. Where the melodic figures come from in "If 6 Were 9" boggles the mind. The completely random recorder freakout at the end is fabulous. Apparently Jimi just found the weird flute we all played in grade school laying around the studio and decided to use it. The cover art, although iconic, is a pretty hefty slice of mid-century American Orientalism, so that part kinda sucks. But the colors are juicy and the typography sends a very clear message about what you're getting into (even though you don't hear a single fucking sitar). Finally, the girl who popped my cherry put the song "Bold As Love" on a mixtape for me in the 90s and that will forever canonize this record as a holy relic of my life's story. We never fell in love, but we had a pretty good time. Maybe it was a commentary on my performance, after all, "Orange is young, full of daring, But very unsteady for the first go 'round..."

Bold is love is one of my favorite songs

A true original, influenced so much that came after. Drew from so many different styles and sounded only like himself. Everyone should hear this album

Legen-dary!

I don’t need to even listen to this, I know the record off by heart. One of my all time favourites

I hate not to rave about this album, but words cannot capture its creativity, talent, breadth of styles, or influence. Listening is sheer joy, always. And, in a not-so-subtle nod to the Desert Island Album selection committee, there is even a sing about sand castles. An easy 5. Strong candidate for 🐐.

This was great. Was expecting to not appreciate it but I did!

Very 1967 coded and definately more eclectic than I was expecting - maybe a little less guitar virtuosity orientated than the other Hendrix I have heard - looser, perhaps a little jazzier and a bit more...far out.

Favorite

Fly on little wing

Classic

A brilliant album that was ahead of its time.

The great guitarplay of Hendrix is shown off here. In both the hard psychedelic rock songs like Spanish Castle magic but also the fragile beauty of little wing and castles made of sand. Castles made of sand is a beautiful reminder that all things must eventually pass. Both the good and the bad, this too shall pass.

So, so, so cool. Probably the best Jimi record for me I think. I reserve the right to change my mind on that, but it's super consistent, got a very singular vibe, and - unlike Jimi at times - all the songs feel quite finished and complete.

Love u jimi hendrix

Hendrix is rock n’ roll. It is an extension of him. He just seems to understand it on a deeper level than most artists. We should be grateful for the short time we got with him.

Axis will always hold a place as one of the best albums ever recorded, in my opinion. The experimentation juxtaposed with the classic rock sound, creates a sonic experience so unique, that we haven't even seen it done by others. Must listen in stereo, it's very important for the true experience of this masterpiece.

Hendrix is good. Yay.

You can. Ever go wrong with Jimmy

5 estrelas pedra fundamental. Não é o melhor JH mas leva 5

Incredible. When I listen to this, I hear his influence everywhere. That fuzzy, bluesy, psychedelic guitar. I think what really stood out to me this time around is actually his voice and singing style. He's really kind of doing a blues / soul / almost funk kind of thing, where he's talking through the lyrics or adding little phrases here and there. It really makes me wonder what would have Hendrix sounded like if he made it to the 80s? And how would that have changed the landscape for music? Would he have leaned heavier into funk and collaborated with artists like Sly Stone or George Clinton? Would he have collaborated more with The Grateful Dead or Eric Clapton or The Beatles? His style is so nuanced and diverse but also expansive. I can hear it everywhere. I can hear Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Childish Gambino, Grateful Dead, Phish, Sly and the Family Stone, Funkadelic, Parliament, Prince all within this record. Its so so good. What a treasure.

Such an enjoyable album to listen to, there wasn't a single weak track, and it sounded so ahead of its time. As expected, vocals, guitars, and drums were all exceptional, and I loved hearing the use of the (then) groundbreaking techniques e.g., the "wah wah" effect on the electric guitar in "Little Miss Lover". The intro was trippy as hell, and I loved the sounds swirling around my head throughout the album. "Spanish Castle Magic", "If 6 Was Nine" and "One Rainy Wish" were the standout tracks to me, but they are all outstanding. I also really enjoyed the personal lyrics in "Castles Made of Sand", and the space-like guitar solo at the end of "Bold as Love".

in between mentioning him in the electric prunes album and now I've actually listened to the other two Jimi Hendrix Albums. From that I've learn that Mr. Hendrix does not miss! This is probably the weakest of his three core albums and it's still insane. 95/100

