My Hubcap Diamond Star Halo5 Out Of 5 Stars
Marc Bolan was an older man trapped in a younger man's brain. In his world, unicorns and faeries still ran amok, bongos were still pretty cool and twee spacey poetry made for good lyrics. But something happened by the time he expanded his band into a full unit and set forward with "Electric Warrior." Bolan discovered the magic three chord boogie and blues and found out that sleazy grooves were so much more fun that medieval trippiness.
Which made "Electric Warrior" arguably the first brilliant glam album. While David Bowie, producer Tony Visconti and Bolan were pals, it was another year before Bowie delivered "Ziggy Stardust" to the world and really shored up the UK Glam scene. "Electric Warrior" managed transatlantic success, bringing a taste of Bolan-mania to this continent via "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" and that single's stride to the US Top Ten. Yet, despite the "Electric" part of the title, Bolan still showed remarkable restraint. Only in the final "Rip Off" does the band go for some floorboard shaking.
But the real winners here, from "Bang a Gong" to the Chuck Berry inspired "Jeepester" and the handicapping blues of "Lean Woman Blues" rock in their own sublime way. Bolan was still enthralled by his hippy-dippy days, but it seemed now confined only to the lyrics (sample from "Planet Queen": "Flying saucer take me away, give me your daughter," or the bulk of the still sultry "Bang a Gong." It made its peace with folk, rock and shot-gun marriage to bubblegum, and you'll hear traces of everyone from Bowie to Mott to Slade (hey, if "Hot Love" and "Bang a Gong" aren't godfathers to "Cum On Feel The Noise," you tell me what is) across this album.
I'd also advise to find the expanded Rhino version that includes "Hot Love" as a bonus track and seven other bonus tracks, including an acoustic run through of "Planet Queen," and "Raw Ramp," a bonus single and a cool T Rex Electric Warrior interview. It's well worth it, just for "Hot Love" alone.
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