Marc Bolan - Hard On Love

Back to its original title, to make you buy again on wax

As if you haven’t got these recordings already. Sanctuary strip their essential, expanded 32-track edition of 1974’s Beginning Of Doves back to the original 20 tracks for this vinyl reissue under their original name. These early demos and recordings (some solo, some with strings, some with Steve Peregrin Took’s bongos, all pre- and just post-John’s Children) have been reissued enough times they’re in danger of losing all meaning. Putting them out on LP, under the original 1972 Hard On Love title (the 1972 LP was quickly withdrawn, Bolan didn’t want these pre-fame offcuts interfering with T.Rextacy) doesn’t do anything. For those that don’t know, this is proof that even back in the late 60s, Bolan was weirder and braver than Donovan, more naturalistic than Bowie, and always the sponge he continued to be in the 70s. His recurring interest in soul surfaces in Black & White Incident’s lift from The Miracles’ You Really Got A Hold On Me. Despite dressing it up in folk, Sally Was An Angel homages rock’n’roll via Heartbreak Hotel, right down to the echo production, and the solo riffing on Mustang Ford is just an acoustic template for electric T.Rex. Fascinating music, rubbish reissue, comes with a 7” EP.

Sanctuary | CMFLP 1565

Reviewed by Jason Draper
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