A Beard Of Stars

Description

There was a big and obvious change to Tyrannosaurus Rex on their fourth album, A Beard of Stars, as Steve Took was replaced by Mickey Finn, with Marc Bolan remaining the true captain of the duo act as singer and songwriter. Of more significance was the change in the bands sound, moving into far more electric rock territory with much greater use of electric guitar, though Bolans songs were still often grounded in the fairytale-like musings of his earlier work. It was still a ways off from his glam rock approach, but it was definitely more accessible than the relatively homespun elflike folk-rock of the earliest Tyrannosaurus Rex albums. It also made some effective use of organ and somewhat more pop-friendly, conventional tunes like By the Light of the Magical Moon, Elemental Child, and A Daye Laye, though weirder items like Wild Cheetah and Dove bore a slight similarity to some of Syd Barretts gentlest compositions. ~ Richie Unterberger.