St. Vincent "Daddy's Home" (2021)

Daddy's Home

release date: May 14, 2021

format: digital (14 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]

producer: Annie Clark & Jack Antonoff

label: Loma Vista Recordings - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Pay Your Way in Pain" (live) - 2. "Down and Out Downtown" - 3. "Daddy's Home" - 4. "Live in the Dream" - 5. "The Melting of the Sun" - 7. "The Laughing Man" - 10. "Somebody Like Me"

7th studio album by St. Vincent follows 2½ years after MassEducation (Oct. 2018), which didn't really offer brand new songs but merely contained acoustic interpretations of songs from Masseduction (Oct. 2017), which still counts as St. Vincent's most recent album, and this new one is like that made in collaboration with producer Jack Antonoff, who is also credited as co-composer on five cuts.

Stylistically, it's unsurprisingly a new mix that Annie Clark comes up with here, although as her recent releases it's music without her previously distinct guitar signature, which markedly characterised her first albums. Where Masseduction offered experimental synthpop, she has now dressed out in 70s nostalgia with equal parts of psychedelic pop and soft glam rock - or: soft psychedelic rock and glam pop. The songs are quiet ones in a laid-back style with focus on the narrative, and it sounds to me like Clark has plowed through everything with Bowie from Aladdin Sane (1973) to Young Americans (1975) and then with some inspiration from Pink Floyd she has set the stove on a low flame. And St. Vincent does share some traits with Bowie: she is always a distinct persona, based on her latest music, and you never know in which direction she moves from there, but you know it's top-dollar-styled like a new production by Andrew Lloyd Webber without ever revealing the actual living individual behind the mask. In the long run, St. Vincent may touch on enervating, and I'm no (longer) the great St. Vincent fan I used to be after her first three albums where she was Annie Clark - the fabulous musician and brilliant guitarist. Now the whole thing has really gone Big Business and she has to conquer every scene dressed up in a new skin suit matching a new ground tone and new musical ideas. It's completely deliciously produced and beautifully executed, but unfortunately also... touching on boring. It lacks edge and a will to mark itself as anything other than another one of today's greats with an album you'll see high up in the charts and which will be forgotten in a year. Don't forget to make great music!!

Not recommended.

[ allmusic.com, NME, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 6,7 / 10 stars ]

Julian Cope "Interpreter" (1996)

Interpreter

release date: Oct. 14, 1996

format: digital

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

producer: Julian Cope

label: Echo - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I Come from Another Planet, Baby" (4 / 5) - 2. "I've Got My TV & My Pills" - 3. "Planetary Sit-In" - 5. "Cheap New-Age Fix" - 7. "Arthur Drugstore" - 9. "Re-Directed Male" - 12. "Dust"

12th studio album (some file it as his 13th and probably include his collaboration album Rite) by Julian Cope is like its predecessor 20 Mothers (Aug. 1995) released on Echo, as his final on another company after which he should only release his music via his own labels. Alledgedly, Cope had rejected to perform in the US, which made Echo cancel their work with Cope. The incident was perhaps the last straw, which made Cope turn his back on the established music industry and from hereon take full control of everything he would do. The album follows more or less the same musical paths as his '95 album, albeit as a stylistically narrower release, where the compositions are Cope's own neo-psychedelic mix of glam rock, beat, folk rock, space rock, and pop. Thematically, it varies between the cosmic, about space travel, and the more down-to-earth stories, but especially strong political positions are noteworthy, which take their starting point from Cope's commitment as an environmental campaigner. There has also been room for his 'Neolithic hobby', although it's only reflected in a poster and the album front cover.

Musically, this appears quite complex with a certain grandiosity, but still with a strict simplicity in the harmonies, as an echo of 70's nostalgia.

The album was not commercially successful, briefly peaking at number #39 on the UK albums chart, and with two singles - tracks #1 and #3 both peaking at number #34 on the singles chart.

