The Jimi Hendrix Experience "Axis: Bold as Love"

 


The Jimi Hendrix Experience "Axis: Bold as Love" 9/10

Today's deep dive is going to be into the sophomore effort of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Axis: Bold as Love."  Whereas the debut album is probably chocked full of the most recognizable "hits" this album sees the band breaking some of the pop boundaries and experiment a bit more.  This is really the best Experience record, as it remains approachable for the average listener, while also offering some challenging sonic scapes and song structures. 

This album also has 2 different mixes, as was customary of the time.  The more familiar mix is the stereo mix, but there is an alternative mono mix.  Some albums from this era very widely between mono and stereo.  The first two Hendrix albums do have these alternate mixes, and it is worthwhile to have a copy of each in your collection.  Hendrix in mono really sounds more straightforward; it sounds like a really tight power trio, with a badass lead guitarist (which is basically what the band was).  Hendrix in stereo is a little more psychedelic, but also does suffer a bit from the hard left and right stereo panning that was done in the mid 60s.  Think, ALL of the drums in the left speaker, all of the vocals in the right speaker, etc.  It tends to sound a bit thin, but when colored with swirling guitars, basslines, etc, can also sound atmospheric.  

So, we will do a dive into this record, and compare notes, mono versus stereo.  Sometimes one is the overall winner, sometimes it is a mixed bag.  I tend to favor mono presses of early to mid 60s rock, but I will take time to get an impression of both versions and make a verdict.

1) "EXP" verdict: stereo

This is basically a novelty track.  A short radio play between an announcer and an alien talking about UFOs.  It is a vehicle for creative feedback; which was a part of Jimi's stage performance.  I guess it is a little more fun and sounds more like a trippy dialog in stereo.  The left to right panning of the guitar makes it sound more like what they were trying to achieve.

2) "Up From the Skies" verdict: stereo

A very soulful and jazzy intro to the music.  Jimi is playing a nice and easy feeling wah wah pedal guitar.  Mitch Mitchell is playing some very jazzy drums, while Noel Redding holds the pocket on the bass.  The bass guitar is way in the background in mono.  This is one of those weird situations where the hard left-right panning in stereo seems to enhance the track.  The drums come from the center, but placing the vocals on the right and guitar on the right actually allow the bass guitar to pop up a bit more.  The vocals and guitar change places in the speakers, but it somehow doesn't sound to laborious.  

3) "Spanish Castle Magic" verdict: mono

This song pops with a 2 sizes too tight riff as Jimi and Noel hold it together.  Mitch Mitchell is just playing all over the kit, without overtaking the song.  Guitar solo is super clear in mono, but the rythm guitar gets a little buried.  We don't *really* listen to Jimi Hendrix because of his rhythm playing, but the riffs on his songs certainly weld together the space for him to jam.  In stereo the song sounds a little more thin.  Too much business in the left speaker, while the right speaker is left for a buried guitar track.

4) "Wait Until Tomorrow" verdict: mono

The verse here really has a James Brown style staccato rhythm.  The syncopation between the clean guitar and the rhythm section really creates a steady beat.  Jimi Hendrix sounds like a rock n roll singer doing his best R&B impression in his vocal delivery.  The chorus finds its way into a more standard rock beat.  It creates a very cool tension between the verse and chorus.  This one once again suffers from a thin sound in stereo.  The bass guitar sounds big and meaty, but the guitar sounds like it is being played next door.  

5) "Ain't No Telling" verdict: stereo

This is a steady rocking blues number.  The foundation of Jimi Hendrix's take on pyschadelic rock always was the blues.  Here he blends those blues sensibilities with a steady rock n roll beat.  This song is surprisingly balanced in stereo.  Two guitar tracks, each given a respective spot on the left and right side.  It does a good job of showcasing Hendrix's open riffing and leads.

6) "Little Wing" verdict: stereo

"Little Wing" isn't just arguably the best Hendrix song, it is probably one of the best guitar songs ever written.  The way Jimi Hendrix picks through the notes and chords showcases his intricate understanding of melody.  It is such a simple love song.  Very vulnerable, tender, yet larger than life.  Tons of great guitarists have tackled this song and made it their own.  The glockenspiel adds a nice texture to the song.  In mono it feels a little bit compressed; not really allowed to just pop out and shine.  The intricate chording, and playing around the scale is really built for stereo.  Stereo sound does give this song so much more necessary texture.

7) "If 6 was 9" verdict: mono

A hippy anthem about non-conformity.  This was Jimi's kiss off song.  Here, the band plays its rhythm switch up trick again.  The verse following an odd time signature, where the chorus finds a more standard 4/4 time.  Jimi raps a bit, and then the song *almost* flies off the handle as the band jams, but wisely brings it back together before the train is completely off the track.  The mono version of this is just a full scale attack.  It just doesn't rock as hard in stereo.  The sort of stepping effects in the breakdown sound more 3D in stereo, but that is really the only advantage of the stereo mix.  This is a song that just needs to confront the listener, and in stereo is becomes a bit impotent.

