Jimi Experience Hendrix
Axis: Bold As Love

This is Hendrix’s second album in 1967, but he didn’t manage to repeat the success of his predecessor, although Axis: Bold as Love itself is very curious. Psychedelia for the most part has gone somewhere (although the memory of it lies in the intro “EXP”, which touches on the topic of space aliens, and in another experimental piece). Hendrix switched to a more traditional sound (the language doesn’t turn out to say “commercialized”), but still doesn’t look like anyone else. Melodic finds, which are literally teeming with this album, indicate that Jimi was not idle (and he once was). Compared to the debut “Are You Experienced?”, The ingenious riffs on Axis are more. I will note the most interesting, in my exacting opinion, compositions. “Spanish Castle Magic”. To say that this thing sounds powerful is to say nothing. She just destroys everything around her heavy, not afraid of the word, heavy metal riffs. Such songs as “Wait Until Tomorrow”, “You Got Me Floatin”, “Ain't No Telling”, “She's So Fine” demonstrate the ever-increasing role of backing vocals - this is a plus, as it slightly shades the charismatic group leader (less absolutism, more democracy). The album’s strongest thing is the blues ballad “Little Wing” with the best, in my opinion, Hendrix vocals in his entire career and a very emotional guitar solo. The worst numbers are “EXP” and “If 6 Was 9”: the circus burned down - the clowns did not run away (why are there embers of psychedelia here?). In general, the album is an affirmation of the mastery of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the ease and spontaneity with which Hendrix and his group create music. This disc is the least vivid of the three official Jimi studio records, but it can be considered a landmark on the way to the ingenious double “Electric Ladyland”. By the way, the journalist “Rolling Stone” called this album the Jimi Hendrix Experience “the best voodoo album ever created.”

In my rating this is not the best album. But, this is very good music. Many excellent compositions. Very nice extended cover design. The album sounds great.