Dandy in the Underworld is the twelfth album by British rock band T. Rex. Released on March 11 1977 the album achieved a chart peak in the UK of #26 (Guinness Book of Hit Singles and Albums), the band’s best showing since 1974’a Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow.
At the time of the album’s release Marc Bolan and T.Rex were on a UK tour, supported by The Damned. The album and tour were notable for marking a return to form for the band. Dandy in the Underworld gathered the most consistently positive reviews for any T.Rex album in five years. Having fallen from critical and commercial favour the band had endured some fiercely hostile press but NME who had been amongst the most negative noted of the album; ‘very listenable, well arranged immaculately played.’ If a little lacking in the more random elements that had delighted fans at the height of Bolan’s popularity ‘Dandy in the Underworld’ never-the-less showed a level of ambition and achievement some felt the band and its leader would never recapture.
The sessions had started in Los Angeles in August 1976 and carried on until the end of the year using UK studios. The album was praised for the strength of the songwriting and some of Bolan’s best vocal performances in years. The title track representing one of his most ambitious autobiographical songs, was released as a single but failed to chart. ‘I Love to Boogie’ and ‘The Soul of my Suit’ did achieve chart placings in the UK.
After three commercially weak albums Dandy was regarded by many T. Rex fans as a comeback for the band. Dandy in the Underworld was the final album by the band as Marc Bolan would die less than a year after its release.