New Elvis 75' compilations...

[franny]

New 'Elvis 75' compilation mostly hits, some surprises: There are quite enough Elvis Presley compilations around, thank you, that this new, four-disc set of all previously released material seems unnecessary at best, a cynical move aimed at the Christmas market at worst.
Either way it's inevitable with what would have been Presley's 75th birthday coming up on Jan. 8. Even if "Elvis 75: Good Rockin' Tonight" is essentially a cash-in, it's still smartly assembled, packed with hits but also sparing room for a surprise or two.
Unfortunately, it also spares room for the 2002 Junkie XL remix of "A Little Less Conversation," space that could have been better used for, well, silence, for one thing.
For a catalog such as Presley's, four CDs is essentially a greatest-hits with bonus tracks affair. In the '90s, RCA released three five-disc boxes, one per decade of Presley's career, with very little that could be considered filler across all the boxes.
Nitpicking aside, Disc One is impossible to argue with, as the Sun label singles segue into the RCA recordings from 1956, the foundation of – or at least a huge part of – all rock 'n' roll recorded since.
Discs Two and Three cover the movie years, cherry-picking the sublime but including enough of the ridiculous to show how Presley's (or manager Tom Parker's) focus shifted to his movie career (since rock 'n' roll was a fad destined to be forgotten).
Disc Three also includes Presley's magnificent version of the hymn "How Great Thou Art," which follows "Adam and Evil," proving someone had fun with the sequencing.
By the end of Disc Three, Presley is finding his footing again, thanks to some raw versions of Jimmy Reed's "Big Boss Man" and a pair of Jerry Reed tunes, "U.S. Male" and "Guitar Man."
Then comes Presley's final glory, the 1969 Memphis sessions that produced "Suspicious Minds" and the "Elvis in Memphis" album. Disc Four contains the highlights of his decline. Though they came fewer and further between, they still packed a punch. Check his 1973 version of Chuck Berry's "Promised Land" for proof Presley still had it in the years before his death.
Any Presley fan will find a track or two missing (where's "Trying to Get to You"?). "Elvis 75" isn't the end-all be-all of Presley compilations but novices too curious to be sated by 2002's single-disc "1s" may find it to be a valuable road map. (CD Review, Souirce: Curtis Ross, The Tampa Tribune)

[Tommy]

Thank you very much Franny for the information.

[U.S. Male]

I'm hoping that Santa will be bringing me this release

Am interested in hearing the sound quality on this collection.

[Jungleroom76]

Thanks for the review franny!!!

I just received mine yesterday but it's technically a Christmas present for me from my kids, so I have to wait until Christmas to crack that baby open...

But right off the bat, I have to say I am impressed with the fact that it is actually packaged in a hard box as opposed to the recent I BELIEVE set with its more cardboard feeling packaging...

I am also anxious to hear how the sound quality is on this set...

TCB!
Mike

[epmoodyblue]

............thanx for the info great friend

[Unchained Melody]

Nice review guys, Mike, tell us what you think of it on Xmas.

I am seriously considering getting this one, but don't want to overspend he he

[U.S. Male]

I am also anxious to hear how the sound quality is on this set...

Well gosh a' mighty...just drop it in the mail to me and I'll give it a test spin to evaluate it and re-wrap it and send it back....after all I am the "US Male"

[Jungleroom76]

Mike, tell us what you think of it on Xmas.

Will do pal!!!

I am seriously considering getting this one, but don't want to overspend he he

Keep watching the on-line stores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble because they keep changing their prices. Originally Amazon had the set listed for $53.99 for pre-order but by the time it was released, they had dropped it to $43.99. Barnes & Noble had the set for sale for $32.99 as a one-day only promotion a few days ago. Don't know if they will re-run that promotion or not, but doesn't hurt to keep an eye on their website...

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

Well gosh a' mighty...just drop it in the mail to me and I'll give it a test spin to evaluate it and re-wrap it and send it back....after all I am the "US Male"

Well I appreciate the offer buddy, but the kids already have it wrapped and hidden (they think Mom ordered it for me...). So you'll just have to wait for my review after I unwrap it on Christmas...

TCB!
Mike

[waymore44]

I got this set last week and I think it's a great package. I love the book. It has great pictures and the essay is well written.

