Customer Reviews

Raised on Rock

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It has been said that Elvis' music of the 70's is the weakest of his career. I disagree! I feel the 70's is actually Elvis's best. Maybe the hits like Hound Dog and company were things of the past, but what he recorded was music he wanted to record. This is what comes through song after song. The emotion in these albums are unequalled in the 50's and 60's recordings save the 69 Memphis recordings and the 68 Comeback Special. This album is a perfect example. All ten tracks shine! From the grooves of Raised On Rock, If You Don't Come Back, and Just A Little Bit to the regret of For 'Ol Times Sake and the sadness of Sweet Angeline and I Miss You this is a classic Elvis album. Treat yourself and give this a listen. You will be glad you did!

There are 5, count 'em 5 rockers on this album and the song Raised On Rock is a winner. The first thing you hear is thudding bass, followed by a splintering guitar. "Just A Little Bit" is a classic R&B song done many times, and Elvis gives it a sultry southern soul treatment that's very worthy. The surprise on the album is the song "If You Don't Come Back" a VERY funky tune, in the purest meaning of the word funk, with funky wah-wah guitar and great syncopated rhthym, it kicks. There's a ballad on here called "For Old Times' Sale" that is just beautiful and heart wrentching, showing the delicacy of Elvis' voice when he wanted to convey tender emotion through this beautiful pseudo-country ballad with pop flavor. "Find Out What's Happening", I understand, was covered by some recent group - I haven't heard their version but I can ASSURE you that this original version is the definitive. And these songs don't sound old, the sound quality is crisp and clean, the bass pumps, the sound is all that. "I Miss You", another ballad, could bring the macho man to tears, it's absolutely beautiful. It can remind you of a lost love, or someone who's passed on, and it's invoking of many emotions. The rest of the songs are just as strong, while "Three Corn Patches" may be a little clichéd attempt at 50's rock and roll, it's still a great tune. Buy this album, before it's gone - because it is deleted. I recommend getting it now, because once it's gone, it's gone. Raised On Rock!

"Raised on Rock" was Elvis' 3rd major release of 1973. The first Aloha From Hawaii soared to number 1. That was followed by was Elvis fans call the "Fool" album, which was a thrown together hodge podge of unreleased studio, live, and studio jam numbers. Only made it half up Billboards top 100 album chart.

Rasied On Rock was released in the fall of that year and in spite of the fact that Elvis was always on tour, still packing them in, he or RCA didn't promote the album at all. The only single and title cut was a fine rock single, but only made it to number 41 in Billboard's hot 100. The song however did have quite an impact with other artists, it was covered by a number of people including Johnny Winter and Helen Ready. It was written by Mark James (Suspicious Minds, Moody Blue, Always On My Mind). Elvis performed the song a grand total of once in concert. "Are You Sincere" is a so-so love song followed. Next is a fine rocker with some great pickin' by the legendary James Burton. "I Miss You" is another mellow song, but a fine one penned by Donnie Sumner (of The Stamps & Voice see my review of Donnie's new Christmas cd) added a great touch. Donnie should have composed a whole lp for the king. "Girl of Mine" another so-so laid back number. Tony Joe White's "For Ol' Times Sake" the b side of the single is one of the albums standout songs. "If You Don't Come Back" what a song!!! A funky peace of music, where Elvis sings about as low as he ever did, with the soulful Sweet Insparations singing backup and James Burton on wah wah guitar is one of Elvis' great moments of the 70's, it sould have been much longer. The old r& b standard "Just A Little Bit" is performed to perfection and again James Burton's guitar playing is awsome. After 3 killer cuts in a row Elvis hits a pothole with "Sweet Angeline". The album ends with the country rocker "Three Corn Patches", a solid song with a bouncy piano solo by Glen D. Hardin, and fades out with some gritty guitar licks by Mr. Burton. All in all a very good album, but had Elvis put a bit more effort into it, extended the songs some (the running time is under a half hour), and maybe replaced "Sweet Angeline" with a good blues workout, it could have been one of the year's best. Chartwise, it too only made half way up the top 100 album chart.

Raised On Rock is by far Presley's weakest studio album of the 70s. More than thirty years after I first heard it I'm trying to convince myself it's better than what I thought, but my feelings haven't changed. I even went so far as to buy the FTD reissue which contains the original album and loads of outtakes and studio dialauge, hoping my attitude towards the album would improve. It didn't.

My main complaint with this album is Elvis himself. He sounds utterly disinterested and bored on almost every track. On a couple tracks his speech is slurred, and we all know what caused that! And the songs themselves are way below par for an artist of Elvis' magnitude. On the FTD reissue his in-between songs banter shows us a frustrated man who curses in almost every sentence. And when he's not using foul language he's acting silly, in a vain attempt to lift his mood during a recording session he was not prepared for and didn't want to happen.

