Electric Warrior

by T. Rex

Overview

The album that essentially kick-started the U.K. glam rock craze, Electric Warrior completes T. Rex's transformation from hippie folk-rockers into flamboyant avatars of trashy rock & roll. There are a few vestiges of those early days remaining in the acoustic-driven ballads, but Electric Warrior spends most of its time in a swinging, hip-shaking groove powered by Marc Bolan's warm electric guitar. The music recalls not just the catchy simplicity of early rock & roll, but also the implicit sexuality -- except that here, Bolan gleefully hauls it to the surface, singing out loud what was once only communicated through the shimmying beat. He takes obvious delight in turning teenage bubblegum rock into campy sleaze, not to mention filling it with pseudo-psychedelic hippie poetry. In fact, Bolan sounds just as obsessed with the heavens as he does with sex, whether he's singing about spiritual mysticism or begging a flying saucer to take him away. It's all done with the same theatrical flair, but Tony Visconti's spacious, echoing production makes it surprisingly convincing. Still, the real reason Electric Warrior stands the test of time so well -- despite its intended disposability -- is that it revels so freely in its own absurdity and willful lack of substance. Not taking himself at all seriously, Bolan is free to pursue whatever silly wordplay, cosmic fantasies, or non sequitur imagery he feels like; his abandonment of any pretense to art becomes, ironically, a statement in itself. Bolan's lack of pomposity, back-to-basics songwriting, and elaborate theatrics went on to influence everything from hard rock to punk to new wave. But in the end, it's that sense of playfulness, combined with a raft of irresistible hooks, that keeps Electric Warrior such an infectious, invigorating listen today. [The 2003 Rhino reissue of Electric Warrior truly lives up to the oft-misused term "expanded." The deluxe package includes lengthy liner notes by Sean Egan, fantastic photos of Marc Bolan and the rest of the group, a fold-out poster of Bolan, twenty minutes of audio excerpts from a promo interview disc cut with Bolan in 1971, and six bonus tracks recorded and released around the same time as the Electric Warrior album. Most of these songs have been available elsewhere (except for the previously unreleased acoustic version of "Planet Queen"), but adding them to the original album enhances the experience. The best track is the rollicking and rude "Raw Ramp," although "Hot Love" gives it a run for the top. The other three tracks ("There Was a Time," "Woodland Rock," and "King of the Mountain Cometh") aren't essential T. Rex, but are fun nonetheless. Now if only Rhino could get their hands on The Slider and give that album the deluxe treatment it deserves: the same excellent treatment they give Electric Warrior here.] ~ Steve Huey

Product Details

Release Date:	02/25/2003
Label:	Reprise / Rhino
UPC:	0081227611125

Tracks

1. Mambo Sun
2. Cosmic Dancer
3. Jeepster
4. Monolith
5. Lean Woman Blues
6. Bang a Gong (Get It On)
7. Planet Queen
8. Girl
9. The Motivator
10. Life's a Gas
11. Rip Off
12. There Was a Time
13. Raw Ramp
14. Planet Queen
15. Hot Love
16. Woodland Rock
17. King of the Mountain Cometh
18. The T. Rex Electric Warrior Interview

Album Credits

Performance Credits

T. Rex   Primary Artist
Marc Bolan & T. Rex   Primary Artist
Marc Bolan   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Flo & Eddie   Guest Artist
Bill Legend   Drums
Mickey Finn   Vocals,Percussion
Will Legend   Drums
Ian McDonald   Saxophone
Micky Finn   Vocals,Percussion
Steve Currie   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Burt Collins   Flugelhorn
Mark Volman   Vocals (Background)
Howard Kaylan   Vocals (Background)
Rick Wakeman   Keyboards

Technical Credits

Roy Baker   Engineer
Martin Rushent   Engineer
Malcolm Cecil   Engineer
Marc Bolan   Writer,Composer,Lyricist
Carl Perkins   Composer
Eddie Cochran   Composer
June Child   Concept
Spud Murphy   Photography
Tony Visconti   Producer
Jerry Capehart   Composer
Rik Pekkonen   Engineer