Release date: September 24, 1971
Label: Fly Records
Production: Tony Visconti
Length: 39:02
Genre: glam rock
Rating: 9.5/10
T. Rex’s sixth outing, “Electric Warrior,” was the album that kicked off a whole new musical genre: electrified rock ‘n’ roll with a hefty dose of stage showmanship and extravagant costumes and hairdos, which the journalists of the day started calling glam rock. At the head of the movement, at least in its early phase, before David Bowie showed up as Ziggy Stardust, was singer and guitarist Marc Bolan, who by then had gone through an incredible personal and musical transformation. Bolan, who had already managed to craft a completely distinctive guitar sound, had finally put together a proper rock band. Mickey Finn kept handling percussion, while the new members were bassist Steve Currie and drummer Bill Legend. Top-notch producer Tony Visconti brought in a number of interesting guests, including the returning American duo Flo & Eddie on backing vocal harmonies.
“Electric Warrior” was stuffed with timeless T. Rex and glam rock evergreens, starting with the opener “Mambo Sun.” On “Cosmic Dancer” you can hear where David Bowie drew his inspiration before going through his own glam rock transformation. The erotic mischief comes back on “Jeepster,” another of the great T. Rex classics. The somewhat lesser-known “The Monolith” featured ethereal vocal harmonies and a short but sweet guitar solo. “Lean Woman Blues” was one of the rare bluesy rock moments in Bolan’s career.
“Get It On,” one of the most famous evergreens in the T. Rex story, featured special prog-rock guests: Rick Wakeman (Yes, ex-The Strawbs) on keyboards and Ian McDonald (ex-King Crimson, later Foreigner) on saxophone. It was a monster hit and the only T. Rex single to top the charts in America, where it came out as “Bang a Gong (Get It On).” No surprise there, since it’s arguably the best-arranged T. Rex classic, and along with “Children of Revolution” and “20th Century Boy” it ranks among the three most recognizable songs of Bolan’s career. The cheeky guitar riff was accompanied by a timeless, multi-voiced chorus, subtle symphonic arrangements and sultry sax passages.
The run of T. Rex evergreens wraps up with “Planet Queen,” where Bolan once again conjured up an exceptional mood with seductive vocal harmonies, a chorus that builds to a peak, and simple guitar passages. “Girl” was built on a simple acoustic-symphonic arrangement, yet despite its apparent simplicity it again produced an incredibly nostalgic atmosphere. “The Motivator,” yet another sexually cheeky moment, contains boogie rhythms that would go on to mark many of Bolan’s later works. On the melancholic “Life’s a Gas,” which rides a biting riff and tells of yet another failed love, Bolan shows off a slightly more serious side. On “Rip Off,” a sudden hard rock naughtiness catches you off guard, only to be unexpectedly cooled down by McDonald’s sax solo.
With the masterpiece “Electric Warrior,” the first glam rock album in music history and one that sparked a genuine revolution, Marc Bolan and his T. Rex finally struck gold. In Britain, for roughly three years, about as long as the glam rock mania lasted, they became almost as popular as the Beatles, while “Get It On” won over America too. With the follow-up, “The Slider,” Bolan hit his creative peak and in many ways built on “Electric Warrior.”
Review by: Peter Podbrežnik
Tracklist:
1. Mambo Sun
2. Cosmic Dancer
3. Jeepster
4. Monolith
5. Lean Woman Blues
6. Get It On
7. Planet Queen
8. Girl
9. The Motivator
10. Life’s a Gas
11. Rip Off
T. Rex:
Marc Bolan – vocals, guitar
Mickey Finn – bongo drums, percussion, backing vocals
Steve Currie – bass guitar
Bill Legend – drums, tambourine
Guest musicians:
Howard Kaylan – backing vocals
Mark Volman – backing vocals
Rick Wakeman – keyboards on “Get It On”
Ian McDonald – saxophone
Burt Collins – horn
