Customer Reviews

Zinc Alloy & The Hidden Riders of Tomorrow

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First of all the album title is not such a copy of David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust. Marc Bolan can be quoted as saying in the late 1960's that when he reached the top of his fame he would change his name to Zinc Alloy. Also the album was intended to be called A Creamed Cage In August, by Zinc Alloy And The Hidden Riders Of Tommorrow, but his record company insisted the name T.Rex was on the front cover and so the album became known as Zinc Alloy. On the music side of things this is a very different sound to previous T.Rex albums. I get annoyed when people claim Bolan stuck to a formula and didn't experiment with new sounds. This album sounds a lot like Tyrannosaurus Rex electrified and futurised. I call the sound on this album Bolan's Cosmic Rock. Zinc Alloy is definatley a progression and a very enjoyable listen where individual songs are not important as they all blend together perfectly for the benefit of the album. The extended play on the reissue contain two singles and two b-sides that also work well with the original set. There is a lot of reflection in this album on songs like 'Change' and 'Sound Pit'. The album is a very bold change of direction for Bolan, highlighted I think, by the album cover, with the bold blue eyes daring you to explore his new sound. The songs have a spacey feel and I think the production is fine. I believe this is a much mis-understood album and definately worth buying.

While most people who are familiar with T. Rex will probably tell you the best albums are "Electric Warrior" and "The Slider", they aren't totally wrong. They probably didn't think twice about albums like this one though, as well as "Bolan's Zip Gun", albums that were far ahead of their time. The T.Rex sound is further augmented on this album, particularly through the dominant placement of backing vocals by Gloria Jones. It also has a funkier and more over the top production than the aforementioned albums, anticipating funk and electronic music yet to come. The result is an album which somehow manages to be both "psychedelic" and quite danceable at the same time.

In all, I would say that this is a very listenable and strong album, and would have probably received five stars if not for the somewhat superfluous bonus disc (weaker/unfinished alternate takes of most of the songs). The second half of the album also tends to sag just a bit thanks to one or two less interesting tracks. In all these don't deter from the quality of the other songs and the over-the-top experience that makes this album so unique within the T.Rex catalogue. If you like this, check out "Bolan's Zip Gun" as well, time is only now catching up to the accomplishments of these albums!

I have bought every T.rex album since Electric Warrior on both vinyl and CD and this was the first one that sounded like Marc Bolan was running out of ideas and getting tired. Although the album starts of promising, with powerful songs like "Venus Loon" and "Sound Pit" the album begins to weeken in the middle and never really recovers.Some of the tracks are rather plain and the style is a little bit all over the place.
A lot of it sounds over produced in areas, and the Gloria Jones backing vocals are overdone and uneccessary at times.It was always going to be hard to follow albums like Electric Warrior and The Slider and even Tanx,but Bolan needed a killer at this point in his career and this wasnt it.Having said that it is the last of the Tony Visconti productions and still has some worthwhile moments, although I wouldnt introduce T.Rex to anyone who hadnt heard them, via this album.

I bought this album, knowing it would be a little different from his previous works, but knowing that Tony Visconti was still the producer. After being blown away by Tanx, I assumed that all of the rumors that The Slider was the last great T. Rex album were false. And again, Zinc Alloy proves them wrong.

It's no where near classic T. Rex, but it's far from bad. The addition of Gloria Jones (as backup singer, but sounding more like co-vocalist) is alarming, but quite nice at points, adding authenticity to the new soul direction Marc wanted to go in. The guitar experiments are sometimes shocking, sometimes unpleasant, but overall, they work.

The lyrics are weird, but they've always been weird. This time there's someone else singing them, too, which makes it more odd, but whatever! It's T. Rex!

If you're only interested in the material you may have heard on the radio, stick to Slider and Electric Warrior, even Tanx. If you like T. Rex, and want to know where they were headed, check this out with an open mind. Some artists grow, while some digress. Marc was growing, and I'm looking forward to finding out how much further he got.

This is a record that I didn't get to hear in this form until the early 90's...it didn't come out over here in the US. We got Light of Love instead, which borrows a handful of cuts from this and Bolan's Zip Gun and is probably a better value for your buck than either! Since I was in the throes of belated T.Rextasy at the time, in infuriated and frustrated me that Zinc Alloy didn't get released over here, and I couldn't understand why...now I understand why. Although Venus Loon, Explosive Mouth, and especially the magnificent Teenage Dream are worthy of being considered Bolan's best, the rest for the most part are plodding and tuneless, with shrill backing vocals which aren't helped by a tinny sound mix. All in all, a far cry from the sonic splendor of Electric Warrior! A case could be made for The Avengers (Superbad)and Carsmile Smith, a rare case where Gloria Jones & co.'s BV's actually enhance and make the tune funky and fun, rather than something to be endured and have melodies you remember ten minutes after you've heard them...Avengers also features one of those wacked out Bolan guitar solos which dodge and glide all around the melody without actually having any relationship with the melody. He was a very underrated guitarist, in my opinion (His solo on Ringo's cover of "Have You Seen My Baby" on "Ringo" is one of my favorites ever). The compilers didn't do any favors with the bonus 45's at the end, either...The Groover starts promisingly but eventually devolves into sludge, and Truck On Tyke doesn't take long to become very annoying with its nonstop chorus repetition. All in all, I can't recommend Zinc Alloy to anybody but the hard core Bolan enthusiast, and we know who we are...! But it does have its pleasures, so proceed with caution.

