Axis: Bold As Love [Remastered] - Jimi Hendrix Experience (The) > Reviews > Axis: Bold As Love A More Mature Album

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	All Of It
Disadvantages:	None Of It

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Overall: Axis is a great example of Jimi Hendrix's development in playing and his ideas as it is a much more mature album than his earlier works. It is well worth the money; surprisingly good value.

Full: The Jimi Hendrix Experience followed up their magical debut with another masterpiece. Axis: Bold As Love is a psychedelic gem that opens with the bizarre, feedback explosion of "EXP". "Spanish Castle Magic" is a great song with some superb guitar while "Wait Until Tomorrow" has an almost pop sound with a catchy as hell chorus. Mr. Hendrix's music has always had a socially conscious bent, but "If 6 Was 9" is one of his most overt social statements, with its spacey sound and its pro hippie lyrics. "You Got Me Floatin'" has a propulsive beat, "Castle Made Of Sand" has a quiet sound with some very poignant lyrics and "She's So Fine" has Mr. Redding's debut as a lead singer. "Little Wing" is a stunning song of power and majesty that has been covered by other guitar greats like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Song Overview:

1. EXP - Experience Drummer Mitch Mitchell acts as a radio announcer who interviews a "very peculiar looking gentleman who goes by the name of Mr. Paul Carusoe."

2. Up From the Skies - A wah-wah drenched jazzy number that displays Hendrix's affinity for science fiction.

3. Spanish Castle Magic - This song really doesn't need an introduction. Brilliant. There aren't enought positive words for it.

4. Wait until Tomorrow - A song about Jimi trying to run off with his sweetheart only to be told by her to "wait until tomorrow"; except for when her father shoots him.

5. Ain't no Telling - The most rocking song on Axis. It isn't even two minutes long and it has more twists than the hourly production at a pretzel factory.

6. Little Wing - The classic ballad with one of the most recognizable intros ever. You should also hear Stevie Ray Vaughan's version as well.

7. If 6 Was 9 - Hendrix's ode to being yourself even if the rest of the world changes. One of Hendrix's heaviest songs.

8. You Got Me Floatin' - A great pop love song with Hendrix's signature guitar feedback effects.

9. Castles Made of Sand - A simple little song about how plans don't always work out and how sometimes it's for the best.

10. She's So Fine - Bassist Noel Redding sings here like he would later on "Little Miss Strange" on Electric Ladyland. The weakest song on Axis, but it's still good.

11. One Rainy Wish - A beautiful love song with spectacular multi-tracked guitars and lovely lyrics.

12. Little Miss Lover - Hendrix played funk before people knew what funk was. Even a die-hard rap fan could fall in love with Mitchell's drumming.

13. Bold as Love - The majestic title track and album finale about someone whose feelings are in conflict with one another, yet it is love that prevails over all. Just ask the Axis...