features in: Album Chart of 1968 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s ● 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |
The last of the three albums to be billed to the Jimi Hendrix Experience was a good ‘un, although it’s not without dull patches across the 75 minute, 4-sided affair – despite all of the famously celebrated sonic trickery in the studio.
Side 1 starts slowly, verging on naff with “…And The Gods Made Love” followed by “Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)”. Proto Barry White already? Do me a favour Jimi. As if I’ve got his ear, he responds magnificently with “Crosstown Traffic” – we’re back in business with some of that lip snarlin’ heavy rhythm ACTION. There are only two covers on the album – the difference in quality between them sums up why the album fails to register as a classic to my ears. The first is “Come On (Let The Good Times Roll)”, originally done by Earl King in 1960, which simply bores, as Jimi runs up and down the fret accompanied by a bog-standard 12 bar blues backing band. I’ve heard worse, to be fair, but I’m bored all the same.
Side 2 is saved by the inclusion of the extra-ordinary single of late ’67, “Burning Of The Midnight Lamp”, which finds Jimi at his creative best, packing psychedelia, soul and rock into one powerful punch. The addition of the Sweet Inspirations on backing vocals works a treat at this point on the album, simply nicing up the place.
The album’s rating suffers on Side 3; “Rainy Day, Dream Away” is a practice session throwaway blues; “1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)” is the obligatory prog-jam – quite good as it goes for these things but never a thriller for me; and “Moon, Turn The Tides…Gently Gently Away” is just a soothing come-down 60-seconds sound effect – a guaranteed ratings loser.
Side 4 has, by far, the strongest songs. “Still Raining, Still Dreaming” is a blues rocker, heavy on a groovy organ, with some superb guitar action. “House Burning Down” serves up a Rock Tango – I wasn’t expecting THAT. “All Along The Watchtower”, the album’s second cover, takes ownership of Dylan’s song, as acknowledged by the writer himself. Said Jimi: “All those people who don't like Bob Dylan's songs should read his lyrics. They are filled with the joys and sadness of life. I am as Dylan, none of us can sing normally. Sometimes, I play Dylan's songs and they are so much like me that it seems to me that I wrote them.” Surprisingly, this was Hendrix's only Top 40 hit in the US. At least they got that right. “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” finishes off the double album set splendidly, with funky wah-wah chops to die for.
Thumbs up from a non-Rock head.
The Jukebox Rebel
17–Jul–2007
Tracklist |
A1 | [01:21] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - …And The Gods Made Love (Jimi Hendrix) Rock |
A2 | [02:11] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) (Jimi Hendrix) Rock |
A3 | [02:26] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Crosstown Traffic (Jimi Hendrix) Rock |
A4 | [14:59] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Chile (Jimi Hendrix) Blues Rock / Soul Rock |
B1 | [02:52] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Little Miss Strange (Noel Redding) Rock |
B2 | [03:27] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Long Hot Summer Night (Jimi Hendrix) Rock |
B3 | [04:09] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Come On (Let The Good Times Roll) (Earl King) Rock |
B4 | [03:43] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Gypsy Eyes (Jimi Hendrix) Rock |
B5 | [03:39] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Burning Of The Midnight Lamp (Jimi Hendrix) Rock |
C1 | [03:42] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Rainy Day, Dream Away (Jimi Hendrix) Blues Rock / Soul Rock |
C2 | [13:39] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - 1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) (Jimi Hendrix) Prog |
C3 | [01:01] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Moon, Turn The Tides…Gently Gently Away (Jimi Hendrix) Film Score / Incidental |
D1 | [04:25] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Still Raining, Still Dreaming (Jimi Hendrix) Blues Rock / Soul Rock |
D2 | [04:33] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - House Burning Down (Jimi Hendrix) Rock |
D3 | [04:00] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along The Watchtower (Robert Zimmerman) Rock |
D4 | [05:13] The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (Jimi Hendrix) Blues Rock / Soul Rock |