Words by Alexandra Rose

Elemental Child: The Words & Music Of Marc Bolan is a unique compilation album which celebrates the musical legacy of one of the most important figures in rock history. Motivated by a desire to provide listeners with a fresh perspective on the delights of some familiar and not so familiar material, Easy Action Records has provided a sonic adventure worthy of Marc’s name. In doing so, founder Carlton Sandercock, a lifelong Bolan disciple and archivist, has gathered together a collection of covers of Bolan songs by established artists and newcomers to create an album that is accessible to both the dedicated Marcophile and the unsuspecting ingénue. Reflecting all that is good about the spirit of music, sales of Elemental Child will raise funds for the Marc Bolan School of Music & Film in Sierra Leone, a project established by Gloria Jones in his honour. 

The compilation consists of 27 tracks spanning the breadth of Bolan’s career. Starting in 1966 with a French cover of “Beyond The Rising Sun” by Sylvie Vartan and a version of “The Third Degree” featuring Marc’s old bandmate Andy Ellison alongside Morrissey sideman Boz Boorer, the album takes us on a journey through a multitude of genres and styles and focuses on more unusual cover choices as well as more celebrated compositions. 

Swervedriver’s contribution of a version of “Chateau In Virginia Waters” encouraged Carlton to highlight other fascinating features of Bolan’s oeuvre. In Pure Tongue’s take on “Eminesque Head”, a rich harmonic rendition of the poem is set to music and Tarwater’s eerie and deeply atmospheric cover of “The Visit” is particularly impressive. Its hypnotic feel, rumbling drums and surface noise add an extra dimension to the original.  

Also featuring on the album are iconic favourites including a metal version of “Children Of The Revolution” by Swedish rockers Burn It To The Ground. “Cosmic Dancer”, released originally by T. Rex on their album Electric Warrior in 1971, is poignantly covered by Mair, a previously unheard artist who makes her recording debut. She captures the sentiments of a song about love, freedom and expression beautifully in her stunning rendition. Merseyside’s Mexican Dogs meanwhile provide an outstanding rendition of “Life’s A Gas” featuring twelve string guitar. 

Collecting ‘new’ material to appear on an album dedicated to the well-known and well-loved work of Marc Bolan is no mean feat, but Carlton’s compilation is made all the more fascinating by the breadth of musicianship on display as the artists featured differ widely in background, language, age, experience and genre. The common feature throughout is that each cover captures the sentiment of Bolan’s material in an authentic, impressive and original way. 

Ultimately the combination of the timeless qualities of the original material and the inspiration of a new generation of innovative musicians creates a supremely satisfying journey through the Bolan canon. 

Elemental Child: The Words & Music Of Marc Bolan was released 26 May via Easy Action Records