Album #72: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Electric Ladyland (1968)

History records that Electric Ladyland is the final album released by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, one of a number of elite power trios in 60s music. Hendrix had, by this time, firmly established himself as one of the most influential guitarists in the world, combining an incredible flair for invention with an ear for blues/soul music. 

However, when it came to the recording of this album, the Experience (Hendrix, drummer extraordinaire Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding) were already destined for the scrapheap. Redding had formed his own band, and had limited time to contribute to the recording. Additionally, Hendrix's perfectionism cost him the services of his producer and engineers. Consequently, Hendrix himself plays bass on a number of tracks here, and there's even a handful of tunes where Hendrix plays with a completely different band.

This album is arguably Hendrix's most experimental. It may also be the greatest work the Experience put out. Let's find out more. 

The Album

Electric Ladyland is, in many ways, a microcosm of mainstream English pop/rock in 1968. There's blues, soul-tinged pop, classic English pop rock, experimental spacey psychedelia and straight rock. The album's heart and soul is blues, though, and it's no surprise that many of the album's killer moments come through the blues tracks. The biggest standouts share a similar name. Everybody familiar with the Hendrix oeuvre knows Voodoo Child (Slight Return), a five minute opus that displays Hendrix's genius for all to see. Beginning with a sweet wah-laden riff, we are then treated to Hendrix making some unholy sounds with his guitar; the solo after the final verse is savage and untamed, and also very fucking cool. It deserves to be considered one of the greatest solos of all time. Voodoo Chile is a different song. Clocking in at fifteen minutes, and featuring English keyboard star Steve Winwood, it is a pure blues track, with typical supernatural lyrics and a slow, steady blues groove. There are glorious instrumental moments for Hendrix, Winwood and Mitchell here, and they make this song a compelling listen.

Other blues songs on the album are the underrated, rocking tunes House Burning Down and Gypsy Eyes, and the duo of Rainy Day, Dream Away and Still Raining, Still Dreaming. There's also a cover of Come On (Let The Good Times Roll), which is more R & B than pure blues, but still a rollicking little cover with some sharp work from Mitchell.

Beyond that, there's some sprawling musical territory covered here. Crosstown Traffic and the brilliant All Along The Watchtower are more traditional rock songs in sound. The former is an uptempo rocker with a classic riff and some solid metaphorical lyrical work. The latter features several Hendrix solos, all with their typical invention and feel, while there's even a slide guitar break as well. Interestingly, it doesn't have choruses; credit that to Bob Dylan, who originally penned and recorded the tune (though with about 0.2% of the style and panache of this infinitely superior cover). Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) takes some of the sounds of soul music, with a major emphasis on backing vocals, and produces something akin to psychedelic soul, while the stunning (and also extremely underrated) Burning of the Midnight Lamp ditches the soul for absolute Floydian psychedelia. It's the first time Hendrix used a wah pedal on an album, which marks it as fairly important; it's also a killer tune, and the chord progressions throughout are goosebumps-inducing.

But that's not all in terms of psychedelic jams. 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) is the sort of track I would consider polarising. Apocalyptic lyrics tell of Hendrix's desire to return to the sea, and these are set to a soundscape of flutes, jazz drums (there's a couple of drum solo sections that are superb) and a haunting guitar riff. As a sonic adventure, it's almost without peer. However, to others, it could be quite dragging (unlike Voodoo Chile, which never lets up on its assault on the senses, this song goes through the occasional period where nothing is happening). Personally, I find it enthralling, and a testament to Hendrix's perfectionism and composing abilities.

Finally, there's Little Miss Strange, a song penned and sung by Noel Redding. As was the case with Redding's previous contribution to an Experience album (She's So Fine on Axis: Bold As Love), it's a fairly typical English pop/rock song; limited guitar heroics, and more of an emphasis on structure and vocal harmonies. It's not too bad, to be fair; I quite enjoy it; but on an album full of experimentation and virtuosity, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

The Verdict

Call me biased, but every Hendrix Experience album would have to get at least four stars, if not more. This is no different. For sheer musical wizardry, this album is a must listen. For diversity in style and sound, it's a must listen. For anyone who loves guitar and guitar players, it's a must listen.

It's the Experience's most complete album, and that's why I think it's their best. If I ever wanted to prove why Hendrix was a man ahead of his time, Electric Ladyland is the album I'd play.

My rating: *****

Standout Tracks

Voodoo Chile

Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

Burning Of The Midnight Lamp

All Along The Watchtower

My next album, assuming I can track it down, is another request - it's a British band's 1997 debut album......