Tyrannosaurus Rex ‎– A Beard Of Stars

Tyrannosaurus Rex – A Beard Of Stars

A Beard Of Stars is the fourth and final studio album released under the name Tyrannosaurus Rex, originally released in March 1970. It captures Marc Bolan at a crucial point in his musical evolution, bridging the mystical acoustic psychedelia of the early Tyrannosaurus Rex records with the electric rock sound that would soon make him internationally famous as T. Rex.

Recorded at Trident Studios in London between April and November 1969, the album was produced by Tony Visconti and marked a significant change in the band's sound. Bolan increasingly incorporated electric guitar, bass and organ alongside his acoustic guitar and vocals, while percussionist Mickey Finn brought tabla, Moroccan clay drums and finger cymbals to the arrangements. The result is a fascinating mixture of psychedelic folk, whimsical English psychedelia and the beginnings of the heavier, more electric sound Bolan would develop almost immediately afterwards.

The album opens with the brief atmospheric Prelude, leading into A Daye Laye and the playful Woodland Bop. Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart and Pavilions Of Sun demonstrate Bolan's gift for combining surreal imagery with memorable melodies, while Organ Blues adds another unusual texture to the record. By The Light Of A Magical Moon, one of the album's most recognisable songs, brings together Bolan's distinctive vocal style, acoustic instrumentation and increasingly adventurous arrangements.

Side B begins with the title track A Beard Of Stars, followed by Great Horse and the atmospheric Dragon's Ear. Lofty Skies and Dove return to the more delicate, mystical side of Bolan's songwriting before the album closes with the expansive Elemental Child, at over five minutes the longest track on the original LP.

The record is particularly important in the wider story of Marc Bolan because it represents the last Tyrannosaurus Rex album before the name was shortened to T. Rex. The following self-titled T. Rex album, released later in 1970, pushed the electric elements much further and laid the foundations for the glam rock explosion that would follow with Electric Warrior in 1971. A Beard Of Stars therefore sits at a fascinating crossroads between Bolan's underground psychedelic-folk beginnings and his emergence as one of Britain's defining rock stars.

The album reached No. 21 on the UK Albums Chart, giving Tyrannosaurus Rex another significant chart success and confirming Bolan's growing audience. It was originally issued in the UK by Regal Zonophone, with the first UK release appearing in March 1970.

For collectors of Marc Bolan, T. Rex, Tyrannosaurus Rex, British psychedelia, psychedelic folk, folk rock and early glam rock, A Beard Of Stars is an especially interesting album. It documents the moment Bolan began leaving behind the entirely acoustic Tyrannosaurus Rex formula and moving decisively towards the electric rock sound that would define the next phase of his career.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Prelude – 1:04
2. A Daye Laye – 1:56
3. Woodland Bop – 1:39
4. Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart – 2:45
5. Pavilions Of Sun – 2:49
6. Organ Blues – 2:47
7. By The Light Of A Magical Moon – 2:51
8. Wind Cheetah – 2:38

Side B

1. A Beard Of Stars – 1:37
2. Great Horse – 1:42
3. Dragon's Ear – 2:37
4. Lofty Skies – 2:54
5. Dove – 2:06
6. Elemental Child – 5:33