Universal (label)
23 April 2012 (released)
01 April 2012
“What were you doing in the Glam Wars daddy?”
The early seventies were the kick off for a movement in British pop (strangely one that was too extreme for the US) with as many factions and schisms as there were in politics. On one side you had the Glam rockers like Sweet and Gary Glitter, on the other were the faux-Glam/Revivalist acts like Mud & The Rubettes but striding head and shoulders above them all was the elfin form of Marc Bolan and the mighty T-Rex.
This was the second T-Rex album (they were previously Tyrannosaurus Rex but nothing like what T-Rex became) and probably the most classic of Marc Bolan’s oeuvre – it was a five star album in 1972 and it still stands up as a brilliant work today.
‘Jeepster’ and ‘Get It On’ still stand up as great singles and while ‘Monolith’ plods a bit ‘Lean Woman Blues’ is as sleazy and loaded with smouldering raunch as ever. ‘Girl’ and ‘Life’s A Gas’ are perfect little moments and adding ‘Hot Love’ seems to be a perfect bridge between the early and the fully defined band.
As ever, this is loaded with oddments that add to the value of the release while not being essential in their own right but the real reason for getting this is the remastering by Tony Visconti himself which just seems to sparkle and shimmer like the original and way out-performs the pallid CD issues that have gone in the past.
01: Mambo Sun
02: Cosmic Dancer
03: Jeepster
04: Monolith
05: Lean Woman Blues
06: Get It On
07: Planet Queen
08: Girl
09: The Motivator
10: Life’s A Gas
11: Rip Off
BONUS TRACKS
12: There Was A Time / Raw Ramp - B-side
13: Hot Love - A-side
14: King Of The Mountain Cometh - B-side
15: Woodland Rock - B-side
Simply sublime!