I really like Vic Anesini's mastering work better than almost anyone I've heard do the Elvis albums. I read a lot of people think Kevan Budd is the best. My favorite has been Steve Hoffman, but that was only 2 albums that I'm aware of. Vic's work is really strong. The other thing I like about it is his mixes aren't "brickwalled". I've noticed on the last few things I've gotten that the volume is not as hot. I looked at the wave form in Soundforge and found that it is not "brickwalled" which would explain why I'm actually hearing dynamics now like we used to.

The song selection I disagree with in a few instances, but something had to set this apart from HITSTORY. They have given us some album cuts and lesser known things that only die hard Elvis fans would be aware of. However, a few of these I could do without. I know they wanted to let the listener hear the first thing that he recorded for his mother, but I actually could do without "My Happiness". I probably wouldn't feel that way if the recording wasn't from an old vinyl source and was clean like the other Sun Records. On a side note I just heard a recording that Jamie Aaron Kelley did of "My Happiness" probably when he was cutting the Sun Records albums. Oh my God he sounds so much like Elvis on that it is truly unbelievable. I wish that the real Elvis version sounded like that (quality wise).

I've never been a huge fan of "One Sided Love Affair" or "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry". I listened to those songs a lot when I was a kid and learned them just because I loved EVERYTHING Elvis, but as an adult I can do without them. They are just kind of goofy to me. They are sandwiched between two GREAT tracks: "My Baby Left Me" and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy". It doesn't get any better than those two songs.
It may be weird to some folks to have "Blue Christmas" on the set, and I could see why they would feel that way but I like it because it is a very important record for Elvis. it's probably more important than many of his big hits simply because of the impact it has had on society. It's part of America's Christmas and I would imagine other countries' Christmas as well.

I don't disagree with Disc 2's tracklisting except there is just more I would have liked to hear. Where is "I Beg Of You"? I do miss a few things like "Follow That Dream" or "King Of The Whole Wide World". If we are going to get into movie songs where is "Rock A Hula"?

Disc 3 has a couple of songs that I think we could have done without: "This Is My Heaven" and "Adam And Evil". I just don't get those at all. I would have liked to see "Run On" on the set following "How Great Thou Art".

Disc 4 is strong but I REALLY don't like "A Little Less Conversation JXL" on here. I'm just tired of it. I wish they had put the '68 Comeback version of the song that the remix is from on the set so people could hear what it's supposed to sound like.

My FINAL gripe is that the 70's don't get enough time. A lot of people think that the 70's were a "decline" but I disagree. I know his health was declining but I love Elvis in the 70's. I think this is his best music. I feel that way because he's a man who has lived through so much and experienced heartache. His voice aches with emotion. Just listen to "Lovin' Arms" or "I'm Leavin" or "Always On My Mind". I feel like this set should have been 5 discs long. Then we really could have gotten a better overview of The King.

[Junebug]

Waymore -

I really enjoyed your review......

Especially these thoughts -

"It may be weird to some folks to have "Blue Christmas" on the set, and I could see why they would feel that way but I like it because it is a very important record for Elvis. it's probably more important than many of his big hits simply because of the impact it has had on society. It's part of America's Christmas and I would imagine other countries' Christmas as well."

"I know his health was declining but I love Elvis in the 70's. I think this is his best music. I feel that way because he's a man who has lived through so much and experienced heartache. His voice aches with emotion. Just listen to "Lovin' Arms" or "I'm Leavin" or "Always On My Mind"."


Right now, after having read this, I'm looking at "Always On My Mind" in a different light........

Thank you for your insight.

[Jungleroom76]

I got this set last week and I think it's a great package. I love the book. It has great pictures and the essay is well written.

I really like Vic Anesini's mastering work better than almost anyone I've heard do the Elvis albums. I read a lot of people think Kevan Budd is the best. My favorite has been Steve Hoffman, but that was only 2 albums that I'm aware of. Vic's work is really strong. The other thing I like about it is his mixes aren't "brickwalled". I've noticed on the last few things I've gotten that the volume is not as hot. I looked at the wave form in Soundforge and found that it is not "brickwalled" which would explain why I'm actually hearing dynamics now like we used to.

The song selection I disagree with in a few instances, but something had to set this apart from HITSTORY. They have given us some album cuts and lesser known things that only die hard Elvis fans would be aware of. However, a few of these I could do without. I know they wanted to let the listener hear the first thing that he recorded for his mother, but I actually could do without "My Happiness". I probably wouldn't feel that way if the recording wasn't from an old vinyl source and was clean like the other Sun Records. On a side note I just heard a recording that Jamie Aaron Kelley did of "My Happiness" probably when he was cutting the Sun Records albums. Oh my God he sounds so much like Elvis on that it is truly unbelievable. I wish that the real Elvis version sounded like that (quality wise).