That said, there are a couple tracks that are worthy of a listen. For Old Times Sake is sung with heartfelt sincerity. It's another "love gone wrong" ballad that Elvis obviously identified with. "Sweet Angeline" follows in a similar vein, and is almost as good.

As for the rockers, there's not one of them that delivers the goods. Obviously Elvis' pledge of "I'm never gonna sing another song I don't believe in." has been abandoned here.

This is an album for diehard fans or completists who simply have to have everything the man ever recorded, good or bad. And the bad here far outweighs the good!

In June of 1973, Elvis Presley entered the legendary Stax Studios to record a new album. There were high hopes for this recording session, since this was the studio that great records by the likes of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Booker T. & the MGs were recorded. But things didn't go as planned. The recording studio wasn't as modern as Elvis was used to, which presented problems. And most of the songs that were recorded aren't all that great. Two of the best songs recorded at the sessions, "I've Got a Thing About You Baby" and "Take Good Care of Her", were left off of this album and saved for a later single, which certainly doesn't help the quality of this album. With those two songs not available for this album, that left only seven songs finished for the album, plus four backing tracks that didn't feature Elvis. A mobile recording truck was dispatched to Elvis' Palm Springs home, so he could add his vocals to the four instrumental tracks. But once again, things didn't proceed as planned. Elvis only recorded a vocal for one of the songs, "Sweet Angeline". He actually spent most of the time recording demos for his latest pet project, the singing group called "Voice". But he did manage to tape two other songs for the album, "I Miss You" and "Are You Sincere". So, after all that, how is the album? Pretty mediocre, actually. The songs aren't that great, the band sometimes doesn't jell and Elvis displays a noticible lack of enthusiasm much of the time. There are some good moments, but nothing really outstanding. This is one of the weaker albums of Elvis' later years. And at 27 minutes length, it's a very short album.

Though labeled a disappointment by critics, Elvis Presley's "Raised on Rock" deserves another listen. The King's erratic July 1973 session at the legendary Stax Studios produced a few memorable cuts - represented by the nostalgic title song, the low-down funk of Leiber-Stoller's "If You Don't Come Back" and the sublime country ballad "For Ol' Times Sake." Another stellar performance is a beautifully pared-down rendition of "Are You Sincere." Decent rockers such as "Find Out What's Happening" and "Just a Little Bit" help offset the occasional foray into Engelbert Humperdinck territory ("Girl of Mine" and "Sweet Angeline"). However, "Three Corn Patches" remains the worst Leiber-Stoller composition Elvis ever recorded. Clocking in at a scant 28 minutes, "Raised on Rock" would have benefited from a few extra tracks, but survives as one of Presley's most underrated efforts.

All the performances on here are pretty subdued; it seems that Elvis never really cuts loose a la "Burning Love" or "Promised Land" which is disappointing. While the title track "Raised on Rock" is ok, it leaves you wishing they had pumped it up a notch or two. That song seemed like it was tailor made to be an Elvis rocker, but they didn't let the guitars and drums really go and as a consequence Elvis never really takes off on the song. That seems to be the case for the entire album. "Three Corn Patches" a country / blues type song is the only song I found really interesting. Overall, I was expecting more from this album but was disappointed.

Maybe "Raised on Rock" should be the next Elvis remix candidate. If they would pump-up the guitars and bass on that song, it might really rock.

I love this CD. The first song, the title song is great. It could be him telling his story of how he started. I love the beat to this. I like the other songs but Raised on Rock is my favorite.

Raised on Rock is one of Elvis' best 70s albums.His ability to sing across genre's is on full display in this outstanding work.The title song Raised on Rock showcases Elvis' ability to rock out....If you don't come back demonstrates Elvis' ability to sing "from the gutt" rhythm and blues...Find out whats Happening is another vehicle to showcase his blusey side...the seldom heard Sweet Angeline is the gem of the set..a beautiful ballad sung tenderly and with feel.Three corn Patches is just a fun song.I was blown away by this disc...it is an Elvis must have.

ONE OF KINGS BEST ALBUMS, EVERY TRACK IS GREAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AWESOME SHM AUDIO FORMAT. MUST HAVE FOR ANY CD COLLECTION, BUT DON'T PAY THESE RIDICULOUS OVER-INFLATED PRICES, I BOUGHT MINE FROM THE MUSIC SPECIALIST ON E BAY, THEY ALSO HAVE A STORE IN GEMM, ANTEATERMUSIC. SAVE YOURSELF A TON OF CASH.
CHEERS!