Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow Songs Ranked
Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow is an album by English rock band T. Rex, the ninth since Tyrannosaurus Rex’s debut LP. It was released in February 1974 on the T.Rex record label, distributed by EMI. It was the first and only album to be released under the moniker “Marc Bolan & T. Rex”. Unlike many of T. Rex’s previous albums, it was not released domestically in North America; instead, the record compagny released the U.S.-only Light of Love in August of the same year, featuring three tracks from Zinc Alloy while the remainder songs would appear on the band’s next album, Zip Gun. Zinc Alloy was met with bemusement by the listening public. It reportedly confused listeners and divided the band’s fanbase at the time, while critical reception was universally negative. Critical re-evaluation has been slightly more favourable, but it remains an oddity in the T. Rex canon due to its style incorporating funk and R&B influences. The album peaked at number 12 in the UK Albums chart. Here are all of Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow songs ranked.
Don’t miss out on TIMELESS T-Trex albums below! Click to experience one of the UK’s best bands!
10. The Leopards Featuring Gardenia and the Mighty Slug
“Leopards Featuring Gardenia and the Mighty Slug – another song about his past. But this time he compares himself to Gardenia and the Mighty Slug “
9. Painless Persuasion v. the Meathawk Immaculate
“Painless Persuasion V. the Meathawk Immaculate – a new future and change, but Bolan warns that he needs to look to his soul “
8. You Got to Jive to Stay Alive – 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!”
See more: T-Rex Albums Ranked
7. 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 invaded the local Oktoberfest, stole the Oompah Band and booked them for studio time. A stunning ending.”
6. Nameless Wilderness
“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).”
5. Galaxy
“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.”
See more: T Rex Songs Ranked
4. Sound Pit
“Sound Pit – this is about his past songs and career – the whole “Metal Guru in the loo” shows that his works were autobiographical – the Metal Guru being him”
3. Venus Loon
“Venus Loon – a song about sex! Venus Loon is simply his penis. After the split from his wife – June – this is a song about his new sexual relationship with Gloria Jones”
2. Teenage Dream
“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”
1. The Avengers (Superbad)
“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.”