It's true that Bolan directly copied Bowie's The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust into Zinc Alloy And The Hidden Riders of Tomorrow. It's easy for anyone to see that. However, that alone doesn't mean the album is terrible just because he's trying to compete with Bowie. Plenty of artists compete with Bowie, that doesn't make them bad. And to those who say that "Bowie was moving forward and Bolan was moving backward," I say that taking in inspiration from fellow artists is not a bad thing. Look at Weird Al, that's how he makes a living. Seriously, this album is another great pop album from Bolan and I cannot see why Tony Visconti is so ashamed of being connected to this record when songs like "Venus Loon", "Liquid Gang" (My absolute favorite), "Intersellar Soul", "Teenage Dream" (Such an inspirational song!), and "Change" on it. It beats me why Visconti dislikes this album so much, you can't judge an album by its title.

I bought this in '74, and still think it's a wonderful piece of work.

The lyrical side of Bolan re-emerged on this, his 9th long-player. The sound had changed into a "Space-age Superfunk", as was quoted at the time, which wasnt as popular, or accessable as his previous T.rex outings.

The guitar sounds are incredible! Okay, the production faulters in places (Viscounti left during), but that Bolan Magic is here in spades. And the backing girls are great!

Superb songs: Venus Loon, Sound Pit, Change, I could go on...

I think it's better than Tanx and, of course, everything after it. Buy it now!

This release may take a bit of adjustment if one is accustomed to earlier material, but it remains a true display of Bolan`s creativity and genius. The impact of Gloria Jones/TonyVisconti are well appreciated

Many critics have hailed "Zinc Alloy" as a train wreck. Standing on it's own merits, it's an odd, disjointed, often times delightful album.

Marc Bolan's star was still in free fall mode when this album had come out. His glory days appeared to be behind him and (check out "The Slider" and the wonderful "Tanx") his muse seems to have all but deserted him.

"Zinc Alloy" was recorded on the run in several different contries during late '73 and early '74. After the critical failure of "Tanx," the pressure was on to continue the streak of hits that, until recently, seemed to flow so freely from Bolan's imaginiation.

Drugs, booze, a lack of focus, and Marc's massive ego all contributed to the problems experienced on this album. Production duties were still in the hands of Tony Visconti - but after his patience was tested, his advice ignored, and frequent arguements, he and Marc parted ways after "Truck On Tyke," a single released during this album's run.

One, maybe two songs would have been suitable for the radio back in '74. The rest seem like "ideas" Marc had thrown together in an effort to hastily make another album for the fans. Tony's emphasis seemed to be to make the T. Rex sound, bigger, grander, and louder. He has often stated he threw everything but the kitchen sink into the production of this album. These are the moments where the albums shines. Without much to work with, Visconti put a polish on these songs, making them enduring T. Rex classics.

While it's hard to say what direction Marc was trying to take - or the statement he was trying to get across, his aim seemed to be to redefine the band's sound as "Interstellar Soul," to put an urban soul/funk into the music. I don't see it myself, but there are some tunes that were left WAY out in left field ("Galaxy," "Change" and "Gardenia & the Mighty Slug"). But there are definitly moments of brilliance:

"Carsmile Smith & The Old One" - Listen to the arrangement - the violins and cellos are expertly arranged and compliment one the the best Bolan solos I've ever heard.

"Teenage Dream" - Another wonderfully arranged piece built around Marc's magical lyrics. The commercial hit single from the album.

"Liquid Gang" - A bizarre song that has one of the most Beatlesque/The Who fade out's I've ever heard on a T. Rex album. It sounds as if they invaided the local Oktoberfest, stole the Oompah Band and booked them for studio time. A stunning ending.

"Explosive Mouth" - I can't say 've ever heard anything quite like this song. If Marc ever wrote a song he considered "Cosmic Punk," this would be it. A T. Rex classic.

"Spanish Midnight" - The tail end of "You Gotta Jive". Two songs merged that should have stayed on their own. While it is repetative, it's a gorgeous song that Marc should have expanded. As Marc says at the end - "Beautiful, I (expletive) love it!"

"Sitting Here" - A single not on the original album. Another beautiful song reminicient of Marc's "Electric Warrior/The Slider/Tanx" era hits. A beautiful acoustic piece.

"The Groover" - Another single not on the original album. One of Marc's last huge hits. "T-R-E-X" is chanted at the beginning - it still sends shivers down my spine. Pure T. Rex boogie/funk/heavy metal.

