ELVIS BACK IN NASHVILLE - SONY 1 943988389 2
 |
CD-1: Masters
1: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (11*, 12 [m])
2: Amazing Grace
3: Early Mornin' Rain
4: For Lovin' Me
5: Help Me Make It Through Night
6: Until It's Time For You To Go
7: Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (unedited)
8: It's Still Here
9: I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen
10: I Will Be True
11: Padre
12: Fools Rush In
13: My Way (2, 3 [m])
14: I'm Leavin'
15: It's Only Love
16: We Can Make The Morning (master w/o backing vocals)
17: Love Me, Love The Life I Lead
18: Until It's Time For You To Go [remake]
|
CD-2: Masters
1: He Touched Me
2: I've Got Confidence
3: Seeing Is Beliving
4: He Is My Everything
5: Bosom Of Abraham
6: An Evening Prayer
7: Lead Me, Guide Me
8: There Is No God But God
9: A Thing Called Love
10: I, John
11: Reached Out To Jesus
12: Put Your Hand In The Hand
13: Miracle Of Rosary (incl. fs.)
14: O Come, All Ye Faithful
15: The First Noel
16: On A Snowy Christmas Night
17: Winter Wonderland
18: The Wonderful World Of Christmas
19: It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)
20: I'll Be Home On Christmas Day
21: If I Get Home On Christmas Day
22: Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees
23: Merry Christmas, Baby (unedited)
24: Silver Bells
25: I'll Be Home On Christmas Day [remake] |
 |
CD-3: Outtakes
1: It's Only Love (8, 9) [Essential Elvis Vol. 4]
2: Love Me, Love The Life I Lead (5, 6) [Elvis (Fool) (FTD)]
3: We Can Make The Morning (master)
4: I'm Leavin' (1) [Elvis Now (FTD)]
5: Johnny B. Goode (Jam) [I Sing All Kinds]
6: Padre (1, 11) [Elvis (Fool) (FTD)]
7: Lady Madonna (Jam) [Essential 70's Masters]
8: Fools Rush In (6) [Elvis Now (FTD)]
9: Are You Lonesome Tonight) (one liner)
10: I Will Be True (1, 2) [I Sing All Kinds]
11: It's Still Here (1, 3) [I Sing All Kinds]
12: Help Me Make It Through The Night (1, 2, 3) [Great Country Songs]
13: For Lovin' Me (1) [Elvis (Fool) (FTD)]
14: Until It's Time For You To Go (5) [Today, Tomorrow And Forever]
15: Early Mornin' Rain (1, 11) [I Sing All Kinds]
16: I Shall Be Released (Jam)[Essential 70's Masters]
17: Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Jam #2) [Elvis (Fool) (FTD)]
18: Put Your Hand In The Hand (reh*, 1) [I Sing All Kinds]
19: Amazing Grace (1, 2) [Essential 70's Masters] |
CD-4: Outtakes
1: Miracle Of The Rosary (1) [Platinum]
2: The Lord's Prayer (Informal) [Essential Elvis Vol. 4]
3: He Touched Me (1*, 2) [Platinum]
4: I've Got Confidence (1) [I Sing All Kinds]
5: An Evening Prayer (1*, 2) [Easter Special]
6: Seeing Is Believing (1, 2, 4) [Time Life (Vol. 13)]
7: A Thing Called Love (3) [He Touched Me (FTD)]
8: Reach Out To Jesus (1, 2, 9) [He Touched Me (FTD)]
9: He Is My Everything (1) [Easter Special]
10: There Is No God But God (1, 2) [Easter Special]
11: Bosom Of Abraham (2, 3) [Platinum]
12: I'll Be Home On Christmas Day (3) [I Sing All Kinds]
13: It Won't Seem Like Christmas (1, 6) [If Everyday Was Like Christmas]
14: If I Get Home On Christmas Day (3) [Elvis Sings Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)]
15: Holly Leaves And Christmas Tree (4) [I Sing All Kinds]
16: Silver Bells (1) [If Everyday Was Like Christmas]
17: I'll Be Home On Christmas Day (4) [Platinum]
18: Winter Wonderland (7) [Elvis Sings Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)]
19: O Come, All Ye Faithful (2) [Elvis Sings Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)]
20: I'll Be Home On Christmas Day [remake] (1, 4, 5, 10*) |
A 4-CD release from Sony Legacy label containing all songs recorded in Nashville 1971. The first two CD contains the master takes, while the other two sports outtakes of several selections recorded. Most of the material is already available since long, but there are some new false starts and even one new complete take. The songs have been mastered by Matt Ross-Spang, like with From Elvis In Nashville (1970). Using previously digital tranfers.
The masters on this release are often stripped down versions, alluding an undubbed take. For many songs this works wonders, while some appear a little awkward. Unfortunately backup singers sometimes bleed into the sound, giving a feeling that something is missing, something went wrong. Most likely this is due to bleed through Elvis microphone?
Otherwise the sonic impression is constantly good and especially the piano-driven songs benefits from Ross-Spangs master/mixing. A song like 'An Evening Prayer' from He Touched Me album really shines in this mix. In general the tracks from He Touched Me has been given a sort of a "mono and a half" treatment. Not really good on paper, but I think it works great for the most.
This is the first time I can listen through 'We Can Make The Morning' without feeling somewhat embarrassed. Elvis' vocal is good, but was drowned down by a surprisingly bad female vocal backup. The master take is featured twice, one without backup singers, and one with! The stripped version gives a better impression of Elvis' vocal performance. The same could be said with 'Padre'; it gives a better impression of Elvis' vocal shape, than the final masters did.
So, in general I welcome the approach taken by Ross-Spang, even with its flaws. For most of the songs I hear something new, something different. Not bad, given the material in question. I even welcome the stripped version of 'It's Only Love', even though it tampers with the original recording. And most likely Elvis would have disapproved to remove the male backup singers he wanted on the recording.
I have not yet listened to the Christmas songs. It is just too early, 'Merry Christmas, Baby' being an exception. It's an all season song, just like 'Blue Christmas'..:-). Merry is really a let-down, very little works in my view. The mixing does not, and the sonic quality of the master take does not. The original tape containing this song must be lost since long. |
Back to Sony news
Back to FTD catalogue
|