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Vinyl Album

Artist:The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Title:Smash Hits
Label:  Polydor
Country:UK
Catalogue:2310 268
Date:1973
Format:LP
Collection:  I Own It     I Want It 
Community: 22 Own, 1 Wants
Price Guide:Valuation Page
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TrackArtistTitleComposerRating
A1The Jimi Hendrix ExperiencePurple HazeHendrix9.0  Rate
A2The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceFireHendrix9.0  Rate
A3The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceThe Wind Cries MaryHendrix9.0  Rate
A4The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceCan You See MeHendrix8.0  Rate
A5The Jimi Hendrix Experience51st AnniversaryHendrix7.0  Rate
A6The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceHey JoeRoberts10.0  Rate
B1The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceStone FreeHendrix8.0  Rate
B2The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceStars That Play With Laughing Sam's DiceHendrix7.0  Rate
B3The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceManic DepressionHendrix8.0  Rate
B4The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceHighway ChileHendrix8.0  Rate
B5The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceBurning Of The Midnight LampHendrix10.0  Rate
B6The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceFoxy LadyHendrix9.0  Rate


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Comments and Reviews
 
Magic Marmalade🍰
3rd Oct 2016
 Review
A rare mis-step from Polydor...

Having had occasion to return to this for re-recording, I thought I'd give it a more accurate appraisal than I had before.

(My comments previously were before this was added as separate entry, and a fuller discography created since, has allowed me to see that the other one was not my issue... and also, we now have the review facility).

It is every bit the awful issue I remembered it being from the last time I played it, but this is not the fault of the vinyl, or the original recordings (so much), as it is the quality of the sources of those recordings used for this issue, and the "stereo effect" processes used for this.

The vinyl itself is silent in the run-ins, and between tracks, and is of fantastic quality - I have a couple of (sleeveless) Polydor Jimis acquired since, that are great: Band Of Gypsys, and Cry Of Love - but the tracks themselves here are entirely lacking power, and clarity... sounding stodgy, indistinct, distorted, and gutless...

...This I ascribe to the only explanation that fits with what I can hear, in that by the time this was cobbled together as a cash in exercise, the source tapes, or more likely, the stampers, were completely knackered... worn, eroded through use, and unfit for purpose.

- I have most of the original singles on the Track label (except the first: Hey Joe / Stone Free, which is a Polydor), and these mono issues are everything you expect Jimi Hendrix to be, powerful, punchy, clear, and, crucially, unified in the sound, so they offer the best comparison, as well -

Here, there is fuzzing on the higher frequencies, lisping on the "S" es, and the instrumentation is distant and obscure... like you're listening to these tunes through a door.

(My copy is mint, and I've played other albums either side of it to make sure it's not my equipment)

The songs are not "mixed to match" each other, and however they were individually produced at their various times, and whatever condition of each source has not been accounted for either, so it's all over the place in this regard too... a failing further compounded, and exacerbated by this "Enhanced for stereo from original mono recordings" process which you see on the lower left of the back cover here... which, unlike a straight mono, or a genuine stereo, has no unity in the field of sound whatsoever, where in each of these cases the sound presents itself across the room, as a whole, makes you very aware of two distinct, and separate channels, right and left, which you can listen to , and pick out individually... which makes for a very unpleasant experience in my opinion.

(Very odd that All Along The Watchtower single is not on here either, especially as that's a genuine stereo recording from knobs to knockin's!)

All of this is a shame, because as well as being a waste of great vinyl. this album will be seen as many as a great introduction to Jimi Hendrix, through his most recognisable songs, and may opt for this on this basis... They will be disappointed.

I cannot speak of the quality of the mono issue of this so much, but I'd advise to leave this processed stereo one well alone.

...and while if you find it for a quid at a boot fair or in a charity shop, it might make a pleasant addition to a complete Hendrix discography, or the cover might be nice to frame for the price, but anything over this amount would make you feel robbed.


Either get the original singles (maybe a mono version of this album (?)), or opt instead for a fully remastered CD or vinyl of these tracks for a real Jimi Hendrix Experience :)

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?
 
 
hiwatt1973
19th Jan 2014
 Cover and label scans added
 

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Linked Releases

UK - Track - 1968 [Stereo]

Australia - Polydor International - 1968 [Stereo]

Germany - Polydor - 1968

Italy - Polydor - 1968

Norway - Polydor - 1968

UK - Track - 1968 [Mono]

Netherlands - Polydor - 1976

UK - Polydor - 1976

Germany - Polydor - 1980

UK - Polydor


See Also

Vinyl Album
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland - Polydor - UK (1973)
Next by Artist
Vinyl Album
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Backtrack Eleven: Axis: Bold As Love - Track - UK (1970)
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Vinyl Album
Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra - Yesterday And Today - Polydor - UK (1973)
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Sara Hamilton - Someone Ought To Care - Polydor - UK (1973)
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