Unicorn [Import, Original recording remastered]

Marc Bolan & T Rex | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Universal UK
• ASIN: B0002LU976
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,835 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Chariots Of Silk

2. 'pon A Hill

3. Seal Of Seasons

4. Throat Of Winter

5. Cat Black (The Wizard's Hat)

6. Stones For Avalon

7. She Was Born To Be A Unicorn

8. Like A White Estar Tangled And Far Tulip That's What You Are

9. Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles

10. Eveningsof Damask

11. Sea Beasts

12. Iscariot

13. Nijinsky Hind

14. Pilgrim's Tale

15. Misty Coast Of Albany

16. Romany Soup

17. Pewter Suitor (Single Version) (Bonus Track)

18. King Of The Rumbling Spires (Single Version) (Bonus Track)

19. Do You Remember (Single Version) (Bonus Track)

20. 'pon A Hill (Take 1) (Bonus Track)

See all 31 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Repressing. Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this album from Marc Bolan-led acoustic duo that eventually morphed into T.Rex. Considered a cornerstone of the '60s British Underground along with The Soft Machine, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, Cream, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, this remastered expanded edition includes original artwork, lyrics, sleevenotes by Marc Bolan biographer Mark Paytress, rare photographs by Peter Sanders, and 15 bonus tracks with stereo recordings and outtakes. Polydor.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning work the like of which has not been heard since, March 13, 2005

By 

Michael Topper (Pacific Palisades, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unicorn (Audio CD)

Tyrannosaurus Rex, after releasing two charming but at times monotonous albums "My People Were Fair" and "Prophets Seers And Sages", perfected their sound on "Unicorn", creating a work which remains singularly unique in just about all genres of music to this day. Some T.Rex fans infatuated with Bolan's later electric glam image remain completely turned off by his earlier acoustic Tolkein-influenced work, but for those with an open ear "Unicorn" reveals just as many catchy, hummable tunes

as "Electric Warrior" and "The Slider" combined, recorded with an all-acoustic wall of sound production that has to be heard to be believed.

Lyrically, the Tolkein fantasy influence remained strong but Bolan's sense of wordplay was reaching Shakespearian heights--if this sounds exaggerated, simply read the lyric sheet and marvel at lines such as "the skull of jade was pearl inlaid, the silks skin-spun, repelled the sun" or "Nijinsky hind is a wisp of our world through the heart's eye, a likeness in flesh of the magic contained in a pearl's shell..", all sung in a magnificent soft-focus slur that sounds at first listen like an utterly foreign tongue.

The fabled Spector-ish production values utilize just about every acoustic instrument imaginable, including guitars, pianos, organs, bongoes, talking drums, pixiephone, gong, drums, bass,

claves, fonofiddle and harmonica, treated at times with vast amounts of reverb ("Chariots Of Silk", "Catblack") for a grand,

ethereal sound; a song like "She Was Born To Be My Unicorn" almost seems to float with a liquid momentum. Most importantly, however, every track is melodically rich, with eminently hummable verses and uplifting choruses that can sound royally majestic ("Chariots Of Silk"), poignantly lilting ("Seal Of Seasons") or foreboding ("Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles") with ease, dispelling the occassional monotony that had plagued the first two releases. With its combination of accessible song craftsmanship and highly quirky vocals and production, "Unicorn" allows Bolan's personality to burn through with a grace and heart-melting passion which makes it one of the most underrated and overlooked masterpieces in rock, albeit with a strong cult following (its #12 UK chart placing was also the highest the duo would achieve).

