Search - Jimi Hendrix :: Axis: Bold As Love (Shm)

Probably my favorite album of all time

someguy | CA United States | 02/01/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If I was forced to pick one album to take with me to be stranded on a deserted island, it would probably be this one. Well, either this one, or Meddle by Pink Floyd, or, heck, Are You Experienced or Electric Ladyland. But even though it's pretty much impossible to rate the Hendrix albums between themselves, they are all equally amazing, I always seem to pick this one as my favorite. Are You Experienced is composed almost entirely of classic masterpieces, Electric Ladyland gave Hendrix the room to experiment in awesome ways(1983 . .. If a Merman I Should Turn to Be is incredible, as are, of course, Voodoo Child(Slight Return) and All Along the Watchtower) but this one holds a special place in my heart for oozing '60's psychedelic rock awesomeness, and for containing 3 songs so frickin' badass that they just about defy description. Castles Made of Sand, Little Wing, and Bold as Love are just other-worldly. Jimi's songwriting was as good as anyone's, and he's in top form here. In addition, the guitar-playing on all three tracks is beyond belief. Little Wing is well respected for it's beautiful guitar intricacies, but I'm shocked that Bold as Love doesn't get more respect for the guitar heroics on display. I can listen to the lead guitar after the break with the flanged drums over and over, and have my mind blown every time. Whereas I consider Voodoo Child(Slight Return) to be the greatest guitar song ever, I consider the playing at the end of Bold as Love to be the greatest snippet of guitar playing I've ever heard. There are a few songs on this album that don't rank among my personal favorites, but when you add Spanish Castle Magic, One Rainy Wish, etc. to the list of songs I already mentioned, it's just a mind-bogglingly awesome album."

The Experience's second album is no letdown

Joker | Michigan | 03/11/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Axis: Bold As Love (1967) is the follow-up to the hugely successful Are You Experienced? (1967). This album was released in 1967 in England but was not released in the U.S. until 1968. This album contains a lot of classic Hendrix Experience tunes. Songs such as Spanish Castle Magic, Wait Until Tomorrow, Little Wing, If 6 Was 9, Little Miss Lover, and the title track are essential Hendrix classics to listen to forever.



The Jimi Hendrix Experience made only three albums, but their impact on rock music in the 1960s and beyond is undeniable. Hendrix, in my opinion, is the greatest guitarist of all time. He wasn't the greatest singer, but his guitar playing kind of makes up for it.



If you wanna rock Hendrix style, then this second offering from The Jimi Hendrix Experience is highly recommended."

An Incredible, Inspired & Timeless Classic Rock Landmark Alb

MUZIK4THAPEOPLE!! | Seattle & San Diego | 07/17/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is my #1 favorite of Jimi Hendrix's astounding 4 album run of

brilliant landmark albums which established his genius and legend

forever more in rock history!

Jimi Hendrix was on his own planet, in his own parallel universe

as a guitar alchemist of extraodrinary gifts and limitless creativity!

He took the raw & low-down gut-bucket blues of the delta and the

electric blues of Chicago and took it Venus, Jupiter and Neptune!! (-:

There was Hendrix, then there were all other rock guitarists:

Clapton, Townsend, Beck, Paige, Vai, Van Halen...they all bow

at the alter of Jimi's left-handed genius stratocaster and

electronic distortional experimentation that some still haven't

figured out to this day! (-:

Also, I love Jimi's lyrical approach to songwriting as well as

his quirky and not-so-technical approach to singing that's uniquely his own.



UNIQUE & BEYOND CATEGORY are the only words one can think of when describing

one of the baddest axe-slingers to come on the scene, change the whole rock game

in 4 albums, record and leave behind a whole vault of material which has been

released, studied and puzzled over for the last 40 yrs, and then make his exit

as abruptly as he came! Nobody can touch him!---NOBODY!!

This was the follow-up to he and The Experience's groundbreaking debut

"Are You Experienced" (see my review for that) which knocked the established

rock gods and psychedelia bands of the UK as well as the US on their lethargic

earthbound butts! AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE is every bit the masterpiece and continued

Jimi Hendrix and The Experience's paradigm-shifting creative run through

the second half of 1967 and into early 1968.

In fact, Jimi was so bad and ahead of his time that "Are You Experienced",

"AXIS: Bold As Love", "Electric Ladyland" and "Band Of Gypsys" stayed on the

charts at different positions from 1967 to 1973, which was three years after his death!

Today, his estate still clocks in at 4 to 6 million albums sold per year worldwide,

so it's safe to say what he and the musicians whom he chose to work with

put down on tape all those years ago is infinitely vital & inspirational!

Every song on these 4 albums is slamming!---Just put them on and take the journey! (-:"