An album that got sold short!
Josh Z. Bonder | Toronto | 12/10/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"While most people who are familiar with T. Rex will probably tell you the best albums are "Electric Warrior" and "The Slider", they aren't totally wrong. They probably didn't think twice about albums like this one though, as well as "Bolan's Zip Gun", albums that were far ahead of their time. The T.Rex sound is further augmented on this album, particularly through the dominant placement of backing vocals by Gloria Jones. It also has a funkier and more over the top production than the aforementioned albums, anticipating funk and electronic music yet to come. The result is an album which somehow manages to be both "psychedelic" and quite danceable at the same time.
In all, I would say that this is a very listenable and strong album, and would have probably received five stars if not for the somewhat superfluous bonus disc (weaker/unfinished alternate takes of most of the songs). The second half of the album also tends to sag just a bit thanks to one or two less interesting tracks. In all these don't deter from the quality of the other songs and the over-the-top experience that makes this album so unique within the T.Rex catalogue. If you like this, check out "Bolan's Zip Gun" as well, time is only now catching up to the accomplishments of these albums!"
The first signs of the T.Rex decine.
Geoffrey Warner | Australia | 01/26/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I have bought every T.rex album since Electric Warrior on both vinyl and CD and this was the first one that sounded like Marc Bolan was running out of ideas and getting tired. Although the album starts of promising, with powerful songs like "Venus Loon" and "Sound Pit" the album begins to weeken in the middle and never really recovers.Some of the tracks are rather plain and the style is a little bit all over the place.
A lot of it sounds over produced in areas, and the Gloria Jones backing vocals are overdone and uneccessary at times.It was always going to be hard to follow albums like Electric Warrior and The Slider and even Tanx,but Bolan needed a killer at this point in his career and this wasnt it.Having said that it is the last of the Tony Visconti productions and still has some worthwhile moments, although I wouldnt introduce T.Rex to anyone who hadnt heard them, via this album."