Customer Reviews

Promised Land

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This new and greatly improved reissue of "Promised Land" shows that Elvis Presley was NOT a washed up has-been by the 70s. There are a lot of fine moments on this disk, which is composed of the entire 1975 LP of the same name as well as 8 out of the 10 tracks from the 1974 LP "Good Times". In fact, this particular release combines every master Elvis recorded in Stax Studios in December '73.

1-PROMISED LAND Elvis goes full steam on this Chuck Berry rocker. This particular mix is very groovy, with the echo effect and the backing vocals. For some reason, on the "Walk a Mile In My Shoes" 70s box, they used an alternate mix, without the echo and no backing vocals. Fine outtakes of this song are found on "Rhythm and Country" and "Platinum: A Life In Music"

2-THERE'S A HONKY TONK ANGEL This rather typical country song is elevated by Elvis' voice. Another example of the singer improving an otherwise ordinary tune.

3-HELP ME Elvis really identified with the words of this song, a pleasant easy-listening tune. It is rumored that Elvis was so into doing this one, he was literally down on his knees in the recording studio when recording this one.

4-MR. SONGMAN One of this CD's lesser moments, this is basically a throw-away number. It's not a BAD song, but very unmemorable.

5-LOVE SONG OF THE YEAR Another so-so country tune, again elevated by Elvis' pleasant voice.

6-IT'S MIDNIGHT An excellent ballad, Elvis lets his range get a good workout on this highlight.

7-YOUR LOVE'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING Another fine song, again sung passionately by The King.

8-IF YOU TALK IN YOUR SLEEP One of the funkiest tracks Elvis recorded in the 70s, this features a nice horn arrangement.

9-THINKING ABOUT YOU Another fine ballad, again with a lot of compassion from Elvis.

10-YOU ASKED ME TO A catchy country number, this features a nice arrangement, and fine backing vocals (especially Kathy Westmoreland's soprano singing).

11-LOVING ARMS Recently recorded by the Dixie Chicks, it'd be no surprise if this particular recording was the inspiration of them doing so. Great vocals from Elvis.

12-I GOT A FEELING IN MY BODY Another funky tune, featuring inspired singing by Elvis and a nice echo effect.

13-IF THAT ISN'T LOVE A nice gospel ballad, sung with a lot of passion. Also of note is that it is the final gospel recording Elvis made in a recording studio.

14-SHE WEARS MY RING Another ordinary country song, again elevated by Presley's voice.

15-MY BOY For some reason, a lot of people like to dismiss this song as one of Elvis' lesser moments. I fail to agree... I think it's a WONDERFUL ballad and Elvis loved the song as well. In fact, he had performed it in concert months before finally recording it in the studio.

16-SPANISH EYES An old standard, Elvis sings it very well, but it's nothing memorable compared to the other tracks.

17-TALK ABOUT THE GOOD TIMES A very catchy song, this (along with "Promised Land" and "I Got a Feeling In My Body") shows that Elvis still had quite a rockin' feel in this point in time.

18-GOOD TIME CHARLIE'S GOT THE BLUES Another fine ballad, Elvis again seems to relate to the words of this one. Fine singing and a haunting way to end an album as well.

Nicely packaged with greatly improved sound when compared to the earlier CD releases of "Promised Land" and "Good Times", this is certainly worth the investment. Plus, it's a good starting point for those who want to hear Elvis in the 70s.

This re-issue of PROMISED LAND with its bonus tracks represents the best studio album Elvis made in the last seven years of his life, that is, 1971-77. The emphasis is on slower country ballads, but as with any Elvis album there's a mix of styles, from the infectious rocker "Promised Land" to the exotic romance of "Spanish Eyes." Several are spiritually oriented: "Help Me," "I Got a Feelin' in My Body," and "If That Isn't Love." Though Elvis's health had declined some by 1973, there's little evidence of that here - his voice was still strong and he sang with much conviction. Still, the material and Elvis himself seldom equal the benchmark he set in his great 1969 Memphis sessions (check the CDs FROM ELVIS IN MEMPHIS or SUSPICIOUS MINDS), but that was perhaps the peak of his career.

As with most of his '70s recordings, PROMISED LAND has a very "lush" background of instrumentals and vocals, but in my opinion this is seldom excessive ("My Boy" being an exception) and never is Elvis himself hard to hear. The stereo sound quality is very good, apart from an occasional background hiss.

PROMISED LAND is one of three albums that came from Elvis's 1973 "Stax Sessions" in Memphis. Actually, GOOD TIMES was the best album to come out of those sessions, but the CD of that album has only the original 10 songs on it, while tracks 11-18 on this re-issue of PROMISED LAND are the best songs from Good Times, making this CD a really great deal. The weakest of the Stax albums, but still well worth having, is Raised on Rock. Together, they disprove the common notion that Elvis was no longer making good music by 1973. Listen to these recordings and hear that he was still The King.

