Customer Reviews

Memphis Record

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

 

 

This CD features songs from Elvis Presley's American Studios recording sessions in January and February of 1969. This was the first time that Elvis had recorded in Memphis since the Sun Records days, and these are arguably the best recordings he made since that time. These aren't all the recordings he made at the sessions, but most of the best tracks are here. The classic hits "In the Ghetto", "Suspicious Minds", "Don't Cry Daddy" and "Kentucky Rain". Other great songs like "Stranger in My Own Home Town", "Long Black Limousine" and "I'll Hold You in My Heart". Every cut here is a winner. I should mention that the version of "Suspicious Minds" included here has a different mix than the hit single version. The horns are missing, and it doesn't have the "fade out/fade back in" effects at the end of the song. Still, it's a great CD.

Throughout the 60's Elvis made films. Sometimes the soundtracks to these were OK, but only occasionally did they do justice to his musical talent.
This album from 1969 is Elvis back in supreme form (sadly perhaps to never match it again). From the opening track "Stranger in my own home town" you know he means business. This song could have been written for Elvis the lyrics are so relevent to the time. The vocals on this track are insistent and he refuses to stop singing regardless of what the band are playing. This is not the only remarkable track on the album. Add to this "Long Black Limousine", "I'll Hold You In My Heart" and "In The Ghetto" and this is reason enough to buy the album already.

Then of course there is "Suspicious Minds" another marvellous track, which brings me to another point about this album. It was recorded in Memphis with a great band of session players. If you can ignore Elvis's voice on this recording (difficult!)and listen to the musicians you'll hear what I mean. There isn't a wasted note on this. This album was recorded shortly after the 1968 comeback special so no doubt they wanted to try and capture some of the magic from that show.

This album isn't as important as the Sun Sessions, but I prefer it. Elvis's voice is better than it was in the mid 1950's, indeed I would suggest that this was as good as you'll ever hear Elvis, and that is a good enough reason to buy this recording.

THE MEMPHIS RECORD represents probably the best recording sessions of Elvis's career, from American Studio in Memphis in 1969, so the music here is a terrific blend of blues, rock, country, and gospel styles. BUT, this CD is a HORRIBLE re-mix of these songs!! Many times certain instrumentals or backup singers are unwisely given much more or less prominence than on the original LPs, giving those songs a much different sound than originally intended, and in many cases making it hard to hear Elvis at all. In probably the worst case of sacrilege, Elvis recorded "True Love Travels On a Gravel Road" as a partial duet with Charlie Hodge(?), yet on this CD Hodge is completely eliminated, with the result that some lines are hard to hear. Making matters worse, the overall sound quality of this CD is harsh and tinny.

I do think the cover of the CD is clever, made to look like a newspaper from 1969, and there's a wonderful essay in the booklet about these sessions that was written by Elvis biographer Peter Guralnick. Unfortunately, the same care was not lavished on the recordings themselves, so as another reviewer said, get this great material elsewhere. Instead of this travesty, get the CDs From Elvis in Memphis, or The Memphis 1969 Anthology: Suspicious Minds, or From Elvis in Memphis: Legacy Edition.

I own one of the old "From Elvis in Memphis" CDs with fairly poor audio quality, and purchased this CD as an upgrade. This CD is a travesty. Everything is remixed, and while the technical audio quality far outclasses my old CD, it also strips away horn sections, bass lines, and more importantly, all the power and emotion from the original. While my lousy old CD version would accompany me to the desert island, this CD would be the first thing I'd toss overboard if my boat was sinking. You owe yourself this material, but get it elsewhere.

Wow, this collection from the Elvis comeback special time frame is excellent. It is an outstanding companion piece to the Sun Sessions recordings. Basically the beginning and the end. If he could have kept the energy and quality from these sessions going.

Great record. A good mix of songs and sounds. With 23 tracks, well worth the money