Customer Reviews

The Guitar That Changed The World!

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's quite interesting to hear the musicians that supported Elvis from 1960 to 1968, play without Elvis. What you get here, is more relaxed versions of some of Elvis' songs from the 50's. This album reminds me of Hank Marvin (lead guitarist in The Shadows), and I think that Scotty Moore is just a good. He has his own style, though, and I love it.

The songs are like this: you hear Scotty's guitar, then the saxophonist or the piano player takes over, and The Jordanaires are only singings bits of the songtext, never the entire text. (I don't agree with the viewer who wrote, that they "came in the way". Elvis himself once said, that would't have made it without The Jordanaires, which is true, cause they were part of his SOUND, as were Scotty and D.J. Fontana.

The sound is better here than it was in the 50's. Too bad that Elvis and supporting band didn't do concerts + live performances on tv in the 60's! Frank Sinatra DID, which means that nowadays you can put on a DVD and watch him sing "live". I wish Elvis and his band had done the same thing, cause his voice was at its best in the 60's, and he had the best supporting band (much better than the one he got in the 70's). I would have loved to see and hear them perform songs like "It's Now Or Never", "His Latest Flame", "Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello", "Such A Night" ... among others.

I highly recommend this album. Scotty once said that he could have done more on "Don't Be Cruel" (he only plays the intro + one chord at the end of the song), and on this album you can hear, what he meant. "That's Alright Mama" sounds more fresh and lively than the original version, and it is a delight to hear the high spirited version of "Mean Woman Blues". I never listen to "Don't" and "Loving You", when I put on a Elvis Cd. But I really like Scotty's version of these two songs, because they've got this 60's sound to them. I have never liked "Love Me Tender", cause I think, it's sugary and too corny. And Scotty's version hasn't changed my opinion. He should have chosen another song, for example "Too Much" or "Doncha Think It's Time".

But with 11 out of 12 songs, I think it's a great album!

This cd is worth at least two stars because, come on, it's Scotty Moore. That alone, is worthwhile.

But, having said that, it would have been a brilliant release if they stuck to the formula of the Sun Studio years, minus, of course, Elvis himself. That's right, if Scotty would have just stuck with an upright and, occasionally, some drums....and made this a more instrumental effort, it would have been perfect.

Instead, what you get here sounds incredibly (and painfully) like the Lawerence Welk Singers, or for those who remember, The Swingle Singers, humming along and making these pieces almost unbearable. If your local doctor's office or dentist's office, or even local elevator, decided to start playing old Elvis tunes, this is the cd they'd pick. That's the general vibe if you get me.

Nowhere present is the raw, unrefined, yet, incredible skill and energy that went into first recording these pieces at 706 Union Street in Memphis.

You wanna hear good Scotty? Go check out the recently repackaged and rehashed Sun Singles disc(s) by Elvis: "SUNRISE."

Yep, this shoulda been an instrumental. And yep the Jordanaires just got in the way, as they did on every Presley record they appeared on. But until Scotty actually gets a bass player and a drummer together, sits down and produces a pure instrumental, this is way, way, way better than nothing. Remember who you're listening to, fellas and be thankful!

If you subtract Elvis from his greatest hits, what's left? Elvis' original guitarist provided part of the answer with this 1964 outing. Shorn of the King's vocals, and rearranged to feature Moore's six-string sting, hit singles like "Hound Dog", "My Baby Left Me," and "That's All Right," still pack a surprising rock `n' roll punch.

Despite Billy Sherrill's countrypolitan arrangements and the Jordanaires lyrical verbalizing (reminding you that Elvis has left the recording studio), Moore's finger-picking and echoing hollow-body Gibson shine with the authenticity of primordial rock `n' roll.

These versions can't possibly compare with the lightning strikes captured on the originals, but as exercises in deconstruction, they're a fascinating testimony to Moore's pivotal place in rock `n' roll history. Exclamation mark and all.

I recently purchased this CD, The Guitar That Changed the World, having owned the Complete Sun Sessions for years and loving the guitar playing of Scotty Moore. The music is mixed well, and there are some really tasty leads on 'My Baby Left Me' and 'Hound Dog', nothing unexpected, just more, well...Moore !!! The only draw back to this CD is the annoying Jordanaires singing and ruining what would be an incredible instrumental album. If you love rockabilly, or just love Scotty's guitar playing you will be able to look past the background singers. if not, be forwarned !
I would have given this a 5 star review if not for the Jordanaires.