T. Rex (October 5, 1971) – “Electric Warrior” Album Review - Daily Mirror
This short but colourful Daily Mirror review captures the excitement surrounding T. Rex at the height of their breakthrough success. The reviewer contrasts the group's origins in the underground scene with their emergence as Britain's latest teenage sensation, while enthusiastically praising Marc Bolan and Electric Warrior.
Publication: Daily Mirror
Date: October 5, 1971
Country: United Kingdom
Appearing in the newspaper's record review section, the piece examines T. Rex's latest Fly Records album, Electric Warrior.
The reviewer begins by reflecting on the dramatic transformation in the group's fortunes. T. Rex are described as former figures from the now-vanished underground scene who had successfully reinvented themselves as Britain's newest “teenybopper craze.”
Far from treating this change as a criticism, the review adopts a playful and enthusiastic tone throughout. The writer openly admits to enjoying the album and describes moving through the record with obvious pleasure.
Particular attention is given to Marc Bolan, who is described as an “ultra-sexy singer/writer.” The review celebrates both his image and his songwriting, presenting him as the central attraction behind the success of T. Rex.
Although extremely brief, the review makes clear that Electric Warrior was regarded as an entertaining and engaging album. Rather than providing an analytical track-by-track assessment, the writer focuses on the immediate appeal of the record and the charisma of Bolan himself.
The review concludes with the exclamation:
“What a spoof!”
a remark that reflects the light-hearted and affectionate style of the piece.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
Published just a few weeks after the release of Electric Warrior, the review captures a moment when T. Rex were rapidly becoming one of the most popular acts in Britain.
The article is particularly interesting because it acknowledges the group's underground origins while recognising their transformation into mainstream chart stars. Many contemporary critics struggled with this shift, but the Daily Mirror review treats it as part of T. Rex's appeal.
The phrase “teenybopper craze” is an early indication of the youth phenomenon that would soon become known as Bolanmania.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: Review of Electric Warrior
Publication Date: October 5, 1971
Era: Electric Warrior era
Tone: Playful, enthusiastic and supportive
Label: Fly Records
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• Brief review of Electric Warrior
• T. Rex described as emerging from the underground scene
• Recognition of the group's new teenage popularity
• Praise for Marc Bolan as songwriter and performer
• Enthusiastic reaction to the album
• One of the earliest newspaper references to the growing T. Rex phenomenon
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
Comments