Fire

Listening to this I was like is it a 4* or 5*? And then my brain was like STFU and let the guitar licks wash over you. And I did and it was glorious. First two tracks had me thinking "rut roh" but it dramatically improved from there. Greatness. 4.25.5

There's a huge reason Jimi Hendrix is widely considered the best. Just listen to the first song on this album, it's Jimi making traffic noises on guitar! Mitch Mitchell is a beast on drums as well. It's a shame we only got 3 albums during Hendrix's lifetime.

amazing

love jimi. one of his best albums fs. guitar solos had me orgasming

The problem with most psychedelic music is that it’s not as good as this so pales in comparison

really good, and to think that this was only 7 months after their debut, just shows how much of a songwriting machine Hendrix was (and maybe the rest of the band too). So much of this is so revolutionary, guitar tone wise especially, the feedback noise in the first song mimicking and alien or something is straight up some 90s noise rock/shoegaze shit, as well as some of the 'heavy-pshych' bits. Many of these songs sound a lot like 90s and 2000s Red Hot Chili peppers, and I know the guitarist was heavily influenced, but this was like 30-40 years ahead. obviously the modulation effects and wah stuff is so good, especially when combined with fuzz/gain. I also really like the one song by the bassist, sounds like some Syd Barret era Pink Floyd stuff. There's also one song where he's kind of rapping, which makes you wonder what crazy music would have been made if rapping existed and was popular in the late 60s. I can't really pick holes in this, as I think that parts of this guitar style (blues stuff) haven't aged very well, but that's becuase of other people doing it to death later on, and I think that Hendrix's playing style is just so unique and captivating, to this day. I think I maybe like this a little less than Are you experienced? and a similar amount to Electric Ladyland. Favourite songs: all Overall around 9/10

This album shows a lot of diverse tunes. Absolutely killed it, super tight. What a trio

Spanish castle magic,you go me floatin, castles made of sand and his best song little wing. one of the most influential guitarist with a tight album.

This album is a bit overlooked, coming just seven months after Hendrix’s debut Are You Experienced. It’s probably the weirdest and most experimental of his albums too, with a very strange intro and lots of strange audio phasing effects in the production mix. Lots to appreciate here, and it points the way to Electric Ladyland.

Not his best album but still crazy good

Great album. Little Wing is my favorite song.

Listened via YouTube music on iPhone headphones and the truck. This is about as classic as they get and never gets or feels old. Only shredder like him now is Mdou Moctar. Getting to see him again at Shaky Knees in a few months.

Not as good as Are You Experienced but I can’t justify not giving it a 5

Hadn't listened to this one in a while, but it was always my favourite Hendrix album. Forgot just how great it was! So many groundbreaking riffs, and an improvement over their first album, which had some fat to trim, IMO.

while ive yet to have a proper jimi Period where he becomes my favorite dude or whatever, my many years of inexplicably apathy/distance towards his music Were snapped out of by this very album, last year i believe? its technically the most songwritey hendrix record but i tend not to think of the songwriting itself necessarily on its own...more the way it provides a springboard for jimi's various timbrel ideas, a greater intimacy with the base elements of the electric guitar than could ever be Taught. every song is a relatively simple approachable base meant to be Complimented from the various colors of candy-coated fire that jimi launches off into. and that tonal balance between flower power and atomic explosion is rly only something that can be done this brightly on this specific configuration of the experience,,,not an ascended blues rock record like are you experienced, or a big exploratory spread like electric ladyland, but a relatively economic poppy psychy thing. prob still my fave! tho i owe EL a lot more time probably. obviously jimi influenced everybody and their mom, but i feel like dean ween in particular has gotta love this specific record.

Probably my favorite Jimi Hendrix album. Little Wing and Castles Made of Sand are masterpieces.

An all-time classic rock album. Jimi is the man, obviously. Not sure if it’s my absolute favorite of his, but it’s definitely up there. Castles made of Sand, Little Wing, If 6 was 9… what an album

One of my favourite album covers of all time, and Jimmy Hendrix is great in general

This came out about 6 months after Are You Experienced. Insane.

What an album! What a genius! Way ahead of his time. There’s beauty in this album. Not a lot of pain but beauty.