Mellow and whimsical, an interesting proposition
Paul Lawrence | Australia | 03/17/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"With 18 tracks and some fold out liner notes that are concise and useful this is a worthy collection of Trextasy inducing ditties. The front cover shows our hero cradling a flying V and that is really a statement of fact because T.Rex really was all about Marc Bolan. And as the music unfolds that becomes even clearer as the man - his guitar and vox - are front and centre throughout and every tune is solely a Bolan composition. It's enough to make your average Classic Rock magazine subscriber wet himself in anticipation.
As for myself this collection of tunes was a fun way to hear a selection of Bloans best. From the ultra familiar boogie rock of Get It On to the fragile Ride A White Swan to the playful Beltane Wood and Jeepster this is an interesting excursion ino the mans mind. Quite how this guy became so entrenched into the rock psyche is a mystery to me based on this disc as tunes such as the aforementioned Beltane Walk and the slightly anaemic Woodland Bop betray a guy very tied to a whimsical 60's folk style of noodling. And a look at the song tiltes is fairly illuminating in this regard. Electric Elf indeed.
Production values are good. The simplicity of the tunes helps keep things clear and allows the songs to breath. For an album so reliant on Marcs vox and his axe shadings it is never-the-less worthwhile to keep an ear out for the flourishes provided by the percussion and other instrumentation and the gentle muse inherent in these compositions does really shine when such extra layers are added.
For someone who always read of the Trextasy inspired by the bands live gigs and always hearing he was a rocker and a supporter of punk just before his demise there was a sense of anticlimax to this collection as gentle song after gentle song eased it's way out of my speakers. But flr all that it was still an enjoyable listen, a bunch of gentle songs perfect for quiet Sunday afternoons and those rare times when all other distractions are gone and you actually get the opportunity to let the music wash over you."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1
