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Tyrannosaurus Rex's fourth album, A Beard of Stars, was the turning point where Marc Bolan began evolving from an unrepentant hippie into the full-on swaggering rock star he would be within a couple of years, though for those not familiar with his previous work, it still sounds like the work of a man with his mind plugged into the age of lysergic enchantment. "A Daye Laye," "Pavilions of Sun," and the title tune sure sound like the writings of an agreeably addled flower child, and Bolan's vocals are playfully mannered in a manner that suits his loopy poetry. However, after shunning the corrupting influences of electric guitars on Tyrannosaurus Rex's early recordings, A Beard of Stars finds Bolan plugging in as he turns on, and he sounds like he's clearly enjoying it; the wah-wah solo that closes "Pavilions of Sun" demonstrates how just a little electricity gave this music a new lease on life, as do the guitar and bass overdubs on "Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart," and the lo-fi raunch that dominates "Elemental Child" was the first manifestation of the amped-up proto-boogie that defined Electric Warrior and The Slider. A Beard of Stars was also the first Tyrannosaurus Rex album after Mickey Finn took over as percussionist from Steve Peregrine-Took, and his more straightforward approach (as well as his occasional basslines) gave this music a far more solid foundation than Peregrine-Took's expressive but frequently unpredictable rhythms, further setting the stage for the group's Grand Transformation. A Beard of Stars holds on to the charm of Tyrannosaurus Rex's early work while letting Bolan's natural charisma and rock moves finally take hold, and it's a unique and very pleasing entry in their catalog.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
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MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
Micky Finn, Drums, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - MARC BOLAN, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Organ, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - T. Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1970 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1969 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 1969 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
Micky Finn, Bongos, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Wilson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - MARC BOLAN, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Walters, Producer - T. Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2007 BBC
Micky Finn, Bongos, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Wilson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - MARC BOLAN, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Walters, Producer - T. Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2007 BBC
Micky Finn, Bongos, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Wilson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - MARC BOLAN, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Walters, Producer - T. Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2007 BBC
Micky Finn, Bongos, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Wilson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - MARC BOLAN, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Walters, Producer - T. Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2007 BBC
Micky Finn, Bongos, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Wilson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - MARC BOLAN, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Walters, Producer - T. Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2007 BBC
DISC 2
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tony Visconti, Producer - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
MARC BOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Tyrannosaurus Rex, MainArtist
℗ 2014 Essex Music
Album review
Tyrannosaurus Rex's fourth album, A Beard of Stars, was the turning point where Marc Bolan began evolving from an unrepentant hippie into the full-on swaggering rock star he would be within a couple of years, though for those not familiar with his previous work, it still sounds like the work of a man with his mind plugged into the age of lysergic enchantment. "A Daye Laye," "Pavilions of Sun," and the title tune sure sound like the writings of an agreeably addled flower child, and Bolan's vocals are playfully mannered in a manner that suits his loopy poetry. However, after shunning the corrupting influences of electric guitars on Tyrannosaurus Rex's early recordings, A Beard of Stars finds Bolan plugging in as he turns on, and he sounds like he's clearly enjoying it; the wah-wah solo that closes "Pavilions of Sun" demonstrates how just a little electricity gave this music a new lease on life, as do the guitar and bass overdubs on "Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart," and the lo-fi raunch that dominates "Elemental Child" was the first manifestation of the amped-up proto-boogie that defined Electric Warrior and The Slider. A Beard of Stars was also the first Tyrannosaurus Rex album after Mickey Finn took over as percussionist from Steve Peregrine-Took, and his more straightforward approach (as well as his occasional basslines) gave this music a far more solid foundation than Peregrine-Took's expressive but frequently unpredictable rhythms, further setting the stage for the group's Grand Transformation. A Beard of Stars holds on to the charm of Tyrannosaurus Rex's early work while letting Bolan's natural charisma and rock moves finally take hold, and it's a unique and very pleasing entry in their catalog.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 47 track(s)
- Total length: 01:49:57
- Main artists: Tyrannosaurus Rex
- Composer: Marc Bolan
- Label: UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2014 Polydor Ltd. (UK) This Compilation ℗ 2014 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
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