Personally, I think there's too much room for distorted guitars, heavy rock attitude, orchestral arrangements, and a repetition of naïve choruses, but still: it's probably part of his fascination of space rock. On the whole, there is a lot of recycling without much originality and at times I find myself wondering if he had either Lou Reed, David Bowie, Tom Verlaine, Scott Walker, or Neil Young on his mind when he wrote and recorded individual tracks. However, it's not only in the somewhat more distant music history that he finds his inspiration. At times he takes completely different paths when incorporating new styles with electronic or a synth-pop touch - and wherever he moves, Cope's strength is to write songs and to speak his mind, even if the messages occasionally drown a little in pompous and odd mixtures of styles. And you really have to give it to him: despite pulling all kinds of stuff from his musical shelves, there's still a remnant of presence and strong universal musical skill at stake - a Copesque charm and completeness, which manages to elevate the album to anything but copycat and mediocrity.

The album was Cope's final on Echo and all of his subsequent music has been self-released either through his own label Head Heritage or through his internet site, carrying the same name, and where he has commented on this and that up until Mar. 2014 when he made his final post. However, he has kept releasing and issuing new albums via Head Heritage since.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

T. Rex "Gold" (2018)

Gold (compilation)
release date: Sep. 7, 2018
format: 3 cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Crimson - nationality: England, UK

Best of compilation album by T. Rex released by Demon Music Group and by Demon Records for the double vinyl issue and by Crimson for the cd issue. The double vinyl album contains 24 tracks (6 on each side), but the cd issue compiles 45 compositions (15 on each disc), which is such a major difference that you practically speak of two different releases.

There are so many best of albums by T. Rex that it's more than difficult to pick the best or just one that attempts to embrace all the great songs on one album, and in that regard Gold really doesn't differ from the rest. You can't put a finger on the selected tracks but you always ask yourself why a certain track or more aren't there. At least they got it right in one small regard, or it only appears so at first sight: they may have put the early tracks first and later songs at the end, but it's really far from chronological order. And I mean, when you have access to all this splendid material couldn't you just make an effort an compile it as they were released?! This leads to my biggest complaint: the album starts out with three songs credited Tyrannosaurus Rex... Three! The double vinyl album contains two tracks by the same band, but the formative and highly interesting beginning, which at least should have counted 5-8 fine tracks, is not represented like the later years. And speaking of which, there are simply way too many not great songs on this best of compilation to call it truly great despite the effort in collecting many of the single releases that never found their way to studio albums. Even worse is that a bunch of truly great songs are not here - where are "Chariots of Silk" from Unicorn, "Pavillions of Sun", "Lofty Skies", "Elemental Child" and the title song from A Beard of Stars, "Jewel" and "The Visit" from T. Rex, "Mambo Sun" and "Girl" from Electric Warrior, "Baby Boomerang", "Spaceball Richochet" and "Chariot Choogle" from The Slider, "Tenement Lady" from Tanx, "Sound Pit" from Zinc Alloy..., "My Little Baby" from Futuristic Dragon? Way too many iconic songs from the hands of Bolan are missing out.

I know the album is credited T. Rex, but when you actually go back and pick the band's earliest works, you could at least have picked a few more before selecting all the well-known hit songs of the early 1970's. Overall, the album is an interesting look into the vault of Marc Bolan compositions, but it's simply too mixed in way to many ways to actually leave you satisfied with just that.

There are more than... what? At least 150 different best of releases with selected songs by Tyrannosaurus Rex, T. Rex, and Marc Bolan, I guess, and still, there are, not one single truly great compilation album to be found, as far as I know, that attempts to give you the best songs of the '60s, the early '70s, and Bolan's later years up until his last studio album Dandy in the Underworld (1977). My advise is to make your own playlist of his best songs, as there's definitely enough material to fill a double album.

Best of 2017:St. Vincent "Masseduction" (2017)

Masseduction
release date: Oct. 13, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]
producer: Jack Antonoff and St. Vincent
label: Loma Vista - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Hang on Me" - 2. "Pills" - 3. "Masseduction" - 5. "Los Ageless" (live) - 7. "Saviour" (live) - 8. "New York" - 9. "Fear the Future"
[ live solo and acoustic on KEXP ]