I've never been a huge fan of "One Sided Love Affair" or "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry". I listened to those songs a lot when I was a kid and learned them just because I loved EVERYTHING Elvis, but as an adult I can do without them. They are just kind of goofy to me. They are sandwiched between two GREAT tracks: "My Baby Left Me" and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy". It doesn't get any better than those two songs.
It may be weird to some folks to have "Blue Christmas" on the set, and I could see why they would feel that way but I like it because it is a very important record for Elvis. it's probably more important than many of his big hits simply because of the impact it has had on society. It's part of America's Christmas and I would imagine other countries' Christmas as well.

I don't disagree with Disc 2's tracklisting except there is just more I would have liked to hear. Where is "I Beg Of You"? I do miss a few things like "Follow That Dream" or "King Of The Whole Wide World". If we are going to get into movie songs where is "Rock A Hula"?

Disc 3 has a couple of songs that I think we could have done without: "This Is My Heaven" and "Adam And Evil". I just don't get those at all. I would have liked to see "Run On" on the set following "How Great Thou Art".

Disc 4 is strong but I REALLY don't like "A Little Less Conversation JXL" on here. I'm just tired of it. I wish they had put the '68 Comeback version of the song that the remix is from on the set so people could hear what it's supposed to sound like.

My FINAL gripe is that the 70's don't get enough time. A lot of people think that the 70's were a "decline" but I disagree. I know his health was declining but I love Elvis in the 70's. I think this is his best music. I feel that way because he's a man who has lived through so much and experienced heartache. His voice aches with emotion. Just listen to "Lovin' Arms" or "I'm Leavin" or "Always On My Mind". I feel like this set should have been 5 discs long. Then we really could have gotten a better overview of The King.

FANTASTIC REVIEW WAYMORE!!!

I couldn't agree with you more on the 70's stuff either...while his physical condition was clearly in decline, his voice seemed to get stronger and stronger, especially suited for the type of music Elvis wanted to record in the 70's. Albums like FROM ELVIS PRESLEY BOULEVARD simply don't get the recognition they deserve...it is just such a powerful album in terms of emotional delivery of the songs and they really give listeners an in-depth look into Elvis' private life, in my opinion.

TCB!
Mike

[Unchained Melody]

FANTASTIC REVIEW WAYMORE!!!

I couldn't agree with you more on the 70's stuff either...while his physical condition was clearly in decline, his voice seemed to get stronger and stronger, especially suited for the type of music Elvis wanted to record in the 70's. Albums like FROM ELVIS PRESLEY BOULEVARD simply don't get the recognition they deserve...it is just such a powerful album in terms of emotional delivery of the songs and they really give listeners an in-depth look into Elvis' private life, in my opinion.

TCB!
Mike

Its this type of reviews the album from EP Blvd should get imo, but never gets the attention it deserves.

As usual, I agree with your thoughts Mike!

[Jungleroom76]

Its this type of reviews the album from EP Blvd should get imo, but never gets the attention it deserves.

As usual, I agree with your thoughts Mike!

Thanks pal!! I've always thought FROM EP BLVD. was an underrated album, although I can understand how it was not as commercially successful as other albums. Most casual record buyers (and probably even fans back then) really didn't realize the importance of those songs to Elvis personally. In my opinion, EP BLVD. probably only became a more important record after he died and fans could look back on his song choices for that album and see just what he was dealing with personally when he recorded those songs.

TCB!
Mike

[waymore44]

That is probably true that those later albums seemed at times a little strange departure if you didn't know what was going on in his life. Now we do, so that's why those albums make complete sense.

I remember reading Bono had said something similar that in the 70's you finally heard the emotion...apparently it's his favorite period too.

[Jungleroom76]

That is probably true that those later albums seemed at times a little strange departure if you didn't know what was going on in his life. Now we do, so that's why those albums make complete sense.

PRECISELY!!! You said it much better than I tried to...

I remember reading Bono had said something similar that in the 70's you finally heard the emotion...apparently it's his favorite period too.

He obviously has great taste in Elvis music!!!

TCB!
Mike

[waymore44]

I wanted to share the tracklisting to a compilation I came up with a few years ago for myself that fit all on one mp3 disc that I play in my truck, at work in my computer..etc. Also I've made CDR's of this compilation for friends and bandmembers so they can hear what I personally feel is the best of Elvis.

