Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix

...Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) ****

A nice track that is truly the opening to the album, consisting of some simple guitar track and production, which flows on nicely from the previous track. The lyrics are simple and are almost an introduction to the album and the material that is within.

3. Crosstown Traffic *****

The first 'proper' track, which is a great song, consisting of some buzzing guitar ...
...this style reminds me of Electric Church/ Red House, which can be again found on the blues album, as this is done in a similar style. But i still do like this song and it shows the creative jump that Hendrix had made since his last couple of albums. The first half of the song can be given ****, whereas the second half gets *****, thus is the reason for the half star.

11. 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn To Be) *****

This is ... more

Before i begin, i think i am going to follow suit from some of the other reviewers in saying the unless you have a good grasp of Jimi Hendrix's music and some of his earlier material, you should not get this. That is not to say that you shouldn't get this, as it is one of the greatest albums, but i would say that you should start with Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold As Love before progressing on to thsi album, as it is a huge step further beyond some of the materila on those, and you should first grasp his lyrics and guitar style before taking on this more flowing piece.

Now that that is out of the way, i will introduce you to one of the best albums ever, and in my opinion probably the best Hendrix album in content and feel, as it is much more bluesy tha some of the others and shows his guitar skills at their best. This was originally a double disk release, but it has veen put onto one CD for ease, which makes it a much more flowing experience, as most of the tracks seem to flow form one to the other. This labum also showed the final release by the original experience, which comprised Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchel (who was later reunited with Hendrix in the so-called Cry Of Love) and Noel Redding (who refused to rejoin Hendrix after a rift began to develop between the two, which mainly began on this album).

1. ...And The Gods Made Love ***

This can't really be considered a track, as it is a short (1.23) song that is a backwards slowed down piece of recording taht opens to a psycadelic feel to the album and if you listen to this on a good stereo, you will feel it. I have given this only three stars due to the style of the track and the fact that it shows a more inventive and creative side, that mainly came about on this album as his long time producer, Chas Chandler had left after taking offence at Hendrix's lax studio manner and creative differences.

2. Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) ****

A nice track that is truly the opening to the album, consisting of some simple guitar track and production, which flows on nicely from the previous track. The lyrics are simple and are almost an introduction to the album and the material that is within.

3. Crosstown Traffic *****

The first 'proper' track, which is a great song, consisting of some buzzing guitar and some great drumming in the background by Mitchell that isn't to invasive and sticks to the song well. This is a song that really sets the feel for some of the other material with its production and style, which is bluesy and guitar driven One of his best songs and a really nice early song on the album.

4. Voodoo Chile *****

Coming in at around 15 minutes this is an epic song that shows of the majesty of Hendrix's ability to play the blues, with some other examples of this style of playing given on the posthumous Blues album. The song begins with some almost sparse guitar and drums, and then the organ comes in, played by Steve Winwood, with the choruses and instrumental parts consisting of an out of this world combination between the guitar and the organ. This is one of his best songs, although as i said before, a full appreciation of his talents is first required to fully 'understand' this song. The lyrics themselves are based on blues themes and the way they are given is also classic blues style, understated, but with a sense of power.

5. Little Miss Strange *****

The most pop orientated song on the album, but this reminds me of some of the stuff from Axis: Bold As Love, which i would also recommend, and is a nice break after some of the heavier stuff. The vocals are done by Noel Redding and the song is quite simple in a ll departemnts, but teh guitar work is upbeat and some of instrumentation is very nice.

6. Long Hot Summer Night *****

One of my favourite tracks, a more laid back relaxed track that still includes some spectaculr guitar work,w ith the feel of this song spot on for the lyrics and the images that it conjures up. In itself it does seem a bit autobiographical of an event, but the backing vocals help to make this track. The Mitch Mitchell input is also good and backs uo the guitar well.

7. Come On (Let The Good Times Roll) *****

A cover of an Earl King song that is again very blues orientated, with some nice guitar work between the vocals that is classic for thsi style of music. Perhaps not a highlight of the album but a solid track that is done very nicely.

