10 Strange Music Albums By Mainstream Acts

T-Rex frontman Marc Bolan was no stranger to changes of musical direction by the time of this release, which saw the light of day in February 1974. Bolan and his band had already swapped their original Tyrannosaurus Rex moniker, under which they had released four albums which leaned heavily towards gentle, psychedelic folk. As T-Rex, the group switched to an electric rock sound, and scored a big hit with their 1971 album, Electric Warrior.

That album is now rightfully considered as a landmark in glam-rock. Bombastic, playful and quirky, the record spawned a chart-topping hit with Get It On, and set the group on course to super-stardom. All of which contributed to the bemusement which greeted the release of Zinc Alloy.

From the off, this album presents itself as a high-speed journey into the sort of no-holds-barred, grab-bag territory then being explored by Miles Davis. The theatrical rock flourishes and sparkling edges are still present, but so too are harsh, frantic glimmers, wailing vocals, rockabilly, funk and a heavy dose of soul. It's a denser, more ambitious record than anything T-Rex had attempted before, and it stands up well to this day.