Silver Screen Stereo - Part 1
Released now is the new CD from Follow That Dream entitled Silver Screen Stereo, a sort of Out In Hollywood volume two if you like. It has a good mixture of songs, and contains, like the title suggests, stereo outtakes, or alternate takes, from Elvis' movies spanning from his second movie Loving You (1957) up to his last starring role in The Trouble With Girls (1968). I thought I would take the opportunity of reviewing this CD, as I personally love alternate takes and recording session's stuff. I actually prefer this sort of thing to live concerts.
The CD starts with Loving You (Fast Version - Take 14). We've actually had all 21 takes of this version and all 12 takes of the slow version for years on the Bootleg Loving You Recording Sessions, but not in this Great quality. Out of the 21 takes it took Elvis to get the song the way he wanted it, there are 15 complete takes. Of these complete takes, 1, 8 and 21, along with false start take 20, were released officially on Essential Elvis Vol. 1 and take 13 (with faded ending) was released on the 50's Masters box The King Of Rock 'n' Roll (Disc 5). Now we have this new take 14 in beautiful Binaural Stereo, and it's been well worth the wait. Now that BMG have re-discovered (or re-purchased) these "lost" session tapes, maybe we'll get more alternate takes from this session. By the way, of the slow version of this song, there are 6 complete takes, and only 3 of these takes have been released officially. Now we might get them again in this great Binaural Stereo quality.
Jailhouse Rock (Take 5) was also first released on Essential Elvis Vol. 1 but again, this time it is in Binaural Stereo. How different this song sounds, now it is released this way with unedited intro and ending. Superb!!! It's like hearing this song again for the first time.
Next is Don't Leave Me Now (Hit Record version - Takes 16, 17 and 18). After two false starts, we get complete take 18, and again in Binaural Stereo. With these 50's tracks now released in Binaural Stereo, I wonder if BMG now have all of these "lost" session tapes back in their hands. I hope so as it would be great to hear binaural versions of Treat Me Nice, I Want To Be Free and Baby I Don't Care, which were recorded at the same session as Don't Leave Me Now. I don't know how Ernst Jorgensen can say that the sound quality on these 50's binaural tracks is bad, these sound Fantastic.
The next four songs we've had before on the five disc Bootleg set Caf? Europa Sessions. They too were in stereo, but not in this sound quality. Firstly we get Takes 1 and 2 of Tonight Is So Right For Love, with Elvis getting told off for "clicking" his fingers during the intro.
Then we get Take 13 of Frankfurt Special (Fast Version). This was actually first released on Legendary Performer Vol. 3, but it was wrongly stated as Take 2. Here we get this take complete with studio chat and unfaded ending. The mixing here really brings the bass and guitar into focus, much better in my opinion.
Doin' The Best I Can (Take 3) is next, and Elvis sings this slightly slower than the Released version (Take 13). Also the backing music and vocals here are actually quite different. As this was the first complete take of this song, you can see that it needed working on to get it right. This is still a nice take never the less. By the way, Take 9 was released officially on the 1997 CD version of GI Blues.
Shoppin' Around (Take 1) is next, and Elvis is just getting the feel of this song. Never the less, this is a great first attempt, but it did need working on to get it to the master (Take 11) stage. Takes 3 (false start) and 5 were released on The Silver Box some years back, but this take just seems much better in sound quality.
It's great to get another unreleased take of Summer Kisses Winter Tears. Here we get Takes 8 (false start) and 9. Take 14 was released on Collectors Gold in 1990. The drums on this take are a little over powering, and Elvis' voice doesn't seem as sincere as the released version (Take 20). I actually prefer the master to this take, as it doesn't have those annoying drums up front.
In My Way (Take 1) we've had before on the Bootlegs Behind Closed Doors, and Wild In The Country Sessions, but not in stereo as we have here. Take 2 was released in stereo on the Bootleg Elvis Meets Presley, but not in quality like this. Also the left and right channels were crossed on that CD.
Hawaiian Wedding Song (Take 1) is great to hear in stereo too. As there are only two takes of this song (Take 2 is the master) this is a welcome addition to this CD.
Island Of Love (Takes 7 and 8) were also first released on Behind Closed Doors, but here we get these takes for the first time, in stereo, and it's great to listen to. Elvis seems much more laid back singing this take than the released version (Take 13), and much more relaxed.
Take 2 of Angel is next. This is a beautiful song, which I've always liked, so it didn't matter which take they put on this CD, I love them all. All takes of this song have been released before, in stereo, on Bootlegs, and in sound quality nearly matching this. I Got Lucky (Alternate Master - M5) is sung slower than the released version (Take MX 2) and also Elvis doesn't sing the third verse here making it a lot shorter. Elvis nearly stumbles on the line "I'm afraid the love I've found, just might get lost", and you can hear Elvis almost laugh on the next line "So won't you tell me that you love me ?", but he continues and finishes the take. This is also released here for the first time in stereo.




Tracklist: (click on the track to hear a 20 second sample)
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