5th studio album by St. Vincent co-produced by John Congleton and with Lars Stalfors.
With this, Annie Clark establishes herself as a purer art pop artist than on her previous releases. The noise pop attitudes are more low-key - bits are found here and there but the dominating picture is one of restrained originality taking a move as to embrace both earlier fans of her experimental and progressive rock as well a more recent audience who found her St. Vincent album more digestible. It's her most dance-able release so far and several tracks are touching synthpop meets electropop glued together with a glam rock attitude. But as with her previous albums this is truly a conglomerate of styles.
The album harvested fine reviews and it has become her best selling album to date reaching number #10 on the Billboard 200 in the US and number #6 in the UK. It ended high up on many year-end lists including a first spot on lists by the New York Times and The Guardian.
Musically, she has moved into the spotlight and I think it shows very much in her professional attitude. Earlier she contained and reflected a vulnerability that has been disguised by now. Sometimes I cannot stop thinking of her as an American PJ Harvey. She has the same directness, sexual awareness and a link to a Patti Smith / Janis Joplin-strong-women-of-rock-personality. It's also clear that her new-found (glamorous) image is far from her earlier open-hearted appearance (just watch some of her live performances).
I find this her most cohesive album so far and it appears as a true conceptual album with "Pills" and "Los Ageless" as my immediate favourites but also the title track and "New York" are fine songs, and where her previous works nearly all contained hits and misses this one keeps a high quality throughout, and that's ultimately why it's such a fascinating ride.
In a year with few truly great releases, I find this the most gripping.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, The Guardian, NME, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

2017 Favourite releases: 1. St. Vincent Masseduction - 2. Paul Weller A Kind of Revolution - 3. Love Shop Risiko

Roxy Music "The Atlantic Years 1973 - 1980" (1983)

The Atlantic Years 1973 - 1980 (compilation)
release date: Nov. 1983
format: vinyl (815 849-1) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: EG / Polydor - nationality:

Compilation album by Roxy Music released after Bryan Ferry had dissolved the band earlier that year. The album contains ten tracks with a total running time of 41 minutes. The selected tracks may intend to reflect the entire history of the band, but it's quite obviously made with an attempt to showcase Roxy Music in the light of its most recent albums, thus putting emphasis on the sophisti-pop branch of the band's later stylistic sound. Four tracks (#1, #2, "6, #9) are from Manifesto (1979), four (#3, #5, #7, #8) from Flesh + Blood (1980), and one track (tracks #4 and #10) is originally found on Siren (1975) and For Your Pleasure (1973) respectively.

Roxy Music "The High Road" (1983) (live)

The High Road (live)
release date: Mar. 1983
format: vinyl (Mini LP - 2335 269)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Rhett Davies & Roxy Music
label: EG / Polydor - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: B) 1. "Like a Hurricane" (other version) - 2. "Jealous Guy" (other version)

Live ep, or as stated on the front cover sticker: Live Mini LP containing 4 tracks with a total running time at 26 mins. is recorded live at the Apollo in Glasgow, Scotland, Sep. 30, 1982 during the band's Avalon Tour.

The two strongest tracks - for which the album is almost essential - are the two cover-versions on the B-side: a nearly 8 mins. powerful version of Neil Young's majestic "Like a Hurricane" - in itself by Young a fantastic composition, and Roxy Music do fine justice to the intensity of the song, and then the more than 6½ mins. fine version of John Lennon's likewise classic "Jealous Guy" - two songs Roxy Music would often have on its set-list at concerts throughout the 80s.
The album has never been released in digital format but the same recordings have found their way to the lengthier live album Heart Still Beating (1990), which contains 14 tracks.

Roxy Music "Flesh + Blood" (1980)

Flesh + Blood

release date: May 23, 1980

format: vinyl / cd (2015 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]

producer: Roxy Music & Rhett Davies

label: Polydor / EG / Universal Music - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "In the Midnight Hour" - 2. "Oh Yeah" (5 / 5) - 3. "Same Old Scene" - 5. "My Only Love" - 6. "Over You" (5 / 5) - 9. "No Strange Delight"

7th studio album by Roxy Music following one year after Manifesto (Mar. 1979) is the band's second out of three albums in total following the reunion in '78. Shortly before recording the album drummer Paul Thompson broke his thumb and was unable to play until the band was ready to go on a live tour promoting the album, which means the album was made with session drummers (especially Allan Schwartzberg also playing percussion on nearly all tracks, and then also assisted by drummer Andy Newmark and percussionist Simon Phillips). The band is therefore reduced to a trio (on the album) of Bryan Ferry, Andy Mackay, and Phil Manzenera.

