Very Best of Marc Bolan

T. Rex includes: Marc Bolan (vocals, guitar); Steve Peregrine (percussion). Since Marc Bolan's untimely death in September 1977, scores of T. Rex compilations have appeared. As with most collections of this kind, the extent to which this one actually represents the "best of" the artist is open to debate. The 20 tracks assembled here include the A-sides from the majority of Bolan's British singles released between 1972 (when he signed a distribution deal with EMI for his T. Rex Wax Co. label) and 1977. There's a generous amount of classic material, and it's hard to argue with anthems like "Telegram Sam," "Metal Guru," "Children of the Revolution," and "20th Century Boy." However, the problem lies in the time period covered by this compilation. The omission of Bolan's pre-EMI work also means the omission of the very songs that fueled T. Rexstasy. Numbers like "Ride a White Swan," "Hot Love," "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," and "Jeepster" are all conspicuous by their absence and the inclusion of some of those earlier tracks would have made for a more complete package. That's not to say that Bolan's later work is negligible. Following a lean period in the mid-'70s, Bolan was re-energized by the explosion of punk (of which he had, of course, been a progenitor), and the 1977 songs featured here document a tragically short-lived return to form. "Dandy in the Underworld" and his final single, "Celebrate Summer," make that point emphatically. If you don't own any records by Marc Bolan, then this album offers a satisfactory introduction. It certainly features a number of his most memorable songs, but not enough for this to qualify as a definitive "best of" collection. If you're lucky enough to have the resources, just buy all the original albums and enjoy Marc Bolan and T. Rex in all their glory. ~ Wilson Neate