Admittedly, I am embarrassed, as a guitarist to say that I have spent very little time with the Hendrix catalog. My Hendrix knowledge primarily has come from his greatest hits. Based on that, I was not a fan. I appreciated what he did and how connected he was to his instrument and how far he pushed it. It was still dated, raw and chaotic for my taste. In doing this project, the first albums we came to was Are You Experienced followed by Electric Ladyland, my opinion was largely left unchanged. However, my appreciation was deepened. Just by the look of this album, I figured this was going to be my least favorite. It just looked like it was going to be even more acid rocky. I was quite wrong. This is far and away my favorite of the three. Chronologically, his second album, it is much more solid in terms of song writing and production. He seems to have a much clearer vision of what he was going for. Even the fusionesque If 6 was 9, is great and thoroughly enjoyable. It might just be me, but I just found to be his most accessible album. There's a heavy R & B, Curtis Mayfield vibe going through the album that really connects with me. The pocket swing of Little Wing almost defies logic. So loose it has to be felt and not counted as you try to find your way through it. You just close your eyes and float through it. It might even be looser than Exile, which I consider the loosest thing ever put down. The same thing happens on Castles Made Of Sand. The way that he starts with that guitar figure and then the band comes in and you feel like the rug is pulled out from beneath your feet. Playing with time like that is just masterful.
I feel like the album starts stronger than it finishes, but on the whole is masterful. Not sure why this isn't more popular. Granted it wasn't as loaded with the big hits, it was more mature and tuneful. A joy.
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