The album was met by some of the same lukewarm reviews that had followed Manifesto; however, the album became the band's second to top the albums chart list in the UK, which it replicated in New Zealand, and despite some reluctance expressed by the music press, Manifesto became the band's commercially so far best-selling album world-wide. Also, the album produced no less than five single releases starting with "Over You" (May 9, 1980) and followed by "Oh Yeah" (Jul. 25, 1980) - both reaching number #5 on the singles chart. The release of the title track as a single only manifested in Italy. Then followed "Same Old Scene" (Oct. 1980) and ended with "In the Midnight Hour" (?), which was only released for the North American market and in Portugal. Some critics found that the band had come to a stand-still, unable to make any real progress, and I think I understand what caused some of the criticism, only I don't agree on the full perspective. Flesh + Blood isn't far from the style of Manifesto but the real point is that the band has destilled its sound. No, they no longer play art rock or real glam rock and upholds a position at the forefront of modern rock music - instead the band has taken a deliberate turn and now play with a fusion of styles focusing on melody, sophisticated pop / rock that builds on r&b, pop soul, and bits of disco, although, this is lesser accentuated on this, but the main point is: no one else showcases this melodic blend. But I guess the 'real' problem is that the album came out when punk rock and new wave was on everyone's lips, and this simply ignores all of that.

"Oh Yeah" and "Over You" are two of the band's most iconic songs and to have both on the same album is simply a pure delight.

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, Rolling stone 2,5 / 5, Smash Hits 6,5 / 10, Pitchfork 6,6 / 10 stars ]

Peter Murphy "Wild Birds 1985-1995" (2000)

Wild Birds 1985-1995 (compilation)

release date: Feb. 22, 2000

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5]

producer: diverse

label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Compilation by Peter Murphy released on Beggars Banquet after he had left the label with which he had been associated since the first release with Bauhaus in 1980, and it's Murphy's first compilation album.

As the subtitle indicates, it's not necessarily a best of album, but instead a selection of songs from his solo career spanning five studio albums over a decade with a total of sixteen compositions and a total running time at just under 75 minutes.

It's quite a fine selection - mainly songs written together with Murphy's regular composer (from his second album and onwards) guitarist Paul Stratham, and which generally shows his somewhat narrow musical style where music always contains elements from gothic rock with various hints of art pop and glam rock. The biggest stylistic detours are probably his influence from Turkish music, which is particularly evident on his most recent two albums: Holy Smoke from '92 and Cascade from '95.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Roxy Music "Manifesto" (1979)

Manifesto
release date: Mar. 1, 1979
format: vinyl (reissue) / cd (2015 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Roxy Music
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 2. "Trash" - 3. "Angel Eyes" - 4. "Still Falls the Rain" - 5. "Stronger Through the Years" - - B) 1. "Ain't That So" - 3. "Dance Away" - 4. "Spin Me Round"

6th studio album by Roxy Music originally released by E.G. in the UK, Polydor in Europe and by Atco Records for the North American market. The album is the band's first after having reunited in '78 and after a period where Bryan Ferry released three solo albums. Manifesto follows the release of the band's fifth: Siren from 1975 after which Ferry released three solo albums Let's Stick Together (1976), In Your Mind (1977), and The Bride Stripped Bare (1978). The band credited on Manifesto are reduced to four members: Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay, and Paul Thompson - the latter left the band in 1980.
Musically, the band has taken a bolder move with a stronger dancefloor appeal by including elements from a world of disco and funk. Critics weren't exactly overwhelmed by the new Roxy Music; however, the album performed more than well, peaking at number #7 in the UK and reaching number #23 in the US - their best-ever charting album on the Billboard 200.
In retrospect, I think of it as one the band's better albums, and I guess the big difference is when, and for what reasons, you fell for this band's music. Personally, I didn't really know of the period before this, which I only discovered after falling for this, the successor Flesh + Blood (May 1980), and their grand finale: Avalon (May 1982), and imho, those three albums represent the band's very best.
This is classic Roxy Music and a most recommended album.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 7,5 / 10, Smash Hits 4 / 5 stars ]

Love and Rockets "Love and Rockets" (1989)

