It seems that T. Rex are much more appreciated today than they were when they roamed the earth in the '70s. Certainly this is true outside of Britain. And that is why there has been a constant stream of best-of albums and various obscure archeological finds from long-forgotten recording sessions and concerts. The German compilation Solid Gold: The Best of T Rex is a combination of both of these things. On the one hand you have the classic cuts like "Telegram Sam," "Metal Guru," "Children of the Revolution," and more, from when the band was at their hit-single zenith in the early '70s. But then there are the more insipid songs like the pop-by-numbers "Think Zinc," the formula bop of "Light of Love," and the wishy-washy pseudopsychedelia of "The Soul of My Suit." Added to this are weak live versions of three of the band's finest songs: "Jeepster," "Hot Love," and "Get It On" (the latter, renamed "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" for U.S. release, is an 11-minute jam with support band the Damned). And then there's the fact that Electric Warrior -- the album that broke Marc Bolan and his mates into the big time and helped launch the whole glam rock movement -- is only represented by two of those live tracks. Any album with so many hits from this remarkable band cannot be simply cast aside. But fans can grab a better slice of T. Rex by getting their hands on one of the more comprehensive hits albums such as 20th Century Boy: The Ultimate Collection (though, unfortunately, the anthemic strutter "The Groover" is conspicuously absent from this set). ~ Adrian Zupp, All Music Guide