Elvis Presley Reviews and Articles by By Geoffrey Mc Donnell
Reviews and articles about Elvis Presley by By Geoffrey Mc Donnell.
Review | A Minnesota Moment FTD CD
Well FTD has indeed well represented this tour and typically deliberately 'cut out' any solo performance by Elvis' backup singers! The Bonus tracks make the 76 minute running time more generous than has been the case in the past and Elvis looks and sounds as if he's enjoying himself.
Review : Southern Nights FTD CD
This release and represents the first two tours of 1975, with more rarely performed songs recorded on 'soundboard' compiled for this release. Elvis' voice is clear/strong throughout and virtually NO throwaway performances. I found that by including the dialogue and one-liners, they really represent 30 tracks on this CD. 8/10 and very a worthwhile purchase.
Review : Nevada Nights FTD 2 CD Concert Set : August 19 & 21, 1974
Nevada Nights is an excellent FTD double delight and a chance for fans to obtain these shows in the best sound. The sound features Elvis sort of somewhat up close, up front sort of between Fort Baxter and the DAE sound - listenable and warm to the ear ... A great release!. This review, originally published in 2008, we present to you again as it contains many unique songs along with dialogue from Elvis, making it an essential part of any fans collection ... This first CD features the famous opening night : August 19, 1974, where Elvis departed from the conventional opening - not starting with Also Sprach Zarathustra or See See Rider - instead opening with Big Boss Man - and including many songs he had not performed live before. Down In The Alley, Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues, I'm Leavin', Softly As I Leave You and Promised Land making this the most unique concert of the 1970s.
Review : Elvis As Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis FTD CD
I remember as a young fan first hearing Elvis As Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis around 1984, now some 20 years later and 30 years after the actual show took place we get to hear the almost complete 70 minute show (well 69 minutes!) Still on one CD release that's almost twice the running time of the LP version!
Review : America FTD CD ; Elvis in Omaha 1976
With America, this time Ernst is giving us a representation on soundboard of Elvis' second 1976 tour, the real bonus being that neither of these 2 shows have ever been released before.
Review | Elvis Presley: Gladiators DVD
This is the long awaited DVD officially released by Elvis Presley Enterprises. After watching this I found it 'worthwhile' and in understanding Elvis an essential purchase, especially when you understand the man studied several styles for two decades and took it VERY seriously from 1960-1974.
Review | Raised On Rock FTD CD
What we get here is the complete 'Raised On Rock' original album, the rough mixed masters to 5 songs and the 4 instrumental tracks - what a package!!! Obviously not much new is learned on disc 1, hearing the first 10 album tracks again - except that the SOUND on this FTD really DOES seem excellent.
Review : Big Boss Man FTD CD
Big Boss Man represents Elvis' 18th March - 1st April 1975 Las Vegas season. What we get is a full CD with parts of 3 shows from that season, giving us some rarely performed songs. While 5 songs have been previously released on 'Live in Las Vegas' 4 CD set, the 8 bonus songs are very nice additions to an essential CD representing a great Las Vegas season.
Review : Rockin' Across Texas Book & CD
Released by the Follow That Dream label this is an extended reprint of the book 'Elvis in Texas' under the title 'Elvis Presley : Rockin' Across Texas'. This book comes in a bigger format than its original, has a hard cover, more pages and a better quality of paper and perfectly matches the theme; Elvis, Scotty Moore, Bill Black and DJ Fontana live on stage in Texas. That's exactly what the book is all about.
Review : Elvis Live in L.A. FTD Book & CD
Elvis Presley Live in L.A. is a combined FTD book and CD release mostly based around Elvis' Los Angeles 11th May 1974 performances, particularly the evening show. The photos come from the Sherif Hannah collection and the soundboard contains most of Elvis' 11th May 1974 evening show + 'You Can Have Her' rare performance from an audience recorded source.
Review : I'll Remember You FTD CD
With I'll Remember You, FTD finally gives us a brand 'new' show from February 3, 1973 Midnight Show in Las Vegas. Before the release, incorrect 'rumours' were going around that this would be the Dinner Show of the same date, that was already released way back on the Fort Baxter's It's a Matter Of Time CD release in 1993!
Review : Rockin' Across Texas 2 CD Set by Geoffrey Mc Donnell
Review of both concerts in the Rockin' Across Texas 2 CD Set from FTD.
Review | Elvis: New Haven '76 FTD CD
The 'bonus' track is THE performance highlight from his Hampton Roads show two days later (by which time he had the Flu!) thankfully it's a reasonably performed 'request' for the 'Return To Sender' fan Club and I'm sure they must have been delighted. I recommend this CD because the performance is just passable from a dreadful tour and the sound balance is impressive in its clarity - far easier on the ears than listening to FTD America. I'll certainly be playing this New Haven '76 CD a few times before I stack it away on the shelf.
Review - Viva Las Vegas 2 CD set
Praise high enough cannot be said about the sound on this Viva Las Vegas 2 CD set, although we've had previous 1969 shows released, here we get a whole new sound and show that is simply the best sounding release to date. Play it again and play it soon. A 1969 lshow has never sounded so dynamic.
Review : An American Trilogy FTD CD
An American Trilogy FTD a review by Geoffrey Mc Donnell. This is the long awaited and asked for FTD release of multi-track recordings from February 1972's Las Vegas season + extra songs from the opening night January 26th 1972 soundboard concert to give us a total of 24 tracks. Most of the 15th Feb 1972 M/S here is unreleased, the title track from 14.2.72 M/S is also unreleased,
Review : Unchained Melody FTD CD
This Unchained Melody release from FTD presents us with 64 minutes from Elvis' concert tour back in February 1977. With plenty of Keith Alverston Photos on the front (1), inside (4), and on the back (4) from the main show, we have a well-packed CD appropriate for the contents. Before I played the CD, the super dark blue disc with pink text gives a cool first impression.
Review : I Found My Thrill FTD CD
I Found My Thrill represents the first official representation of Elvis' Winter Jan/Feb 1974 Las Vegas season. Here we find Elvis fresh and with a new repertoire, which surprisingly includes two 1970 standards Sweet Caroline and You've Lost That Loving Feeling as well as Polk Salad Annie. Well before this CD ever came out fans were asking Ernst for this CD and Ernst has included as much as possible from this season.
Review - Summer Festival
Even though it is vaguely titled Summer Festival, FTD's latest release highlights soundboard material from Elvis' seventh Las Vegas season (August 4 - September 4). The complete and unreleased dinner show from August 11 is featured here, alongside seven bonus tracks from two other shows.
Review - All Shook Up FTD CD
Of the 3 complete concerts from this 1969 Vegas season, the sound + concert on All Shook Up HAS to be the best so far! This is one concert that truly captures Elvis' magic and is thoroughly recommended!
Review : A Cold Night in Nashville CD
The more I listen to 'A Cold Night in Nashville' the more I can almost hear Elvis doing these songs. This is such a shame and sad than none were recorded by Elvis. Whether publishing or what exactly upset Elvis, it's worse to read of an eye witness account in Joe's Sessions 3 book where Elvis attended the studio via the back door, then after knocking a Pizza box off a speaker left immediately in disgust.
Review : Sessions III Book
The long awaited Elvis Sessions III has finally arrived, about 2 years later than expected. It is around 632 pages (Joe recently said 656 pages!) and of telephone directory thickness, but well worth the wait.
Review : Polk Salad Annie FTD CD
Polk Salad Annie is the third CD from the professionally recorded February 15th M/S to 19th D/S recordings.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.
This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.
The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
