Whatever Happened To The Teenage Dream? (1973)＜Orange Vinyl＞

After the thrilling rush of 1972, during which Marc Bolan and T. Rex ruled the musical world with a glittery fist, 1973 proved a different kind of year. Tired of glam and looking for a new sound, Bolan turned to the sounds of America for inspiration. Determined to become a star there, he led the band on a number of tours and along the way understood that fans wanted harder and less poppy music; he also fell in love with the soul and funk beaming out over the nations airwaves. 1973: Whatever Happened to the Teenage Dream? is a four-disc set that captures what happened when Bolan and the band turned away from glam and went in search of something else. It contains both the Tanx album, which was recorded in late 1972, and 1974s Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow, recorded in 1973. Alongside them are non-LP singles, demos Bolan made at home, Zinc Alloy outtakes, the 1973 single credited to Big Carrot, and the aborted sessions for a Sister Pat Hall record. Neither of the two studio albums were huge leaps away from the template already established by the band; the changes were small but significant. On Tanx, some elements of harder rock like slide guitar, straightforward songcraft, and simpler lyrics are implemented, but at the same time Tony Viscontis production often sends the album into the cosmos, especially when the phasers kick in and the backing vocals levitate. Zinc Alloy adds the intense backing vocals of Gloria Jones and Pat Hall, swings a bit more loosely, and even gets funky on a few tracks. Any T. Rex fan wouldnt be shocked by the small alterations, though, and both Bolans strut and sadness are amplified in interesting ways. Its often seen as a transitional period in the groups career, and some prefer to focus on the brilliant non-LP singles like "Children of the Revolution" and "20th Century Boy," but to ignore Tanx and Zinc Alloy in favor of earlier or later work is ill-advised and would mean missing out on some strange and wonderful music. The demos and outtakes have all been released before, and they are uniformly brilliant, proving that Bolan didnt need glitter or volume to get across the genius contained in his melodies and words. The Big Carrot single is a gas, with the rollicking "Black Jack" letting Jones and Hall take the lead and "Squint Eye Mangle" showing off Bolans guitar heroics in joyously ramshackle fashion. The Sister Pat Hall album is a nice addition to the set, and while her voice can get a little strident at times, its fun to hear Bolan give the T. Rex sound a funky twist. Like the 1972 set that preceded it, there are no real rarities here, but the comprehensive view it gives to a year that was difficult, yet triumphant in its own way, is something that is of use to any T. Rex fan, be they obsessive or new. ~ Tim Sendra