'Viva Elvis' - The Album - My Review

[doug.ie]

i think its alright...some of the tracks i dont like...others like burning love work really well.
i like to take a positive outlook on stuff like this, it breathes a different life into the songs.

are there many more songs that they have done that arent on the album ?

[Albert]

i think people shouldn't see this as a remixed Elvis album, but simply as the soundtrack of the Circque du Soleil show (since that's basically what it is). This way the listening experience makes much more sense

[kathy parkinson]

Went in the shop today, the album is at number five in the charts.

[dennyelvis]

I like it, its got to be heard in full, flowing into one, not as snippets as we all did before its release, much better as a whole ........

[Trelane P]

Blue Suede Shoes is built around the intro riff to Plantation Rock.

[geordie]

'VIVA ELVIS' - THE ALBUM - REVIEW

by Brian Quinn

I have just listened to 'Viva Elvis' - The Album which was very kindly sent to my by SONY(UK) and I am not afraid to say I am in tears. It is PHENOMENAL and the sound AMAZING. Truly a listening and emotional experience and genuinely revolutionary in concept which should give it an excellent chance for a Grammy Award next year. This is truly Elvis for the 21st Century.

The whole album is built around a biographical theme with comments from Elvis, Ed Sullivan, Bill Black, Milton Berle etc. and snippets of other Elvis songs apart from those listed on the album cover. This is one album that I will be playing a lot and not just once or twice. Yes, we would have liked more tracks but the ones on the album are longer than usual apart from 'Memories' and 'You'll Never Walk Alone' which are linking themes as shown below. I would also have liked to have had the names of the individual female singers featured on the duets.

The album cover is very colorful, contemporary, and features a booklet containing many scenes from the 'Viva Elvis' show with details of the cast etc. Now on to my review:

1. Opening
The album opens with the strains of what is commonly known by Elvis fans as 'The 2001 Theme' together with females screaming and chanting "We Want Elvis". Great drums featured in the background. Elvis himself comments 'If You're Looking For Trouble'. There are also historical comments from Ed Sullivan and track 1 commences a countdown into track 2. A fitting start to the album.

2. Blue Suede Shoes
Heavy version with drums and harmonica up front. Has a distinct Bo Diddley feel to it and again comments from Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle. Lots of sound wizadry here.

3. That's All Right
Has a great feel to it and commences with a similar opening to 'I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine' with comments by Horace Logan and Bill Black. Screaming girls add to the atmosphere. Also snatches of 'When It Rains It Really Pours'.

4. Heartbreak Hotel
This track has a great powerful Blues feel to it and starts out with Elvis doing his famous 'Well, Well Well' routine. A really heavy version follows which quite literally bounces along with great Harmonica/Sax/Brass/Drums and Piano. Snippets of 'Stranger In My Own Home Town' (informal rehearsal) as featured on 'The Essential 70's Masters Box Set. 'Polk Salad Annie' even gets a mention.

5. Love Me Tender
A beautiful duet with a really great female singer and a very contemporary arrangement with acoustic guitar adds up to a real winner. Elvis closes the duet by singing a snippet of 'In My Way' from the movie 'Wild In The Country'. In my opinion this would make a great single release.

6. King Creole
This track commences in a similar fashion to the opening of the film of the same name with strains of 'Crawfish'/'Gumbo'. Slower than the original version with the cast singing along. Elvis also sings a snippet of 'Hard Headed Woman'. The track ends in the same fashion as the beginning with 'Gumbo'. 'Elvis also sings a snippet of 'New Orleans'.

7. Bossa Nova Baby
Commences with Elvis making comments in the recording studio to Hal Wallis. We are then treated to an excellent version of this well known track featuring drums/sax/piano/bass and organ. During the song a part of the arrangement is reminiscent of 'Barbara Ann' by The Beach Boys. Elvis comments "It's Hot In Here". Ends with a great Boots Randolph style sax. A contemporary version without losing the original feel. This would be a great track for the programme 'Dancing With The Stars'.

8. Burning Love
Commences with the famous comment made by Elvis (on the 'Elvis sails' EP) to the Press Corps on joining the U.S. Army. On being asked "What's your idea of the ideal girl?" Elvis answers with much laughing '"Female Sir". A heavy version follows with guitar/drums and guitar to the fore. There is also a piece of dialogue included from the movie 'Jailhouse Rock' where Elvis has just kissed Judy Tyler (Peggy Van Alden) and she turns to him in disgust and states "How dare you think that such cheap tactics would work with me?" and Elvis replies "That ain't tactics honey, its just the beast in me".

9. Memories
A short orchestral piece of 'Memories' which is really a means of segueing into

10. Can't Help Falling In Love
This is a really fine contemporary version of this classic track and sung as a duet with a great female singer similar in style to Mariah Carey. Elvis opens the track accompanied by acoustic guitar. Very melodious. Interestingly the track fades out with Elvis repeating part of the song 'Love Me'.

