Second albums are, with very few exceptions are a bitch. Especially when your debut is as big a success and as revolutionary as "Are You Experienced". But somehow in the same year as that album Jimi pulls off a near perfect second album, showing some major delevopement. For one, he drops much of the rougher songs and production of "Experienced" in favour of a more melodic, lighter and more chilled out style, yet still shows he could still rock the hell out, ie:"Spanish Castle Magic". Hendrix himself claimed that Axis was meant to be a more "cooled down album"after the sometimes aggressive Experienced, new reputation as wild black acid rocker and growing fame and love from his peers must have at first put him in a good mood, at least it shows on this album.
The fun catchy riffs of songs like "Wait Until Tomorrow" and bright humourous lyrics of songs like "Castles Made Of Sand", ie:
"Down the street you can hear her scream youre a disgrace
As she slams the door in his drunken face
And now he stands outside
And all the neighbours start to gossip and drool"
show a side of Hendrix that wasn't seen as often after this album, apart from some gems like "Crosstown Traffic" later on. Part of what makes this album incredible for me is the unique style of guitar playing, fusing a style of rythym and lead and solo technique all in one. The most famous example of this style would have to be "Little Wing", a heartfelt dedication to Hendrix's mother who had died in his teens, this was really the first Hendrix song I really understood how incredibley deep and talented musician he was. Theres definatley good musicianship on this album too, the funk-before-its time number "Little Miss Lover" shows very inventive scratchy funk rythym, well led by drummer Mitch Mitchell and Bassist Noel Redding who are on top form for most of the album, Mitch in particularly adapting and complementing Hendrix well, laid back in "Up From The Skies" and perfectly on time in "Spanish Castle Magic".
"Spanish Castle Magic" is one of the rockier tracks on the album, beginning with an almost heavy metal chord progression before spiraling into a prolonged solo, and the near insanity lyrics of
"The clouds are really low
And they overflow with cotton candy
And battle grounds red and brown
But its all in your mind
Dont think your time on bad things
Just float your little mind around
Look out ! ow !"
only add to the adrenalin rush of a song. Jimi covers a huge range of music on this album, featuring a chilled out space jazz in "Up From The Skies" to a mean blues tune in "If 6 Was 9" in which he delivers a basic "fu** you" to what he calls "white collar conservatives" waving "plastic fingers" at him, along with the other styles I mentioned, this is an incredibley diverse, yet mainly melodic album, and also Hendrix's most iventive lyrically. On a last note, this album is among Hendrix's most psychedelic work, while many believe it contributed to his creativity, this album gives a good argument for that, the epic album closer of the same title being one of the best examples, along with "One Rainy Wish", it seems obvious that Hendrix was using acid to an increasing (and what would be later a dangerous) rate. This is a perfect second Experience album choice and overall a great album, showing a very talented artist with almost no ideas of creative boundries, an amazing album.