Love and Rockets
release date: Sep. 4, 1989
format: vinyl (PL 90344) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: John Fryer, Love and Rockets
label: RCA / Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "**** (Jungle Law)" - 2. "No Big Deal" - 3. "The Purest Blue" - 4. "Motorcycle" (4 / 5) - 8. "So Alive" (4 / 5) - 9. "Rock and Roll Babylon" - 10. "No Words No More"

4th studio album by Love and Rockets originally released by Beggars Banquet. The band has teamed up with the more 'pop-tuned' producer, John Fryer. The album is a move away from the psychedelic style they have worked deeper into from a chronological perspective, but here they incorporate glam rock and post-punk elements and basically come out with an album closer to the Bauhaus sound than anything else they have made since they began 6 years and 3 albums earlier. The track "So Alive" became a (surprisingly) rather big hit as it went as high as number #3 on the Billboard 100 in the US, and the album reached number #14 in the US (the highest charting album by L&R). In 2002 the album was re-issued as a double disc album with 13 bonus tracks. I remember, when I bought the album, how I used to play "Motorcycle" at maximum volume. "So Alive" was without doubt the big hit of the album, but I simply loved the hard rockin' mc song. To me, this was clearly a shift of style in the right direction, however, the band would not release a follow-up until 5 years later, as both Daniel Ash and David J focused more on solo projects and by the time they again came together as a band, the music was not around this one. Love and Rockets fifth studio album Hot Trip to Heaven from '94, I never understood - I hand it 2 / 5 stars and the 6th album Sweet F.A. from '96 is likewise not an album, I would recommend. I think, they kind of lost their drive and lust for music, or drifted apart in the 1990s - the band's 7th and final album is Lift from '98. I haven't come across the album but I've read an interview with Daniel Ash talking about their lack of musical drive. The critics also became less enthusiastic and in 1999 the band officially disbanded. The band reunited in 2007 to play a concert in tribute of Joe Strummer, toured and played several concerts in 2008 before finally disbanding.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Julian Cope "Saint Julian" (1987)

Saint Julian
release date: Mar. 2, 1987
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Warne Livesey, Ed Stasium
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Trampolene" - 3. "Eve's Volcano (Covered in Sin)" - 4. "Spacehopper" - 6. "World Shut Your Mouth" - 8. "Pulsar"

3rd solo album by Julian Cope who has now signed with Island Records. The album is alt. rock but also a turn to a slightly more mainstream pop / rock glam pop style as proposed by the new label, but it is nevertheless one of Cope's lesser neo-psychedelia albums.

It basically reeks of a typical 1980s production sound with its heavy drums' sound. Island Records put more effort in promoting the album, which was launched as an intended commercial breakthrough, and although it did reach #11 on the national albums chart list as Copes best-charting solo album, it didn't gain same popularity on an international scale. "World Shut Your Mouth" is the best song here, and "Spacehopper" and "Trampolene" are fine, the latter probably being his biggest hit (ever), but the album as such is not really a big favourite of mine, and I find it a too obvious attempt of selling Cope as a Brittish Tom Verlaine.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Bryan Ferry "In Your Mind" (1977)

In Your Mind

release date: Feb. 1977

format: vinyl / cd (2007 reissue)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]

producer: Bryan Ferry, Steve Nye

label: E.G. - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. This Is Tomorrow" - 5. "Tokyo Joe" - 7. "Rock of Ages"

4th solo album by Bryan Ferry and his first album with original songs since the disbandment of Roxy Music in 1976 after which he had released the solo album Let's Stick Together (Sep. 1976).

T. Rex "Hits! - The Very Best of T. Rex" (2002)

Hits! - The Very Best of T. Rex (compilation)
release date: 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "Hot Love" - 2. "Ride a White Swan" - 3. "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" (4 / 5) - 4. "Telegram Sam" - 5. "Metal Guru" (4 / 5) - 6. "Chariot Choogle" - 8. "Spaceball Ricochet" - 9. "Children of the Revolution" (4 / 5) - 10. "Solid Gold Easy Action" - 11. "Born to Boogie" - 12. "20th Century Boy" - 20. "I Love to Boogie"

A best of compilation album should at least contain a majority of the best tracks, and this only just achieves this as several great tracks are missing and it contains some tracks that makes you wonder how they found their way to this. At least "Hot Love", "Ride a White Swan", and "Children of the Revolution" are found here. They are all single hit tracks (from Feb. 1971, Oct. 1970, and Sep. 1972 respectively) and they weren't included on any of the band's studio album releases.

