20th Century Superstar

Notoriously ill-served in the back catalogue department for years, this 4-CD box from Universal finally sees the full weight of critical approval thrown at Bolan's considerable legacy. From early demos as a dodgy Donovan heir to final tracks as a fading rock idol briefly enjoying a renewed profile in the light of a burgeoning punk movement; this box set tells the whole story with a goodly smattering of unreleased versions and BBC session tracks to give it a fresher twist. It succeeds so very well because it bothers to uncover and highlight aspects of Bolan's career that present him as far more than just the first glam superstar beloved of any old film maker desirous of purveying the correct ambience of the world of a 70s teenager.