Jimi Hendrix Experience "Are You Experienced?"
FORMAT | LP
Jimi hendrix's debut recording was an instant classic, and is as startling today as when it first hit the streets in 1967. 'are you experienced' is probably the most rock-oriented of hendrix's official studio releases, but its influences are incredibly diverse. 'third stone from the sun' recalls the supple octaves of jazz guitarist wes montgomery; the churning afro-cuban polyrhythms of 'manic depression' evoke john coltrane and elvin jones; 'i don't live today' employs ritualistic native american drumbeats; and the title tune borrows the eastern airs of sitarist ravi shankar. the mix, beautifully refreshed on this 2010 reissue, is dark and churning, a dense wall of sound. mitch mitchell and noel redding blast away with a barely controlled fury, and there's a distorted metallic edge to hendrix's guitar timbre that has made 'are you experienced' a particular favourite among rock and heavy-metal guitarists. 'purple haze' and 'foxey lady' helped define the power-trio format, thanks to hendrix's full-bodied rhythm guitar and his soaring solos. 'are you experienced' also established hendrix as a singer-songwriter. his dylanesque vocals and spacey imagery make each tune a little gem, especially on gentle outings such as the ballad 'the wind cries mary.'
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