Long, long overdue for a proper remastering treatment, this edition finally addresses that imbalance with restored artwork, lyrics, remastered sound and fifteen bonus tracks including non-LP singles from the period. While the sound is perfect--far superior to any previous CD versions bar the "Best Of Tyrannosaurus Rex" comp from a few years back--the artwork is not entirely complete, as the original gatefold with its lovely drawing depicting two unicorn heads is absent. The bonus tracks are highly welcome, with some veering pretty close to the released versions (some, such as "Throat Of Winter" and "Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles, sound like slightly stripped-down early takes) while others offer fascinating deviations, such as Took's vocal turn on the single b-side "Do You Remember". Overall, the CD is highly essential, probably the first CD version of the album truly worth purchasing, as Tyrannosaurus Rex get the deluxe treatment they have always deserved.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars where have you been all my life?, February 5, 2006

By 

Don Schmittdiel "running_man" (Clinton Twp., MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unicorn (Audio CD)

Marc Bolan and Steve Took produced 'Unicorn' as their third and final album together in May of 1969. Bolan's next release, 'A Beard Of Stars' would feature Micky Finn in Took's place. Finn would also occupy a place in Bolan's more notorious backing band, T-Rex, as they electrified their schtick with 1971's 'Electric Warrior'. Steve Took's contribution to this release, widely regarded as Bolan's finest acoustic piece, can hardly be underestimated. Though Bolan's Donovan Leich-like vocal mannerisms, compelling acoustic guitar playing, and composing talents are unquestionably center stage in Tyrannosaurus Rex, Took's vocals, bass guitar, and piano contributions are creative and indispensible to the finished product.

And what a product it is. While most people first became aware of Bolan's talents with the success of his glam-rock persona and single releases under the banner of T-Rex, this strange but gripping work stands as a minor masterpiece. The strangeness, and certainly the explanation for its stealth existance over the decades, traces back to the lyrical content of the compositions. Bolan brings a Tolkien-like consciousness to the whole affair, presenting a fantasy world of images featuring chariots, kegs of dew, silent scriptures, a shell of foam, bluebells in hearts, sky-blue teeth, starbrowed brothers, a chalcedony bed, a muse on life's lawn, a thunderbolt suit, and Silver Satyrs, just to name a few. While at once seemingly a Dada-redeux, one can't help but to suspect that, in Bolan's mind, perhaps all of this has some underlying meaning. He sings as though he does, though the delivery of these perplexing lyrics is similarly strained. He frequently slurs or warbles the lyrics in that unmistakable, faltering Donovan Leitch style, making them difficult to understand in more ways than one. Of course the lyrics produce an atmosphere of mystery and a dragons and dungeons, Camelot, and Nostradomas mystique as well, and that is very much in character with the sonic texture of the songs. There are at times strange sound effects, such as the sounds of birds, and perchance gnomes serving as bookends for the halting 'Pon a Hill', or the curious sounds accompanying the marching melody in 'She Was Born To Be My Unicorn'. Despite the strangeness, none of this is at all offensive. In fact, one must suspect that this was the feel Bolan and Took were reaching for, as it permeates each and every track.

What you won't be able to get away from on 'Unicorn' are the often breathtaking, wonderfully complex and varied melodies the duo produce. My favorites are the memorably mystic sound of 'Warlord of the Royal Crocodiles', the fun and catchy ' The Misty Coast of Albany', and the first three bonus tracks, the bright and lively 'Pewter Suitor', and 'King of the Rumbling Spires' and 'Do You Remember', both of which feature fuzzy, pumping electric guitars and bass, bringing to mind the sound Bolan was moving towards for 'Electric Warrior' in 1971. The first five tracks on 'Unicorn' feature highly engaging melodies, which become even more engaging with each listen. The lyrics are at times stunning as well, such as "Just like a prancer, a gypsy dancer..." from 'The Seal of Seasons'. The weaker tracks, and that is certainly a relative term, and only perceived as such because they are less memorable and distinguished than the others, would be 'Stones For Avalon', 'The Pilgrim's Tale', and 'Romany Soup'. On the latter track, UK DJ John Peel delivers a several minute spoken-word introduction that is every bit as mysterious as each and every song on 'Unicorn'.

On the upside, if there is anything you don't like on 'Unicorn', it is likely to pass quickly. As Bolan doesn't allow himself to be restrained lyrically, he doesn't aim to present any of his compositions in a Top 40, AM radio format. The shortest track is 'Pon a Hill' at 1:14, and the longest 'Romany Soup' at 5:39, but several minutes of that consists of Peel's soliloquy. Five songs from the original vinyl album run under two minutes, and again, don't expect verses/chorus/bridge/chorus/verses/chorus. There's organization, but each track has a mind of its own.

