Marc Bolan and T. Rex

Tanx

Yes, I was misled....

Review Score:

(8/10)
I *was* misled, as a matter of fact, and I'm having a hard time forgiving the hordes of fans, critics, journalists, etc. responsible for this misinformation. You see, contrary to what "they" kept insisting, Tanx is T-Rex's best album, not the Slider, or Electric Warrior. I don't care what you or anyone says, for me there's no contest here, no argument. Hands down, this is Bolan's masterpiece. Sure, Electric Warrior is great, and it more or less deserves its praise despite its flaws. And the same could probably be said for the Slider. But Tanx is an altogether different story. Here's why:

One listen reveals Bolan's songwriting has become more sophisticated, more versatile and varied (ie - accomplished). But the key thing here is that he hasn't lost one fraction of that trademark boogie, that ability to rock out with more testosterone-based swagger than just about anyone else with a guitar and a hairy chest. Whereas the Slider is dominated (and hampered) by brainless, blues-based butt-rock, Tanx benefits from stronger pop sensibilities. Yes, that means HOOKS galore, and more mature songwriting.

Take the breezy, irresistable melodicism of Mister Mister. It's got an almost Brian Wilson-esque chord progression in the verses, while the chorus switches over to a more blues-shaded feel, giving the song a much-needed balance. Brilliant. And let's not forget the soulful sax, which shows up on a few other songs too.

Broken Hearted Blues is one of Bolan's most heartfelt songs; a slowed-down, mesmerizing, beautiful pop ballad. The chord progression builds and rises perfectly, supported by lush acoustic guitars and tastefully-applied strings.

Shock Rock rolls out of the gate with a thundering, pounding stomp, with his seemingly insipid "oh baby" lyrics in the verse, and then comes the chorus with an utterly irresistable, more sophisticated hook, while Bolan slights glam-rock bands for not knowing how to rock. Totally simple and totally brilliant, it rocks harder than anything on the Slider, and it's got a hook that will stick to your brain like duct-tape.

"Highway Knees" is another spine-tinglingly beautiful slow song, filled with tons of hooks, a nice bouncy beat, and a rich arrangement with strings and this catchy little keyboard part in the chorus. And then it ends with this atmospheric loop of synth and string sounds, which seems absolutely ahead of its time. The dizzying, weak-in-the-knees Electric Slim and the Factory Hen has similar attributes, which makes for a highly accomplished, yet still quite groovy pop mini-symphony.

The Street and Babe show is another simple rocker, with, yes, another great hooky chord-progression, and this awesome, warm, chorused-out guitar sound. And I should emphasize here that part of what makes Tanx stand out for me is how the sound is much fuller and more varied than on previous outings. Bolan and Visconti throw in a lot of other instruments and effects, giving the songs some color and texture, and infusing the arrangements and the hooks with subtle twists and turns, making parts of the songs stand out more than if they had stuck with the basic guitar-bass-drums treatment.

So, what makes Tanx so much more appealing to me is its greater attention to detail, and increased focus on poppy hooks. And more than that, it's the balance between sophisticated pop, and the balls-out rockers, which makes each respective style stand out better on its own, giving it a more dynamic context. And that all these styles sit quite comfortably together is a testament to Bolan's vision. So why the Slider and Electric Warrior continue to hog the spotlight to this day is kind of beyond me. My theory is that people come to T-Rex thirsting for simplicity; for that visceral, butt-shaking boogie. That leave your brain at the door and get down all night kind of thing. And while there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, Tanx builds on that primal base, adding a little sophistication and musical maturity, just enough to push the songs into a new realm, but without taking away that essential bubblegum-rock-out element that made T-Rex significant in the first place.

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