This week we are going to try something a little different but hopefully fun. We are going to take a look back at one of the great guitar albums of the past and find out what things make it so special. We are especially going to consider the guitar aspects of the album to find out how a good guitar part can make a song that much better.
If I had to choose only three albums to listen to for the rest of my life, one of them would be Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland (1968 MCA Records). This album is so full of guitar wizardry and songwriting beauty, not to mention its diversity and continuity, that it continues to stand the test of time as an essential classic to be found in any guitar aficionado’s collection.
The first track, “…And The Gods Made Love,” is a psychedelic experiment in noise, but even in this hodgepodge of effects, the guitar plays a substantial role. Jimi plays straight feedback throughout the whole cut, dive-bombing with his whammy bar and controlling the tone with his ever-present wah pedal. There are a lot of different voices on this track played at different speeds.
And then the real music begins. The second cut is called “Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland).” It’s a mellow tune, with wah-laden guitars meandering around Jimi’s lilting lyrics.
The third track is the popular “Crosstown Traffic,” a staple of many classic rock radio stations. Its guitar parts are minimalist riffs, playing a heavy rhythm to the tempo of Jimi’s rap-style vocals. Some people say Jimi Hendrix was one of the first musicians to ever record raps, but that is debatable. I never would have actually thought of Jimi’s smooth style in connection with rap voicings if my mother wouldn’t have asked me one day several years ago what kind of rap song I was listening to when I was playing a Jimi song in the car. She was right, sort of. It makes you think of things in a different perspective anyway, right?
The fourth track is “Voodoo Chile,” an anthem to the blues. Long, slow, and plodding, this track drips the blues. Jimi’s lead work is phenomenal, connecting the vocal lines with the instrumental lines.
“Little Miss Strange” is next. This one is a poppy ode to a different kind of girl. Its fast tempo and many breaks give Jimi a chance to show off his chops as he plays at nearly breakneck speed throughout the entire song.
