Jimi Hendrix's debut recording was an instant classic, and is as startling today as when it first hit the streets in 1967. Are You Experienced? is probably the most rock-oriented of Hendrix's official studio releases, but its influences are incredibly diverse.
"Third Stone From The Sun" recalls the supple octaves of jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery; the churning afro-cuban polyrhythms of "Manic Depression" evoke John Coltrane and Elvin Jones; "I Don't Live Today" employs ritualistic native American drumbeats; and the title tune borrows the eastern airs of sitarist Ravi Shankar.
The mix is dark and churning, a dense wall of sound. Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding blast away with a barely controlled fury, and there's a distorted metallic edge to Hendrix's guitar timbre that has made Are You Experienced? a particular favourite among rock and heavy-metal guitarists. "Purple Haze" and "Foxey Lady" helped define the power-trio format, thanks to Hendrix's full-bodied rhythm guitar and his soaring solos.
Are You Experienced? also established Hendrix as a singer-songwriter. His Dylanesque vocals and spacey imagery make each tune a little gem, especially on gentle outings such as the ballad "The Wind Cries Mary".