thanks to the original releaser! :punk:
QUOTE (release notes) |
While I have no doubt that the 1997 Experience Hendrix release that was remastered by Eddie Kramer uses a much better source tape, it was mastered on the loud side. I never had a problem with that until I compared it to this version. Simply, you cannot crank up the new remaster. At loud volumes it does not sound as good as this release. At low volumes the new remaster sounds fine, to me at least. Just wanted to give you guys the chance to compare for yourself. It's becoming very difficult to find this original cd release - most of the time when you think you have found it, it turns out to be the 2nd U.S. release which uses the Sonic Solutions No Noise System. The packaging and catalog numbers are exactly the same. The one difference is the matrix info on the cd itself. If it contains RE -1 in the matrix, it's the Sonic Solutions disc |
Review by Richie UnterbergerOne of the most stunning debuts in rock history, and one of the definitive albums of the psychedelic era. On Are You Experienced?, Jimi Hendrix synthesized various elements of the cutting edge of 1967 rock into music that sounded both futuristic and rooted in the best traditions of rock, blues, pop, and soul. It was his mind-boggling guitar work, of course, that got most of the ink, building upon the experiments of British innovators like Jeff Beck and Pete Townshend to chart new sonic territories in feedback, distortion, and sheer volume. It wouldn't have meant much, however, without his excellent material, whether psychedelic frenzy ("Foxey Lady," "Manic Depression," "Purple Haze"), instrumental freak-out jams ("Third Stone From the Sun"), blues ("Red House," "Hey Joe"), or tender, poetic compositions ("The Wind Cries Mary") that demonstrated the breadth of his songwriting talents. Not to be underestimated were the contributions of drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding, who gave the music a rhythmic pulse that fused parts of rock and improvised jazz. Many of these songs are among Hendrix's very finest; it may be true that he would continue to develop at a rapid pace throughout the rest of his brief career, but he would never surpass his first LP in terms of consistently high quality.