8. Gypsy Eyes ****

The drum introduction and the guitar that follows it is sublime, and the driving almost marching styel of the drums drives this song along, with the guitar putting in some nice parts, with some great tonal qualities and vocals the fit the guitar part spectacularly. Again this song is very much reminiscent and has a certain feel that makes it feel almost about a past event, i can't put my finger on it, but i love it.

9. Burning Of the Midnight Lamp *****

Definetly one of Hendrix's best songs, taking in a harpsichord, which was played by the great man himself and some of the more psycadelic elements of his repotoire. The guitar is less prominent on this, but the wah-wah effect is evident and matches the sound of the harpsichord well, which truly makes this song. A great track.

10. Rainy Day, Dream Away ****(and a 1/2)

This is one of those tracks that i feel i really like and think is spectaculr, but i am still not sure, it has a very laid back feel, and begins with a first half of spoken pieces and then picks up and moves into the song itself. In a way this style reminds me of Electric Church/ Red House, which can be again found on the blues album, as this is done in a similar style. But i still do like this song and it shows the creative jump that Hendrix had made since his last couple of albums. The first half of the song can be given ****, whereas the second half gets *****, thus is the reason for the half star.

11. 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn To Be) *****

This is similar to that of Voodoo Chiles, mainly due to its length, coming in at 13.39, and the problem that to fully 'understand' this, you need to be more Hendrix orientated and have heard his other material. The lyrics themselves seem to deal with the problems in the world, mainly that of oppression of ideas, and looks to go past the music of the past, taking an epic journey through a driving beginning and then going into more psycadelic elements with some eerie drumming and sound effects. This is the peak of creativity, taking in a huge number of elements and showing why he was so far ahead of his peers and still is. But this is another reason why you should look at other albums first, but please come to this eventually, as you won't regret it.

12. Moon, Turn The Tides...Gently, Gently Away ****

This is a short track that is basically the finale to 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn To Be), which is the main reason i have given this ****, although if you do consider it as a single track it is simple noise and feels very UFO like, with the sounds flipping back and forth between the speakers.

13. Still Raining, Still Dreaming *****

Basically this is a reprise of Rainy Day, Dream Away, but basically taking it from the song part, and including some great guitar and overdubs. This sandwhiches 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn To Be), and blends in well. This is truly an exhibition of his ability witha guitar and the organ in this also helps to lift it, making it more of a wall of sound piece that invades the mind. A great piece.

14. House Burning Down *****

This is where the feel of the album seems to shift, and some of the more single based songs seem to lie on the final side of the 2nd LP, although in the case of the CD, they sit at the back. But don't let that put you off, as they are three incredible tracks. It begins with this track, which sontains some of his more narrative vocals that are very visual, but the highlight of this track is surely the drums, which are so good and make thsi song. This is a great track that people have heard of, but is one of his best and contains some great instrumentation, lyrics and vocals, so overall a near perfect song.

15. All Along The Watchtower *****

The second and final cover on the album is a Bob Dylan track, which has been changed beyond comprehension, going from an acoustic piece to one of hellfire and damnation with an electric guitar. This really boosts the lyrics of the song, which are very apocalyptic and the style of the guitar and drums play to that. This is a song that everyone knows, and with good reason, as this was said by Dylan to be the definitive version of this track, and he often played the song out in the same style in concert following this.

16. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) *****

You may think that this would be a reprise of the blues masterpiece Voodoo Chile on the first half of the album, but in reality this is a different song, and is much harder and driving, but with the lyrics sticking to the same style. This is again one of the most well known songs on the album and as one Rolling Stone Magazine writer put, is effectively the centre of the album, with the other tracks leading up to this, which show off his guitar skills with power and majesty. If you want to know who Hendrix is, then listen to this track and you shoudl get an answer.

Overall, I would say that this is one of the best albums ever made, taking the themes and ideas of his previous albums and unleasing them with a fury. With freedom of the studio and the ability to produce the album, Hendrix ever the perfectionist, was able to overdub and mix to his hearts content. This is surely the pinnacle of rock music, with hardly anything after it able to match it for sheer power and beauty. I would not recommend this to the Hendrix newbie, as it is too out their, too beyond anything else for them to fully appreciate this, which is by far the creative peak in Hendrix's ever so short career. If you have a couple of his albums, then get this and i am sure that you will not be disappointed. 

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