8) "You've Got Me Floating" "verdict: mono

When I hear this, it sounds like a holdover from the "Are You Experienced?" sessions.  Not in a bad way at all; but it has all of the pop sensibilities of the first album.  The song feels like a vehicle for a catchy chorus, and catchy the chorus is.  Noel Redding's backing vocals are a steady backdrop to Jimi's off-the-cuff lead.  Mono leads to another full-scale all band attack.  In stereo the drums are barely audible, the guitar takes up way too much space, to even where the lead vocal gets buried.  

9) "Castles Made of Sand" verdict: stereo

Flowing in with a quick guitar jam, we get a song that plays out as a narrative.  When songs tell a story, especially when it is an interesting short story, it lets the imagination run wild.  The music plays a back drop here to Hendrix the vocalist.  Guitar chops definitely for the backdrop of the song, but this is the rare Hendrix track where the vocals are really the driver.  The guitar sounds a little less textured in mono.  Stereo mix creates a nice space for Jimi's vocals to really cut through and tell the story.  Plus, the hard panning of the two guitar tracks really allows them to juxtapose.

10) "She's So Fine" verdict: mono

A rare Jimi Hendrix Experience track, written and sang by bassist Noel Redding.  He is a capable singer, and an alright writer, but it sticks out a bit.  Not that Noel Redding doesn't deserve his due, but his writing isn't even in the same room as Jimi Hendrix, a fact I'm sure he would be willing to admit.  This is basically a song about a cute hippy.  Personally, if you are looking for that lyrical style with this band, I'd stick with "Foxy Lady" from the debut.  Stereo allows the bass drum and and Mitch Mitchell's furious pounding to come through, but the guitars get lost, as does Noel's bass guitar.  So, in stereo, the bassist's lone writing credit, his principal instrument is inaudible.  This is also kind of a straightforward, off the cuff band song.  The attack is better in mono.

11) "One Rainy Wish" verdict: stereo

The technicolor picture this song fits in just as well here as it would have on the sprawling follow up, "Electric Ladyland."  The soft guitar tones and layers show a maturing composer and arranger.  The powerful chorus brings it home.  Songs that use flowers, butterflies, landscapes etc as a vehicle for describing a lover can quickly veer into the cringy category.  Jimi Hendrix somehow makes them always feel convincing and authentic.  The developing theme between these mixes really seems to be that the more intricate the guitar sounds, the better off the mix comes in stereo.  We do still get the hard left pan on the lead, but as soon as the double track of the vocal comes in, the problem is corrected.  Stereo makes the bass take a little bit too deep of a back seat, but this is really a big guitar song.  

12) "Little Miss Lover" verdict: stereo

"Little Miss Lover" veers into that album filler category.  At this point, The Experience was beyond 3 chord jams.  Jimi's lead saves it from complete boredom, but the song is just kind of flat.  Sounds a little more balanced and interesting in stereo.  Here, the production and mix picks up the slack for a sort of mediocre track.  

13) "Bold as Love" verdict: stereo

One of the absolute best title tracks AND closing tracks on an album.  This leaves on a high note just making the listener beg for more.  The interplay between Jimi's vocals and guitar is absolutely masterful.  And the big chorus is an anthem that could have filled stadiums full of rock fans waving lighters, had Jimi not tragically joined the 27 club.  The song feels like it is pleading, until you get to the massive chorus.  This is also one of the very first tracks to use the phase distorter pitch shift effect, and it is surprisingly done on the drums, and to much delight.  It sounds alright in mono, but is really meant to be experieced in stereo.

Verdict: stereo

Stereo being the favorite is sort of surprising to me, but not an absolute shock.  The theme here really seems to be that the straightforward rockers work better in mono, whereas the spacey and technical stuff works better in stereo.  So, if you are a Hendrix fan, it's probably worth your while to have both mixes in your collection.  Some early stereo stuff is pretty much garbage through and through; the mixes are way out of balance and there stereo technology is overemphasized.  Here, some of the experiments in stereo work better than others, but none of it is off putting.  The mono mixes are all pretty well balanced, but some of the songs just pop out of the speakers better in stereo.

After coming out of nowhere with "Are You Experienced?" Jimi Hendrix gave rock n roll fans a more challenging, but ultimately more rewarding listen with "Axis."  Simply not enough can be said of the abject genius that Jimi Hendrix was, and the tragedy that rock n roll fans still feel 50 years after his untimely demise.