THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE: ARE YOU EXPERIENCED

In the mid/late 90's I decided to upgrade all my LP collection to CD, but strangely never upgraded any Jimi Hendrix album, yesterday after listening my old copy of Electric Ladyland, wondered why I never did it, but after listening Are you Experienced? I understood that the reason is that most of his music says very little to me, always thought he was greatly overrated and even when I hate this word because it implies arrogance (Everybody is wrong and I am right), still ask the question....What did people saw on this album?

The album starts with Purple Haze and after so many years I only listen noise with almost no coherence, yes he's loud and people loved loudness in the 60's, maybe a bit adventurous for the era, but today sounds more outdated than ever.

Manic Depression is one of the most boring and predictable Soul - Blues tracks, never saw anything special on it and after this listen, my impression hasn't changed, not even those shouts a la James Brown capture my attention. I don't know if that shredding he does with the guitar implies great skills, because for me it's mostly noise.

Without having any Prog connection, Hey Joe is a very good song, good melody, sense of musicality and coherence, the nice chorus enhance the listening experience, very pleasant and interesting, even when after the first 1:30 minutes, there's nothing new to offer.

Love or Confusion? The answer is confusion, because I can't understand what is the fuzz about this album, the track is predictable and boring (at least for me), the loud guitar sections may have been nice for hippies on acid, but, honestly, can't find the musicality.

May this be Love presents an interesting change, a song that evolves interestingly with great coherence, for the first time in the album, the guitar sections really have meaning in the context of a track, not only as an exhibition of skills.

I don't use acid, so I don't Live today, makes no sense to me, lets pass to The Wind Cries Mary, a track that even when leads nowhere, has a good sound, but...Hasn't people noticed that most Hendrix music sounds exactly the same?

Fire is more of the same, Blues - Soul played very loud, that same year Arthur Brown released another song with the same name that shows clearly what imagination and musical revolution is, in comparison with this boring track.

When I was about to switch off my turntable, came Third Stone from the Sun, at last something really interesting a good solid and well structured track that gives us an excellent example of the inventive of the late 60's, with radical changes, coherence and musicality, the highest point in the album by far.

Foxy Lady returns me to reality, the album has no versatility, almost everything sounds repetitive and dull, so lets run to the closer Are you Experienced?, another good song that has interesting sections and a lot of imagination.

I thought I was the only rara avis that disliked this album but searching on the web, found a lot of comments that are more or less similar to what I feel, dull, repetitive, lack of variation and senseless.

If it wasn't for Third Stone from the Sun and Are you Experienced?, I would had no alternative than giving the album one lonely star, but this tracks deserve some credit, so I will go with two stars even if some people will ask my head.

I'm not sure if he really influenced Prog or not, some people believe so, and I respect their opinions, but the review is about what I think of the music, so IMHO if you didn't grew with Hendrix and his music gives you nostalgia for your childhood, avoid it and go with Electric Ladyland a real adventurous album.

Hang me if you want for criticizing a sacred icon of the 60's, but his is my absolutely honest opinion.