T. Rex "Dandy in the Underworld" (1977)

Dandy in the Underworld
release date: Mar. 11, 1977
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]
producer: Marc Bolan
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Dandy in the Underworld" - 4. "I'm a Fool for You Girl" - 5. "I Love to Boogie" - 7. "Jason B. Sad" - 12. "Teen Riot Structure"

12th and final studio album by T. Rex. As usual all tracks were written by Bolan and the band name served as a mere pseudonym for Bolan himself as the only lasting member at this point was bassist Steve Currie who had been in the band since 1970. The album was a return to form and to laud as it peaked at number #26 on the album chart list despite not being a punk rock or new wave release. The previous album Futuristic Dragon (1976) was despite its inclusion of funk and soul more in sync with his material from the early 70s than this, where Bolan again has simplified the musical expression by turning down the glam rock side and turning up boogie rock, which at this point a band like Status Quo had success with. A few tracks even have art rock or new wave elements, and the album is by many critics seen as Bolan's swan song. He was back in people's mind as TV host for music program featuring new artists, and he even toured with one of Britain's very first punk rock bands, The Damned. A few years later gothic rock became associated with glam rock and Bolan was one of the finest origins but he didn't experience a second glorification as he died in a car crash, Sep. 1977.

Bauhaus "4AD" (1983) (ep)

4AD, ep (compilation)
release date: Oct. 1, 1983
format: vinyl (BAD 312) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Bauhaus
label: 4AD Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1: "Dark Entries" - 2. "Terror Couple Kill Colonel" - 3. "Telegram Sam" - - B) 1. "Terror Couple Kill Colonel (version)" - 2. "Rosegarden Funeral of Sores" - 3. "Crowds"

An ep compilation released after Bauhaus split in mid-1983, and an album that I always fancied a little bit more than most of their releases. Actually, the tracks are very different but I think, they all show the energy in the dark gothic rock, which sometimes tend to be sinister and 'emo'-like, but this is held up on pure energy. It also contains two fine cover-versions: The glam rock tribute "Telegram Sam" (written by Marc Bolan), and a fabulous live version of "Rosegarden Funeral of Sores" (written by John Cale). Also, the end-track "Crowds" is a fine slowcore-like track filled with beautiful desperation.
The cover art photo "Masks" by the French photographer Emmanuel Sougez dated 1930s has always fascinated me. It has a wonderful disturbing feel - like masks still containing some emotions from the person(s) who wore them.

T. Rex "Futuristic Dragon" (1976)

Futuristic Dragon
release date: Jan. 30, 1976
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,14]
producer: Marc Bolan
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Jupiter Liar" - 3. "Chrome Sitar" - 4. "All Alone" - 6. "My Little Baby"

11th studio album by T. Rex and again with Bolan in full control. 1976 was the year when punk rock exploded in Britain with The Damned, Sex Pistols, The Clash and a totally different approach to music. but it was also a fine year for Marc Bolan, although, his music had a hard time getting through to the crowd he used to appeal to.
This is actually a fine and daring album with some nice tracks, but... Bolan keeps to a formula based on glam rock and boogie with the addition of soul and funk elements, which may feel a bit strange and somewhat dated when thinking of the time of its release. "My Little Baby" is a mighty fine track and would have fitted perfectly on The Slider or Tanx.

T. Rex "Bolan's Zip Gun" (1975)

Bolan's Zip Gun
release date: Mar. 11, 1975
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Marc Bolan
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Light of Love" - 3. "Precious Star" - 4. "Token of My Love" - 10. "Golden Belt"

10th studio album by T. Rex following one year after Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow (Feb. 1974) is the first T. Rex album to be exclusively produced by Bolan himself. Several changes in the line-up appears to have taken place during the recordings of the album, and it remains difficult to make a full account of the official band members, or: officially the band could be described with a new line-up, which includes Bolan's current girlfriend, but that may not reflect the actual members contributing on the album, and in reality this only underlines the fact that T. Tex and its former incarnation basically is Marc Bolan's musical project.
Following little success with his previous album, Bolan wanted full control of the sound of this release, and for the first time in a long time he actually succeeds in exploring new musical territory with a combo of glam rock, boogie, and bold use of blues and especially soul. The end result are slower and more complex compositions, although, the album itself turned out to be his least successful so far, which in retrospect may seem a bit unfair as I do find it bettering the Zinc Alloy... outing, and it's really not far from Bowie's Diamond Dogs from '74 - and then again: It perhaps shows how Bolan now comes up with an approach to new evolving styles but still tries too hard to replicate what others do successfully.
Not recommended.