"Satisfaction Pony" - Early heavy metal showcasing Marc's guitar talents. A B-side that could stand on its own.

The rest of the songs are really out there and aren't anywhere near Marc's best work. Some of them can be downright irritating - "Nameless Wildness" and "Interstellar Soul" come to mind immediately.

This was truly a transitional album for Marc. It showed an artist looking to change his sound and image, while alienating his established fanbase and any new fans at the same time. While this was not "the bottom" (that's reserved for "Zip Gun") it did mark the departure of Tony Visconti who added so much to T. Rex's signature sound and success.

I bought the 1997 version and despite amazon not listing the bonus tracks, this version DOES in fact include them. Let me describe all five bonus tracks.

"The Groover" has a verse melody that, to me at least, closely resembles Canned Heat's "Let Get Together". Now I personally hate the Canned Heat song, but somehow T Rex makes it work (possibly due to the chorus). "Midnight" quite possibly contains the heaviest and craziest guitar solo in the history of the bands career, and it reminds me of Jimi Hendrix quite a bit. It's absolutely awesome, especially when Marc Bolan keeps repeating the chorus while the intensity of the guitar playing increases more and more. It's funky and borderline heavy metal. "Truck On" occasionally gets criticized (at least, by those who've actually had the privilege of hearing it) for the way the final minute keeps repeating the same chorus over and over again, but I love it all the same. GREAT verse melody too.

"Sitting Here" resembles the verse melody from "Spaceball Ricochet" and perhaps it's even better as far as connecting to the listeners on an emotional level. "Satisfaction Pony" I initially didn't care for, but hearing it again has shown signs of improvement. Now I realize that the song is based on a simple riff that loops for a few minutes, and it's a good one. Not to mention the guitar soloing is really superb as well. I was wrong to say Gloria Jones ruined the song because I now realize her vocals aren't as noticable as I originally believed.

I LOVE the sound quality of the 1997 version too. Everything is extremely *raw* despite the style of glam rock T Rex was creating at the time pointing in a direction that would indicate exactly the opposite. Trust me, the album is loaded with guitar solos, funky rhythms, elements of heavy space rock, gospel and who knows what else.... and it all comes across as insanely raw and surprisingly melodic. I love it.

The liner notes are good too. They reveal just how badly the band was struggling to make it commercially in both America and Europe, so they had to change in order to win over more fans (which is why Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow is a drastic change in the bands style).

I don't quite understand why T Rex's music isn't being put in the same league as Zeppelin or Floyd among the younger crowds these days. An album like the Slider and Electric Warrior surely deserve to be placed in the same league as, say, Zeppelin II or Wish You Were Here. I sincerely mean it.

Not only does T Rex sound good but they also sound *cool* and perfectly appropriate for teenagers looking to let loose and rock out. You'd think teenagers would be able to relate to these lyrics too, the same way they do Nick Drake and Alice Cooper (to name two classic rockers considered to be popular and cool musicians).

Just listen to the aggressively catchy way most of these songs are written. Obviously T Rex isn't in the same category as other glam rockers- T Rex rocks harder, includes better and more creative, dreamier lyrics, and just feels remarkably different from any other glam band before or since. They don't resemble David Bowie, Queen or Slade at *all* for example. No, this stuff is way too sincere, dark, and serious to be in the same category as those three. The one thing that continues to amaze me about the style of T Rex is how this music can sound so dark and yet, so undeniably catchy.

Zinc Alloy & the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow shows T Rex going slightly more mainstream with their sound, a more noticeable amount of Gloria Jones taking on her role delivering those distinctly haunting background vocals, and lyrically this is still the same T Rex that dazzle me in ways that blow most rock artists clear out of the water. Lyrical writing of the highest caliber.

This is so underrated it makes me sick to be honest. Not just the Zinc Alloy album either- I mean, T Rex's entire career. Time can be a real frustrating bummer sometimes. Artists that deserve to be remembered aren't, and yet, an album like Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music receives praise and attention every single day.

Anyway, what makes Zinc Alloy & the Hidden Riders so darn good is the way the music takes the glam rock movement and makes it serious by way of dramatic background arrangements and serious and splendid lyrics.

I originally wasn't the biggest fan of "Teenage Dream" because it felt a little too much like "show tune glam" I guess you could say, but eventually the abundant amount of orchestration and quality lyrics won me over. The rest of the album feels more commercialized and reminiscent of the Slider album. However, the guitar solos on here are *easily* an improvement over even the very best ones found on the Slider. Listen to the guitar solo at the end of "The Avengers" for instance and tell me you're not blown away. A typical glam rock band? I think not. More like a space rock/glam rock explosive combination of madness.

Zinc Alloy still maintains the familiar sound and style of T Rex in all its glory, so its lack of popularity in comparison to other T Rex albums (and especially compared to *other* 70's bands) will probably remain a total mystery to me until the end of time. I don't get it.