T. Rex – ‘Electric Warrior’
At a time when glam rock emerges as an irresistible force in the music world, at its beating heart lies T. Rex’s game-changing sixth studio album, Electric Warrior. This foot-thumping, heart-pumping offering stands tall as the quintessential embodiment of glitter-infused 1950s rock and roll, elegantly intertwined with the infectious charm of rhythmic funk and the energetic charisma of earlier pop contributions.
Electric Warrior embodies the confidence of glam’s most unapologetic leaders in the musical revolution, with Marc Bolan’s raspy vocals taking centre stage, accompanied by catchy hooks and fun guitar riffs. With each track, the album showcases T. Rex’s bold and audacious new sound, capturing the essence of an era defined by flamboyance, liberation, and limitless creativity.
In the grand tapestry of rock, Electric Warrior is a masterstroke that claims its moment. Still enjoying the hype garnered by the 1970 hit single ‘Ride a White Swan’ that supercharged the band to Beatles-esque popularity, Electric Warrior offers a more refined sound compared to their earlier psychedelic folk-oriented style, taking Bolan’s previous mystical, lore-inspired lyricism and catapulting it into four-on-the-floor rock ‘n’ roll.
With the strong opener ‘Mambo Sun’, the challenge lies in resisting its tempting groove, as it becomes clear that Bolan’s voice has arrived darker and grittier with a sensuality that matches the accompanying lyrics. Bolan expresses his sexual yearning with pleas like: “Beneath the bebop moon / I want to croon with you” – a far cry from the musings of Unicorn. This theme stretches across the entire album, with the charged rhythms of ‘Get It On’ as Bolan discusses his “dirty and sweet” muse. All songs on Electric Warrior signify the band’s departure from earlier works, but few define a new pulsating era of glam-rock as much as ‘Get It On’. The guitar riff alone is enough to solidify the band’s new intentions as pioneers of a new movement, with a simple but catchy melody that’s guaranteed to fill the floor on any occasion.
The slower, more wonderfully laid back ‘Cosmic Dancer’ provides a demonstration of the delicacy of Bolan’s vocals, with a track that showcases the band’s overall talent for future-gazing. T. Rex has always been known for dancing along the lines of acoustic and electronic fusions, but with tracks like ‘Cosmic Dancer’, we witness the intersection of past and future rock characteristics with a tempo intended to dazzle and lyrics intended to yield multiple interpretations.
Some earlier contributions to blues music can also be found in the grooves of Electric Warrior with songs like ‘Jeepster’. Taking inspiration from the likes of Howlin’ Wolf and the song ‘You’ll Be Mine’, ‘Jeepster’ exercises earlier blues styles with more dramatic melodies and ahead-of-its-time chord progressions. The song is primarily in the key of A, but jumps to C when the chorus hits – something that didn’t happen in 1950s blues songs.
That’s not the only thing that makes Electric Warrior a daring piece. The inclusion of songs like ‘Monolith’, ‘Planet Queen’, and ‘The Motivator’ showcase an obvious knack for the spaces in which the band commands, but woven in lies a hidden gem, one that will bring you back time and time again – ‘Life’s A Gas’.
Amid the rampant sex-charged endeavours etched in the album’s walls, ‘Life’s A Gas’ provides a hiatus from the chaos, offering a well-earned reminder of the beauty of life’s enigmas. It’s no secret that Bolan is naturally poetic, but this comes to the fore effortlessly in the song’s lyricism with lines like “I could have loved you girl like a planet / I could have chained your heart to a star”. But before we have a chance to go into the implications of that very sentiment, Bolan reminds us that it, in fact, “really doesn’t matter at all”. The result is something that’s akin to a momentary relaxing intermission amid a captivating and engaging performance.
Electric Warrior weaves a spell that is equal parts intriguing and electrifying. Its sound has the ability to permeate the unexplored corners of your soul, awakening emotions you didn’t know were dormant, and leaving you musically satiated yet yearning for more.
