Retro Reviews: The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric Ladyland

    I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electric Ladyland (1968)

*****

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Musicians: Jimi Hendrix, Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, Al Kooper, Dave Mason, Steve Winwood, Jack Casady, Freddie Smith, Mike Finnigan, Buddy Miles, Larry Faucette, Chris Wood, Brian Jones, Cissy Houston, Slyvia Shemwell, Myrna Smith, Estelle Brown

Songs and music: “And The Gods Made Love”, Have You Ever Been To (Electric Ladyland), Crosstown Traffic, Voodoo Chile, Rainy Day Dream Away, 1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be), Moon, Turn the Tides…Gently Gently Away, Little Miss Strange, Long Hot Summer Night, Come On (Part1), Gypsy Eyes, Burning Of The Midnight Lamp, Still Raining Still Dreaming, House Burning Down, All Along The Watchtower, Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    This album is epic in scope and scale, along with his band, Hendrix has redefined not only the guitar but song rock song writing as well. Aside from the core band of Redding and Mitchell, he has assembled an all-star roster of talent to appear on various numbers. Some of the album feels very ‘live’, but most tracks have a dense, layered sound, and there’s evident craft involved here. Are You Experienced? was a dazzling debut, but Axis: Bold As Love was just as impressive as an evolution. Other than The Beatles, I have seen few acts evolve so quickly as Hendrix in a narrow space of time. There’s a flute that weaves and glides through a certain track, and this sensibility of gliding is fitting for this album, perhaps due to the psychedelic guise, or perhaps not. Hendrix has gotten his share of criticism, if not the occasional scorn. I still remember his appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival, an increasingly seminal moment, and the criticism of a few pears*, which had the odious tone of racial bias from them. I have a long memory, I don't forget the slight. Jimi is far more gracious than I am.  

    Let’s address the claims from other peers about the album, one that is it too long, this is a ridiculous point, the song choices are perfect, as far as the length of certain numbers, Hendrix had already been long form improvising on the stage, he just now has the freedom to explore on record. Second, that this is a ‘concept’ album, I don’t see it. As much as some could claim that Sgt. Pepper is a concept record based on the framework of a few songs, the only valid point oof that claim would be the connecting tracks on side three, which we will get into later. This album is important, will be seen as important and helps to define music going into the next decade – of that I am certain. Some of the credit must go to recording engineer Eddie Kramer, who has, like he did with the prior albums, helped to broaden the sound palate for Hendrix.

    With “…And The Gods Made Love’, the album opens with a sound collage of backwards voices, echoes, and various effects to set the tone, and honor The Beatles streak of experimentation, this nicely segways into “Have You Ever Been to (Electric Ladyland)”, a lovely RNB ballad with some lyrical lead guitar and chordal work, but what is impressive is Hendrix’s background vocals and their falsetto, quite love. Then next track is the already released “Crosstown Traffic”, a clever fun number with the interplay between the piano and rhythm guitar, and the duel scat like fuzz guitar and Kazoo. This leaves away to the first big surprise, the singularly song “Voodoo Chile” featuring Jack Cassedy and Steve Winwood sitting in. The track seems to have been recorded ‘live’ in the studio with an audience, which leaves it with the feeling of a small club performance.

    Side two is no less dazzling, but from a different fashion. Redding’s “Little Miss Strange” opens the side, a driving acoustic guitar, and Noel’s rolling bass drives it along. Hendrix offers some harmonized fuzz guitars, Wah, and rhythmic fills to help it along. The inventive “Long Hot Summer Night” has some whimsical piano to support Hendrix, once again Jimi’s background vocals are quite good. The cover of “Come On (Let The Good Times Roll)” has a fresh groove that connects to his past, the Wah solo takes this to a new level. Mitch’s driving groove sets up the layered “Gypsy Eyes”, the lead has a sonic freshness that I no doubt others will emulate, there’s some great harmonic interplay as well. The mid-tempo ballad “Burning Of The Midnight Lamp” has some incredible interplay between a harpsicord and his Wah guitar, there’s also a lifting, angelic female choir, all of which makes this feel like another classic single in the making.

     The loose concept theme of side three begins with “Rainy Day, Dream Away”, the groove is set up with an organ, sultry saxophone, and Jimi’s guitar, Organist Mike Finnigan manages some equal leads with Hendrix. Buddy Miles takes the drum chair on the number. The epic “1983 (A Merman Should I Turn To Be) feels innovative, a minor blues with a futuristic fable. There’s a moment early on where it sounds like you are getting a bass and guitar playing in unison. The second longest track as it moves in different directions, but the goal seems to be to place the listener in a certain mental state, a mind cinema, if you will. A free form flute adds to the second half. The image of descending into the depths is very effective The whole structure is very similar to a jazz piece, but under the guise of an RNB number , Noel’s bass work is impressive and that is none the less true with Mitch’s drumming. The abstract “Moon, Turn the Tides, Gently, Gently Away” closes the side, it ends as it begun with the album opener.

    “Still Raining, Still Dreaming” continues the grove set up before with the side four opener, but there’s a little more freedom with the jam aspect. One could argue there’s a loose, self explanatory concept to that group of songs, boredom setting in on a bleak day, and concocting an ambitious fantasy. “House Burning Down” is no less impressive than “Gypsy Eyes”, the track takes several dynamic turns with some great interplay between the trio. The stunning cover of Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower” is no less impressive, it had already been a single, the interplay between Hendrix and Dave Mason’s acoustics gives it a dramatic edge, and Hendrix’s lead work is as imaginative as you can expect. But the tour de force might very be the closer “Voodoo Child (Slight Return0” brisk lead work will likely best any other player. This is playing at an elevated level.

    Everything before with Are You Experienced? and Axis: Bold As Love felt like prelude, Hendrix may have hit his apex. Recommended. 

* Jann Wenner and Robert Christgau