This underrated album is the best Elvis album from the '70s. It shows a good range of styles as well as excellent singing throughout.

Promised Land- 10/10 An awesome performance of the Chuck Berry classic and the best Elvis rock song from the '70s.

There's A Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In)- 8/10 A great song, but my problem with it is the lack of drums.

Help Me- 10/10 One of his best gospel performances. You can tell he is singing from his heart on this one.

Mr. Songman- 10/10 My favorite song on the album. The song is so sad, yet so powerful.

Love Song Of The Year- 10/10 And if there was, indeed, an award for love songs of the year, this song would have won in the year 1975. Another sad song, and my 2nd favorite on the album.

It's Midnight- 10/10 The B-side to the Promised Land single, and what many fans call one of the best Elvis songs.

Your Love's Been A Long Time Coming- 9/10 A very average country song which is above average only because of the performance.

If You Talk In Your Sleep- 10/10 One of the funkiest performances Elvis ever did. This song just screams out Motown.

Thinking About You- A great love song with a folk-rock feel and a beautiful melody.

You Asked Me Two- A Waylon classic given a wonderful performance by the King.

The reissue of this album features several bonus tracks, which I will not comment on, but my favorites include My Boy, Loving Arms, Talk About The Good Times, and Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues.

This is what Elvis chose to record, he didn't just slip into a Vegas act, but continued to make astounding music up until his death. Elvis Presley is not known by today's audience for anything outside of his hits, while most of his great songs are found on the albums. This album should be in any music lovers collection.

The year 1973 consisted of major high and low points for Elvis. His Aloha from Hawaii special at the beginning of the year was popular, but the only albums that were selling were his older recordings. Elvis' health was starting to decline due to dependence on prescription drugs and an unforgiving tour schedule. According to Ernst Jorgensen in his book ELVIS PRESLEY: A LIFE IN MUSIC, Elvis was also losing interest in recording new material. Most of the new recordings he released that year, found on the RAISED ON ROCK album, were considered a disappointment. Elvis was in poor voice and was not committed to the material, even though the album was recorded at the famed Stax Studios in Memphis with a supportive group of musicians.

But somehow, the recordings on PROMISED LAND cut in December of that year reveal Elvis in good voice, despite having lost most of its youthfulness.

The tracks on PROMISED LAND were also recorded in Memphis, and were a vast improvement over most of the songs that appeared on RAISED ON ROCK. PROMISED LAND was originally released in 1975, following the GOOD TIMES album, which featured other songs from the '73 Memphis sessions (and eight of them are on this upgraded reissue). Elvis had been focusing more on country and modern gospel music during this period, and less on the uptempo rock music that made him famous. He was familiar and happy with songs like "She Wears My Ring," which he often sung privately at home, and "Help Me," a contemporary Christian number by Gatlin brother Larry Gatlin). He gives sensitive readings of "Loving Arms," "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" and the divorce-themed ballad "My Boy" (the latter reflects the obvious pain he felt after leaving his wife Priscilla and his only child, daughter Lisa Marie). His excellent cover of Chuck Berry's rocker "Promised Land" reveals a performer at the peak of his powers, and not a performer in decline.

This 2000 reissue of PROMISED LAND is a good way to begin a collection of Elvis' 1970s recordings. The sound quality is a major improvement over the previous 1989 CD release, as Elvis' vocals and music accompaniment are heard clearly. The CD itself provides a late-career sampling of the music Elvis loved or had an influence on -- rock, R&B, country, MOR pop, and gospel -- and his range is demonstrated, both vocally and musically. He would never sound this good again.

If you are not necessarily a hardcore Elvis fan but are interested in checking out some of his lesser known material, this is a great place to start. There is some good time rockin' music, especially the title track, but Elvis doesn't shy away from the tough stuff, singing several heartbreaking ballads. It's an emotionally engaging album throughout. Buy it!

Now, if you are a hardcore Elvis fan or are just interested in the rantings of one (me) then read on.

Like many Elvis releases, there are several competing versions of this CD. This (sadly out of print) 2000 reissue is without a doubt the best way to get the Promised Land album. (You can buy it used.) It contains all 18 of the master recordings created at the December 1973 Stax Studios sessions in Elvis' hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. I am convinced these were Elvis' best sessions of the 1970s. (You could also make a case for the 1970 sessions at Nashville's Studio B.) The band is hot, Elvis is emotionally engaged, and the producers and engineers captured it all perfectly.

The well considered song selection means that if you have this album and you have the comprehensive 5 CD 1970s box set "Walk A Mile in My Shoes" (which you should), you do not have to buy the album "Good Times".

So who is Ernst Jorgensen? He is the man responsible for bringing this wonderful order to Elvis' vast catalog. His exhaustive book on Elvis' recording sessions is required reading for the serious Elvis fan. He has worked with co-producer Roger Semon and sound engineer Dennis Ferante to create one well thought out, beautiful sounding Elvis release after another. On this disc and several others like it, the sound is masterful, the photos and liner notes are informative and entertaining, and the whole package adds to the enjoyment of the music. Thank you Mr. Jorgensen and thank you for reading this review.

