Dirty and sweet, oh yeah

I picked up a decent copy of T. Rex's Electric Warrior at last Sunday's car boot sale for £5:

T. Rex - Electric Warrior (1971)

Like 1972's The Slider which I got a couple of weeks before, it was produced by Tony Visconti.  It was Bolan's first foray into glam rock, and undoubtedly his best, with its hook-heavy bubblegum boogie and tongue-in-cheek sleazy stomp.  It's biggest hits were 'Get It On' and 'Jeepster' but other top tracks include the unsettling-yet-dreamy 'Cosmic Dancer' (one of five T. Rex songs used in the Billy Elliot soundtrack), 'The Motivator' and 'Planet Queen', with a special mention for the chewy guitar of 'Monolith'.

Bolan in '71

The album went to no.1 twice in the UK between December '71 and February '72 and was the biggest seller of '71.  It's also number 160 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time.

Here are some Spotify links:

T. Rex – Planet Queen

T. Rex – Cosmic Dancer

T. Rex – Jeepster

T. Rex – Get It On





And the original Rolling Stone review:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/electric-warrior-19720106

The 40th anniversary Deluxe Edition is out on the 23rd of April, remastered by Visconti and in a variety of formats including a lavish Super-Deluxe box set.

Stompin' Seventies

I managed to dodge the rain showers this morning and pick up a couple of 70s classics.  First was T. Rex's The Slider for £5:

T. Rex - The Slider (1972)

Their seventh album overall and the second to move away from their previous folky sound into glam rock (after 1971's Electric Warrior), it was produced by longtime collaborator Tony Visconti.  It's a thoroughly enjoyable album of rock 'n' roll boogie and nonsensical lyrics, resulting in two no.1 UK hits; Metal Guru and Telegram Sam.

The cover photos are credited to Ringo Starr, although Visconti claims to have actually taken them.  The album reached no.4 in the UK and no.17 in the US.  Top tracks:

Spotify:  T.Rex – Metal Guru     T.Rex – Spaceball Ricochet     T.Rex – Telegram Sam

Next was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Damn The Torpedoes, for £2:

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Damn The Torpedoes (1979)

This was their third studio album and probably their most acclaimed.  Co-producer Jimmy Iovine had a hand in it's success, with his clean production no doubt pushing the band into the mainstream.

Full of fast-paced, urgent and driven rockers, it still manages to retain a lazy Southern swagger.  Little wonder then, that it reached no.2 in the US and is in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.  If you only ever get one Tom Petty album, make it this one.

Top tracks:  Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Don't Do Me Like That

                        Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Refugee

                               Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Shadow Of A Doubt (A Complex Kid)