11. You'll Never Walk Alone (Piano Interlude)
A beautiful short piano solo played as if it were Elvis himself and segues into the final track.

12. Suspicious Minds
Great up tempo closer for the album which is heavy on drums/piano/bass and guitar. Similar type female backing group as the Sweet Inspirations. A very melodious version with Elvis urging everyone on near the end shouting "C'mon, C'mon, C'mon".

Finally, I would like to make this important point. To fully appreciate this album one needs to treat it as a whole and not just a conglomeration of unrelated tracks. As stated earlier it is truly a unique 'listening experience' and and one that is linked biographically to cover all Elvis eras from 'That's All Right' to 'Suspicious Minds' taking in the 50's, the Movies, the Army, the 68 TV Special and Vegas. Special thanks go out to Erich van Tourneau and his team for this innovative concept in recorded music and to EPE and Sony Music Entertainment for their support for the project.

This album will whet the appetite of fans worldwide to go and see the show 'Viva Elvis' when it eventually goes on tour and bring back fond memories for those who have already seen it. I personally cannot wait.

Brian

heloo brian.thanks for youre review.is sony/bmg paying you, for this review,because everyone i have heard on elvis sites,say they like some songs,hate others. you are the only person i have read that actually loves, and is in tears about this release.

[laura17]

viva elvis is pure crap...

[See See Rider]

Received my copy today. It is very nice the new mix to the sound.

[Raised on Rock]

2. Blue Suede Shoes
Heavy version with drums and harmonica up front. Has a distinct Bo Diddley feel to it and again comments from Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle. Lots of sound wizardry here.

3. That's All Right
Has a great feel to it and commences with a similar opening to 'I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine' with comments by Horace Logan and Bill Black. Screaming girls add to the atmosphere. Also snatches of 'When It Rains It Really Pours'.

4. Heartbreak Hotel
This track has a great powerful Blues feel to it and starts out with Elvis doing his famous 'Well, Well Well' routine. A really heavy version follows which quite literally bounces along with great Harmonica/Sax/Brass/Drums and Piano. Snippets of 'Stranger In My Own Home Town' (informal rehearsal) as featured on 'The Essential 70's Masters Box Set. 'Polk Salad Annie' even gets a mention.

7. Bossa Nova Baby
Commences with Elvis making comments in the recording studio to Hal Wallis. We are then treated to an excellent version of this well known track featuring drums/sax/piano/bass and organ. During the song a part of the arrangement is reminiscent of 'Barbara Ann' by The Beach Boys. Elvis comments "It's Hot In Here". Ends with a great Boots Randolph style sax. A contemporary version without losing the original feel. This would be a great track for the programme 'Dancing With The Stars'.

Finally, I would like to make this important point. To fully appreciate this album one needs to treat it as a whole and not just a conglomeration of unrelated tracks. As stated earlier it is truly a unique 'listening experience' and and one that is linked biographically to cover all Elvis eras from 'That's All Right' to 'Suspicious Minds' taking in the 50's, the Movies, the Army, the 68 TV Special and Vegas. Special thanks go out to Erich van Tourneau and his team for this innovative concept in recorded music and to EPE and Sony Music Entertainment for their support for the project.

Just a few things for the record:

1. The Blue Suede Shoes remix, (which is my favourite) its new arrangment it is based on the opening guitar lick of "Plantation Rock" from Girls Girls Girls.
2. Thats all Right DOES NOT commences with a similar opening to 'I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine, it IS actually a sample from I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine.
3. Can't find the snippet of Stranger in My Own Home Town (1970 jam) on Heartbreak Hotel, could you point me where it is please man?
4. At the end of Bossa Nova Baby that sax we hear, it is 100% Boots Randolph style, cause it is Boots Randolph lol. It's a sample from If You Think I Don't Need You.

Now about continuity, you wrote: from 'That's All Right' to 'Suspicious Minds' taking in the 50's, the Movies, the Army, the 68 TV Special and Vegas. Well, I Can't find the Army and the '68 TV special in the CD From King Creole suddenly we are in Fun in Acapulco, and then boom we are in Burning Love. Again I'm telling it, the track list is too short, I'm not asking for a 30 tracks cd, just a few more tracks making it a 16 tracks CD to actually have a true continuity in the story line. I'ts Now or Never, Return To Sender, All Shook Up, and Jailhouse Rock where crusial and it was not much to ask.

Do you or somebody else know the complete track list in the actual solei show?

Thanks.

[geordie]

after a second listening to viva elvis,i find that it isnt too bad.and after reading the comments on here,i will say that i have come to the definite conclusion ..that im not sure if it was a good idea or bad idea.

[hounddog]

i have the album and i really like King Creole and Bossa Nova Baby the best. If you view it as a soundtrack to a show then it's ok but on the whole for me they are trying to hard to fit too many aspects into each song and to some extent lose the feel of the song. And what's with the beginning of Can't help falling in love. The guitar is a different beat to the vocals. Not sure why they chose to do it like that, it makes it sound disjointed.