Search - Marc Bolan, T-Rex :: Electric Warrior

All Hail The Cadillac King!

derblueangel | Sri Lanka | 04/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Picture it: the year 2002 is winding down and a very bored 22 year old is still searching in vain for that one cd that will overwhelm her this year. You know what I mean, at least once a year you find that cd that you just cannot live without, that one you listen to with such ferocity that even your friends know most of the songs 'cause every mixed tape you give them includes this certain album's output. In years past it's been The X Ray Spex, Marianne Faithful, Joy Division, The Buzzcocks, The Smiths, The Cure, Iggy and The Stooges, Billie Holiday, Bikini Kill, The Slits, The Raincoats, The Clash, The Specials, Madness, The Sex Pistols, Le Tigre and...well, you can see that I'm not at a loss for bands to become devoted to. Which brings me back to the end of last year. The Faint was good, Ladytron was good, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Strokes, The Hives and everyone else of their ilk were good but...what's missing? I picked up the album Electric Warrior 'cause I had heard Bang A Gong a couple of days earlier on the radio and had always wanted to check out T Rex. Before I even got to the second track I must have played Mambo Sun about 10 times. Seriously, I had no expectations whatsoever of this album and I couldn't believe that the first song had grabbed me by the throat and threatend to throttle me within an inch of my life. In the days and weeks that followed Electric Warrior became part of my daily routine. Each day would start and end with selections from Electric Warrior. I have read some of the reviews that say this album sounds dated but I beg to differ. The weird imagery and inventive riffs make the album sound like something that sprang from a lo-fi indie label in the late 80's. I think that this album takes the hearer completely by surprise if they don't know what to expect. About a month after I started adoring Electric Warrior I went to visit my close friend who lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn which is a teaming with art students and young boho types. While sitting in a fairly hip little coffee shop just down the street from her house one of the baristas took out whatever ambient music had gone largely ignored by my ears and put in what I recognized as the first strains of Mambo Sun. I couldn't believe that my new favorite band was being played in a different state by someone close to my own age in a cool little coffee shop. I resolved to strike up a conversation with barista boy with great taste in music as the last strains of Cosmic Dancer faded into oblivion. Using a refill as an excuse I ambled up to the counter and thus discovered that the little beggar was also a recent T Rex convert who, through the same trick of fate as me only knew the band through Get It On and whos musical tastes had led him to his newest, greatest discovery which just happened to coincide with my own. No guff, this really happend and though I'm in no way inplying that purchasing this album is going to lead you to finding romance with a spikey haired coffee boy in Brooklyn I am saying that some other life altering stuff will come your way 'cause there's no way that you could listen to an album this good and not have it effect your life for the better. Ok, enough hearts and flowers go out and buy this and then buy The Slider. What more can I say? I love you Mark!-Poly Styrene"

One of the more excellent albums of all time

Lucy Elias | Madison, CT | 02/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Let me start by saying this, if you do not own this album, purchase it right away. If you do, nice job, on owning a fantastic album.



Now, what stops us from classifying this album with the greatest of all time, like Dark Side, Blonde On Blonde, Sgt Peppers, and Pet Sounds. Was it because people don't think of Marc Bolan/T.Rex as a great musician/musicians. But, as clearly shown in this album, they could be. I think the only thing that lacks in this album, which ultimately makes it less of a great album than, say Beggars Banquet, is variety. It does not contain many styles and genres of music, unlike some of the greatest artists, greatest albums. But, look at the 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



Are these 11 songs not great enough to be classified with the best. I'm sorry, they are. And T.Rex's "reckless" style of RockNRoll, as they called it, sure managed to make a great great album, that should be in everyone's collection.

Starting you off with the nice, upbeat mambo sun. Then comes the dreamy and lovely Cosmic Dancer.



The fast paced Jeepster. My personal favorite, Lean Woman Blues is the 5th track. #6, has an amazing beat, which caused it to be their most famous song. The nice song, Girl, and the great Life's A Gas. Then, ending with another great song, Rip Off, a song just listing, crazy bad things happening. But, still with great guitar riffs in the backround.



You can't tell me every song on here is not great, because I will disagree. This is one of those rare albums, like Rubebr Soul, in which every song is superb.







"

Ageless Masterpiece

Geoffrey Warner | Australia | 09/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had been listening to The Beatles and Led Zep as a ten year old due to my older brothers record collection,but this is the album that got me hooked on music.The combination of cool rock and mysticism just blew my young mind away!This record made me feel sexy before I even new what sex was! I dont bellieve that there is another album that sounds quite like this one, and it probably ranks as the bands best.No other act has quite been able to capture the T.Rex/Marc Bolan sound and listening to this album, it is easy to see why.It deserves to be ranked with the best classic rock releases of the early 70s and has stood the test of time, thanks to Bolans amazing songs and Tony Viscontis production skills.An album to indulge your senses!"