T. Rex "Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow" (1974)

Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow
release date: Feb. 1, 1974
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Venus Loon" - 2. "Sound Pit" - 4. "Galaxy" - 5. "Change" - 8. "Liquid Gang"

9th studio album by T. Rex following one year after Tanx (Jan. 1973) is the band's final to be produced by Tony Visconti as also the final with drummer Bill Legend as band member. Once again, the new album from Bolan doesn't add new layers or styles to his repertoire, and the album was now received with less enthusiasm compared to previous releases. Many of the compositions here sound much like former songs, as had been the case with Tanx, and the album title made critics imply this as a lesser copy of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (1972). It's not really that the music is bad, it actually contains several fine songs with perhaps a darker approach to life, but what could've made critics dislike the album is what may be seen as Bolan's attempt to stay on top despite not having any ideas left, clinging on to a formula and an imaginary throne while the magic has dissolved.
The king will not step down, although, everyone has seen former glam rockers like Bowie, Reed, and Roxy Music more than capable of producing new material building on new ideas and escorting glam rock into new shapes. Contrary to that, Bolan seems to have no intentions to follow suit. It's really not all bad but at the same time it's difficult to embrace this new installation as it replicates so much.
Not one of the best by Bolan.

T. Rex "Tanx" (1973)

Tanx
release date: Jan. 28, 1973
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Tenement Lady" - 2. "Rapids" - 9. "Born to Boogie" (4 / 5)

8th studio album by T. Rex follows only 6 months after The Slider (Jul. 1973) and it's at first glance the continued journey with the same quartet and the same producer, although, it has become evident that the fast production tempo has consequences on quality. Tanx was a general success in Europe, and particularly in the UK where the album peaked as number #4 on the albums chart list just as the 1972 predecessor, but musically the album is widely considered a clear step down for Marc Bolan. Except from the two exceptional tracks "Tenement Lady" and "Born to Boogie" the album doesn't contain the 'usual' pack of great tracks.
The biggest issue about the album is that it mostly sounds like a copy of former hits and a mix of heavy inspiration from David Bowie and Lou Reed. The originality appears to be missing, and it's nearly only Okay glam rock and boogie. Some tracks appear like new attempts to move away from the style of his two previous albums with a stronger blues or rock & roll style with slower arrangements adding strings and backing vocals as you'll hear on Lou Reed's Transformer (1972), e.g. the tracks "Mister Mister", "Broken Hearted Blues", "Electric Slim & the Factory Hen" and "Left Hand Luke".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars, Rolling Stone review without rating ]

T. Rex "The Slider" (1972)

The Slider
release date: Jul. 21, 1972
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,77]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Metal Guru" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Mystic Lady" (4 / 5) - 3. "Rock On" (4 / 5) - 4. "The Slider" (4 / 5) - 5. "Baby Boomerang" - 6. "Spaceball Richochet" (4 / 5) - 7. "Buick Mackane" - 8. "Telegram Sam" (4 / 5) - 9. "Rabbit Fighter" - 10. "Baby Strange" - 11. "Ballrooms of Mars" - 12. "Chariot Choogle" (4,5 / 5) - 13. "Main Man"

7th studio album release by Tyrannosaurus Rex / T. Rex following 10 months after Electric Warrior (Sep. 1971) is the second album as a band of Marc Bolan, Steve Currie, Mickey Finn, and Bill Legend. The style is very much the same as on Electric Warrior (1971), and the album is packed with great tracks that put Marc Bolan and Co. on top of glam rock. Actually, it's hard to say which album is the best of the two classic T. Tex albums of 1971 and '72, as they both contain some of the most classic glam rock songs of the era. Also, the year 1972 was truly a fine year of rock seeing such other fine releases as: David Bowie's (his best album ever) The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Lou Reed's Transformer, Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick, and Neil Young's Harvest, which explains the difficulty in reaching my top-3 that particular year. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]