Jimi Hendrix and the
Experience
albums
case, but in all honestly, Hendrix died before he showed us his true genius as an album creator. His guitar skills
as unparalleled as they are, did not save some of his brief discography from being inconsistent and more reliant
on "studio tricks" than "musical composition". Still, he rocked harder and meaner than any one in the late 60's
and that's why I love him. At his most experimental, "Third Stone From the Sun", "Still Raining, Still Dreaming",
"Are You Experienced", "One Rainy Wish", "Purple Haze" and "Spanish Castle Magic", he made the strangest
noises sound almost normal. This was his great accomplishment to rock n' roll, mixing avant garde techniques
into popular music, rather than "playing the guitar really well". Though yeah, he could play! The Experience
were much more of a "band" than they get credit for usually, with Redding and Mitchell being just as good as
their instruments as Hendrix was at his.
Band Members: Jimi Hendrix - Guitar, Vocals
Noel Redding - Bass, Vocals
Mitch Mitchell - Drums
Best Album: Are You Experienced
Biggest Influences: Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf
1967
Are you Experienced - 8/8
1967 was a killer year for albums. In a way, you could say it was the year artists started "trying" to create
records. There are 20-25 albums that would usually stand at the top of the heap for top albums of that year, but
most people would agree that Hendrix's debut deserves a place somewhere up there. First off, each song on
here is well thought out and crafted. You might even say these songs had been perfected, from "Purple Haze"
through "Are You Experienced", each song feels "whole" to some point. To point out standout tracks is a joke:
"Purple Haze" is one of the most classic of rock songs; "Fire" is one of the greatest drumming songs ever; "3rd
Stone from the Sun" and "I Don't Live Today" are pure psychedelic and avant garde tracks, made to sound
normal; "Wind Cries Mary" is the band's Dylan influenced timeless ballad. Even nit picking here and there, "May
This Be Love" doesn't live up to the rest of the record and the 60's production can distract somewhat, is
besides the point because they are still greater then most things out there. Whatever people say about this, the
bottom line is its a killer debut record, and it remains a popular example of rock brilliance in whatever time
period. - Trevor e.y.
An Interruption if You will: The original US version of this album is far better than the original UK one, so it's
the one I reviewed.
1.purple haze- 4
2.manic depression- 4
3.hey joe- 4
4.love or confusion- 4
5.may this be love- 2
6.i don’t live today- 4
7.the wind cries mary- 4
8.fire- 4
9.third stone from the sun- 4
10.foxey lady- 4
11.are you experienced- 4
(12.stone free- 3)
(13.51st anniversary- 4)
(14.highway chile- 4)
(15.can you see me- 4)
(16.remember- 2)
(17.red house- 2)
1967
Axis: Bold as Love - 7/8
Not as stunning nor ambitious as the debut, Axis is still a great record. A lot of it is more of the same -
"Spanish Castle Magic" is the best song the band ever cut in my opinion; "She's So Fine" shows off Redding's
pop songwriting skills; "Little Wing" is the band at its most tender. That said, there are many things that make
this record unnecessarily frustrating. There are a bunch of "production jokes" that go nowhere and also some
songs that merely warm up other tracks. To back that up, some of the songs are just weak ("You Got Me
Floatin'", "Bold As Love") and others are unfinished, "Up From the Skies", "Little Miss Lover", and the otherwise
great "Little Wing" spring to mind (why does it just fade out like that when it is getting interesting?). Still, for
every kind of good track there is a great one to compliment it, I didn't even mention the originally poetic "Castles
Made of Sand" or "One Rainy Wish", where the guitar speakes in a language of its own. There is plenty here for
even the casual Hendrix fan, though it may not work as well or on as many levels as the debut. - Trevor e.y.
1.exp- 3
2.up from the skies- 3
3.spanish castle magic- 4 *
4.wait until tomorrow- 4
5.ain't no telling- 4
6.little wing- 4
7.if 6 was 9- 3
8.you got me floatin- 2
9.castle made of sand- 4
10.she's so fine- 4
11.one rainy wish- 4
12.little miss lover- 3
13.bold as love- 2
1968
Electric Ladyland - 7/8
With this ambitious, double album, there is plenty to love and plenty to be bored by. Let me break it down
like a mathematician: there are seven absolutely great songs, and seven more that have moments of
greatness. In all, the 75 minute record has about 25 minutes of boring music, which is just too much for me to
give it a 8/8. "Voodoo Child", "All Along the Watch Tower", "Still Raining, Still Dreaming", "1983", "Crosstown
Traffic", "Little Miss Strange", and "Burning of the Midnight Lamp", to be very specific, all work without a doubt. I
love these songs and everything about them. However, the others songs I did not mention have parts that rule
with guitar acrobatics ("Rainy Day, Dream Away", "Come On", and "Voodoo Chile" do we need to stop for hand
claps people ?!?!) but not with actual song quality. Yes, I would say that this album is too ambitious and should
in no way be considered one of the great double albums, it is too inconsistent. Improvisation can be magical to
a point, but there must be some structure in my mind. Everything Hendrix does is not golden, and people should
like his music just because they are afraid of being criticized. Many readers will hate the way I have reviewed
this record, but I still think my point gets across correctly. Show me someone who can listen to this record all the
way through without wanting to skip anything and I'll be astonished. There is much to love on Electric Ladyland -
rock music would not be the same without some of the songs contained on here - but it is one of the most
overrated albums in rock history. Hey, if there weren't flaws, would we even love albums? - Trevor e.y.
1.and the gods made love- gf
2.have you ever been- 3
3.crosstown traffic- 4
4.voodoo chile- 2.5
5.little miss strange- 4
6.long hot summer night- 2
7.come on- 2
8.gypsy eyes- 2
9.burning of the midnight lamp- 4
10.rainy day, dream away- 3
11.1983...- 4
12.moon turn the tides...gently gently away- gf
13.still raining, still dreaming- 4
14.house burning down- 3
15.all along the watch tower- 4
16.voodoo child- 4
- sorry, no posthumous live recordings here kids!
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