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

T-Rex never sounded better

Stuart Brenner | Irvine, CA United States | 03/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you want to hear T-Rex the way they haven't sounded in years "buy this album"! The sound quality of this CD makes it worth the price of admission! George Marino and Tony Visconti did a great job remastering tapes that are almost 30 years old. The drum sound, especially the opening kick and snare drum on "Get It on" never sounded better and Marc's guitar sound hasn't sounded this good in years.
If you want crisp original artwork and lyrics, pull out your old A&M record sleeve, or look for the album in the bargain bins because it isn't here. A&M did a poor job replicating the front cover artwork (my inkjet scanner/printer at home could have done a better job!) and the inside gatefold of the original album (no lyrics or original picture of Marc).
A&M did add excellent liner notes from producer/arranger Tony Visconti and pictures and drawings of Marc that have never seen the light of day until now.
The extra tracks are great to listen to, but it would have been even better if they could have added "Raw Ramp",(the B-side of "Get It On") to round things out.
Still, the audio clarity and punch of this re-mastered CD make it a must-have for any T-Rex fan."

Save your money

Al hor | Czech Republic | 03/19/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Tony Visconti failed at recording of this excellent music, and now he failed at remastering again..."

Great reissue of a classic album

happydogpotatohead | New Orleans, LA USA | 06/26/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Terrific remaster by Tony Visconti of this classic album. I have no idea what the negative reviewers are talking about; there is no "drop out" on Mambo Sun. The cover art was never much to begin with, even on the original album - and I have an original US copy of the album, thanks. The poster shot of Bolan from the album is not here, and yes, the lack of lyrics is slightly disappointing. However, you get priceless notes on the recording of the album from Tony Visconti. There are also extra photos of Marc and the band, and the illustrations from the album's inner paper sleeve (hey, we didn't get that in America!!). To me this makes up for the lack of lyrics. I know them all by heart anyway. Enough of that; what you should be worried about is the sound. The sound is absolutely terrific. I compared this with my Japanese CD and the difference was night and day. It was as if a layer of fog had been lifted from the music; everything is sharp and clear. I was surprised at how much of Bill Legend's drum parts and Steve Currie's bass I had been missing out on all these years! And the peculiar details of Marc's guitar playing really come into focus. (Make sure you check the liner notes for Visconti's comments on Bolan's musical quirks.)Of course the album itself is a classic. How can you argue with a CD that has both "Get it On" and "Jeepster," both brilliant 70's rock songs? Not to mention Bolan's mystical eldritch side, encapsulated in "Cosmic Dancer," and "Monolith." And the wistful "Life's A Gas," the charmingly inept "Lean Woman Blues," and "Rip Off," which is still pretty strange today; all this adds up to a great album, then and now. Bolan both invented and transcended "glam rock" on Electric Warrior.The bonus tracks sound equally good, but are mostly useful for T. Rex fans like me, who want to hear what the songs were like when Bolan was working out the details in the studio with the band. It sounds like recording this album was a lot of fun. Bolan laughs and kids around a lot, and as a result the bonus tracks convey his innate charm and enthusiasm. The outtakes also show us interesting stripped-down alternate versions of familiar songs, some with alternate lyrics.Overall, this 30th Anniversary reissue is highly recommended. Bolan's albums have not always gotten the best treatment in the past when they were reissued on CD, but Visconti's remix is a must-have, and worthy of Marc Bolan's legacy."