If I were making the boxset, I would have used my tracklisting which is not far off from this collection actually in many ways. After HITSTORY came out I made the compilation so I used the CORRECTED versions of what was wrong on the first E1 album....bad Hound Dog, wrong Fool Such As I, wrong Big Hunk, wrong Wonder Of You, flanging Suspicious Minds...and in SoundForge I did my best to make the other songs that were missing sound like they came from that set. That took quite some time, getting the levels the same and re-eq'ing those tracks to make the entire compilation mesh. I was VERY successful but it was a lot of work.

Here is my tracklisting and most of it's a no-brainer: It's called....

ELVIS: THE HITS....plus

That's All Right
Blue Moon Of Kentucky
Good Rockin' Tonight
Baby Let's Play House
I Forgot To Remember To Forget
Mystery Train
Heartbreak Hotel
I Was The One
Blue Suede Shoes
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
My Baby Left Me
Don't Be Cruel
Hound Dog
Love Me Tender (24 Karat Hits stereo version)
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Love Me
Paralyzed
Too Much
Playing For Keeps
All Shook Up
Teddy Bear
Mean Woman Blues
Loving You
Jailhouse Rock
Treat Me Nice
Don't
I Beg Of You
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck
Doncha Think It's Time
My Wish Came True
King Creole
Trouble
Hard Headed Woman
One Night
A Big Hunk O' Love
I Got Stung
I Need Your Love Tonight
Ain't That Loving You Baby
(Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I
Stuck On You
Fame And Fortune
It's Now Or Never
A Mess Of Blues
Girl Of My Best Friend
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
I Gotta Know
Flaming Star
Surrender
I Feel So Bad
His Latest Flame
Little Sister
Can't Help Falling In Love
Rock A Hula Baby
Good Luck Charm
Follow That Dream (alt take stereo)
She's Not You
King Of The Whole Wide World
Return To Sender
(You're The) Devil In Disguise
One Broken Heart For Sale
Bossa Nova Baby
Kissin' Cousins
Viva Las Vegas
It Hurts Me
Such A Night
Crying In The Chapel
Wooden Heart
Puppet On A String
(Such An) Easy Question
I'm Yours
Ask Me
Suspicion
Love Letters
Big Boss Man
U.S. Male
Clean Up Your Own Back Yard (Elvis Gold Records Vol 5 1984 remix)
If I Can Dream
Memories
In The Ghetto
Suspicious Minds
Don't Cry Daddy
Kentucky Rain
The Wonder Of You
See See Rider
Polk Salad Annie
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
There Goes My Everything
I Just Can't Help Believin'
I'm Leavin'
Burning Love
Always On My Mind
Separate Ways
Steamroller Blues (did an edit that makes the song slam in ommitting the guitar intro)
An American Trilogy (Aloha version)
I've Got A Thing About You Baby
If You Talk In Your Sleep (Elvis' Gold Records Vol 5 1984 remix)
Are You Sincere
There's A Honky Tonk Angel (Who'll Take Me back In)
Help Me
It's Midnight
Promised Land
My Boy
T-R-O-U-B-L-E
Hurt
Moody Blue
Way Down (original mix)
Unchained Melody
My Way (1977 single version)
Lovin' Arms (remix from Guitar Man album)
Guitar Man (remix from Guitar Man album)
A Little Less Conversation (JXL Radio Remix Edit)
Rubberneckin" (Paul Oakenfold radio edit remix)
Born To Rock (C'mon Everybody remix from Viva Las Vegas)
Baby Let's Play House (Spankox Radio Edit Remix)
If I Can Dream (duet with Celine Dion from American Idol Itunes download audio)

I just threw the ones at the end because I wanted some more remixes that were legitimate to go with "A Little Less Conversation".

You will notice that the recordings are not necessarily in chronological order, but that was done on purpose to give the collection continuity. "Wooden Heart", "Such A Night", "Suspicion", "Crying In The Chapel", "I'm Yours", "One Night" were released years after they were recorded. Now if the song clearly doesn't sound right ...ex. "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" sitting beside 60's material then I put it in its true chronological order. I think I came up with a good track listing.

I can see adding "Reconsider Baby", and several others like "How Great Thou Art" and ending the album with "A Little Less Conversation" and losing the other remixes as they are not nexessary.

But my tracklisting would definitely be a 5 disc set and closer to what I would have liked to have seen them do.