Unicorn (Tyrannosaurus Rex album)

Unicorn is the third studio album by English psychedelic folk (later glam rock) band Tyrannosaurus Rex (later known as T. Rex). It was released on 16 May 1969 by record labels Regal Zonophone and Blue Thumb, and was the last Tyrannosaurus Rex album to feature Steve Peregrin Took.

Content and music 

Unicorn featured Marc Bolan on vocals, guitar, harmonium, lip organ and phonofiddle and Took on percussion (bongos, African talking drum, drum kit, pixiephone, gong), bass, guitar and piano, with the piano on "Catblack" played by producer Visconti. The duo overdubbed dozens of instruments aiming for an all-acoustic "wall of sound" approach different from the first two Tyrannosaurus Rex albums. The back cover depicted Bolan and Took surrounded by books that were relevant to the subject matter of the songs. These books included the work of William Blake as well as photographs of the Cottingley Fairies, a famous case of two children's photographs of alleged fairies taken near their Yorkshire home.

In between the final two songs on the album, "The Misty Coast of Albany" and "Romany Soup", John Peel (an early supporter of the band) recited a short story written by Bolan. Non-LP single "Pewter Suitor" was also recorded at the sessions, although it failed to chart on its January 1969 release.

Release 
Unicorn was released on 16 May 1969 by Regal Zonophone in the UK and Blue Thumb in the US; it was their first album to be released in the US. It reached No. 12 in the UK Albums Chart, the duo's highest position to date.

Unicorn was the last of Tyrannosaurus Rex's albums to feature Took; Bolan fired him after refusing to include Took's songs on the next album.

In 2004, the album was remastered and reissued by A&M Records.

Critical reception and legacy

The album was initially received with the duo's best reviews to date. Nick Logan of New Musical Express called it "a happy warming sound, absorbing, refreshing and stimulating" while Melody Maker declared it their most interesting to date, singling out "Cat Black (The Wizard's Hat)" as "one of the best tunes that Marc has written". Record Mirror also labeled it fresh and unique, comparing it favorably to the "unoriginal top-heavy guitar-based groups" popular at the time. 

In a retrospective review, AllMusic praised most of the songs, saying "Cat Black" "comes on like a lost Spector classic, with apoplectic percussion and a positively soaring, wordless chorus". The reviewer also notes that some songs predated the transition from acoustic to electric music, remarking "you can hear the future".

Songwriter and musician Luke Haines of the Auteurs dubbed it a "genius" album and praised Took for his contributions on the record.

Track listing

Personnel
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Marc Bolan – acoustic and electric guitars, lead vocals, harmonium, organ, phonofiddle
Steve Peregrin Took – drums, bongos, backing vocals, African talking drum, bass, piano
Additional Personnel
Tony Visconti – production, piano (A5)
John Peel – narration (B8)

References

External links 

 

T. Rex (band) albums
1969 albums
Albums produced by Tony Visconti
Albums recorded at Trident Studios
Regal Zonophone Records albums
Blue Thumb Records albums