It's weird, one minute BMG's throwing out stuff like that badly-conceived 50 CD box set rip-off, then Ernst Jorgensen and his team show how a re-issue program should be done with the latest installments of their ongoing series of remastered and expanded Elvis CDs.

Unlike ELVIS COUNTRY and FROM ELVIS IN MEMPHIS, much of the stuff on PROMISED LAND is in remastered form for the first time here (EC's original contents were all on the WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES box and FEIM is present in full on the SUSPICIOUS MINDS set from last year kinda making this a little superflous)

This re-issue adds other songs from the same session which helped make up the GOOD TIMES LP. So you get the wonderful "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues" and "Loving Arms" to add to Elvis' stupendous take on Chuck Berry's "Promised Land". Many of the songs are less than wonderful (many MOR ballads) but if you like 70s Elvis, this is worth a punt.

There are plenty of people who think that Elvis recorded nothing worth listening to during the seventies, but while I'll concede that his seventies music was not always great, he did make plenty that I enjoy. This set, made up of the eighteen tracks that Elvis recorded during a six-day period in December 1973, is as good as anything that Elvis recorded in the seventies. The first ten tracks were originally released on an LP titled Promised Land, while the remaining eight tracks appeared on an LP titled Good times - this album contained two other tracks recorded at a different time, which are omitted from this set.

The songs are a mix of covers (drawn from pop, country and gospel sources) and originals. Among the covers are Promised land (Chuck Berry), Loving arms (first recorded by Dobie Gray), Help me (Larry Gatlin), Talk about the good times (Jerry Reed), Good time Charlie's got the blues (Danny O'Keefe), If that isn't love (Dottie Rambo), Spanish eyes (Al Martino), She wears my ring (Ray Price), There's a honky tonk angel (Conway Twitty) and You asked me to (Waylon Jennings).

However, the cover with the most interesting history is My boy, which was originally co-written and first recorded by French singer Claude Francois in 1969 as Parce que je t' aime mon enfant. Translated into English in 1970, Richard Harris recorded the song and it is this version that Elvis covered. You've never heard of Claude Francois? He also co-wrote and first recorded Comme d' Habitude, a song that later became My way (and which Elvis also recorded, but not in 1973).

The original songs are mostly of a very high quality, especially It's midnight, I got a feeling in my body, Your love has been a long time coming.

If you are interested in Elvis Presley's seventies music, this is definitely for you. If you enjoy his late sixties music but remain to be convinced that he did anything worthwhile thereafter. Give this a listen.

Elvis had plenty to offer in the 70s. This cd is basically a combination of the Promised Land and Good Times albums. This is a chance to hear Elvis songs other than the greatest hits that keep getting re-released. Elvis was ahead of the curve when it came to blending country and rock. This cd is a perfect example. Listen to Mr. Songman and Love Song of the Year. Elvis makes tremendous use of the backup singers with great results. This is most evident in the cuts from the original Promised Land and unlike most of Elvis' 70s material.

These songs recorded in Dec. 1973 are a wide variety of material, rock, R&B, country, and gospel, as we'd come to expect with Elvis. At this point in his career he recorded what he wanted to, when he wanted to. At this time it looked like he wanted to, as several new songs were recorded. He would never be as willing a participant in the studio again. Elvis seemed enthused and would add several of these songs to his live act. Songs like PROMISED LAND, IT'S MIDNIGHT, IF YOU TALK IN YOUR SLEEP, MY BOY,and HELP ME would be regular entries in his show throughout '74&'75. Perhaps this acounted for the very good chart success he would have from these sessions. All of the above mentioned songs would make the top 20. His best run on the charts since the briliant '69 sessions. Not all the songs here are classics, but they do reflect his mood at the time.(his divorce had just become final)This is a good collection of songs. Some great some so-so, but all listenable. In a time when you buy albums for a certain song, and the rest are junk that's saying alot.

O.K. Folks, Here it is. I have been a devotee to the music of Elvis Presley since I was about 7 yrs. old. Considering now, I'm 36 I've made my conclusions about Elvis in the 70's. Nobody could get near this material with greater power. Promised Land is an excellent CD. Particularly this reissue. The sound quality and remixes are tremendous and the bonus tracks are a nice addition in adding a complete perspective of 1973 Elvis. In listening to "There's a honky tonk angel". I almost truthfully became unglued. When I was a kid I did'nt "get it" so much with the more mature material in the last era of this incredible Human Being's music. Today, it all makes sense and seems very "truthful" in it's interpretation and representation. I think this and Moody Blues',Painfully poignant Live performance of " Unchained Melody" which is Elvis playing the piano and singing with absolute heartbreak in which resulted in being one of his last performances ever, brings a closure and greater understanding of his fragile soul and his timeless genius. This may result in being one of my favorite Elvis CD's. Just listen.