So what we have here is pure art-rock. Many of the songs possess captivating melodies, exquisite musicianship, and the type of experimentation, sincerity, and thoughtfulness that was suppose to epitomize music of the 1960's, but so often didn't. While the overall feel of the album is optimistic and light, some slower, darker, sad and even brooding fare can be found on tracks such as 'Like a White Star...' and 'Evening of Damask'. 'Unicorn' was originally released with 16 tracks, but this remaster adds three new tracks (#17-19), alternates of each new track, and alternate versions of nine songs from the original sixteen. Most of these versions are more stripped-down, especially of sound effects, but otherwise pretty similar to the originals. The imported package comes nicely illustrated with lyrics (yeah!), informative liner notes, numerous photographs and displays of other memorabilia, and if you have a use for it, an outer cardboard sleeve. It's the real ticket, and a handsome find for a lover of the best in 1960's music.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fab flocks of FOLKnotes float inna FREAK out folly, January 27, 2007

By 

W. T. Hoffman "artist and musician" (Pennsylvania, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Unicorn (Audio CD)

I never knew ANYTHING about Tyrannosaurus Rex before i picked up this CD this week. Unless i'm experiencing something like a sonic equivalent of "love at first sign", a simple inflatuation, I have to say that this album UNICORN has completely charmed and captivated me. This doesnt happen much to me. If someone really LOVES something, it's because they see something of themselves in it. Somehow, from this psychedelic folk album that is all but unknown in the USA, i've heard melodies, that existed in my mind for incarnations.Once you hear the strange poetic images, and the evocative sounds, you'll be convinced Marc Bolan channeled these delicate tunes from Rivendale during the second age of MIDDLE EARTH, or from the last days of Atlantis. I bought BEARD OF STARS also, but for me UNICORN outranks it. First off, both members from the UNICORN version of Tyrannosaurus Rex had tragic lives. Marc and Steve were both dead by the time they were 30. So, as with Nick Drake, Tim Buckley or Phil Ochs, a sad poetic mystique surrounds people that never made it past their youth. Maybe some people own a vision of beauty so transcendent and otherworldly, that the world removes them, and takes them back to that etheric plane they belong to. These were guys not given to sticking to the rules, and writing comprehensible, big-money big-money POP. Well, I mean, sure T REX was money making pop, but except for that quavering, unique voice, its hard to make the connection between this album and the T REX sound. IF anything, this album is as much about POETRY as it is MUSIC. (The last 6 minutes of UNICORN is a spoken word poem.) Here's poetry floating just beyond the grasp of the intellect. The music at first seems to lack the lush, "thick" 60s psychedelic folk ideal. This is just stripped down acoustic guitar(s), matched to wierd percussion like tabla, bongos, maracas, and nice tripped out production. The maracas dance from one speaker to the other, and thick vocal overdubs appear and disappear. It's cool, dude. Sometimes a Tamboura hums....or is that harmonium? Who knows? The sound can be at times as indistinct and incomprehesible as the lyrics. The new edition offers you Marc's lyrics printed out, but dont expect THAT to be of help deciphering his meaning. It's best to allow yourself to be transported by the album to another, more hopeful, more colorful age. Discribing the individual songs would ruin your first listen...it'd be a spoiler, believe me. Just look forward to strange,ineffable combinations of Bolan's wavering, vibrato tenor over the cool countermelodies of Steve Took, along with Steve's direct, succinct percussion that's SO EFFECTIVE. I don't hear a lot of guitar overdubbing, altho one song has Tony Visconti (their famous producer) playing some pounding piano. This reissue is very well done. Since so many of the songs are VERY short, its nice to have extra takes from the vault, and a couple of singles, including one that starts the movement towards the electric sound T REX mastered a couple of years later. I recommend this album to ANYONE who likes MADCAP LAUGHS by Syd Barrett, INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, FOLKJOKEOPUS by Roy Harper, or Tim Buckley's surreal period. (More because of the unusual voice, mixed with strange lyrics, than the sound, which isnt as heavey as the BUCKLEY LPs.)