Last Updated on Friday, 05 November 2010 22:17 Friday, 05 November 2010 16:36
Written by Brian Quinn
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I have just listened to 'Viva Elvis' - The Album which was very kindly sent to my by SONY(UK) and I am not afraid to say I am in tears. It is PHENOMENAL and the sound AMAZING. Truly a listening and emotional experience and genuinely revolutionary in concept which should give it an excellent chance for a Grammy Award next year. This is truly Elvis for the 21st Century.
The whole album is built around a biographical theme with comments from Elvis, Ed Sullivan, Bill Black, Milton Berle etc. and snippets of other Elvis songs apart from those listed on the album cover. This is one album that I will be playing a lot and not just once or twice. Yes, we would have liked more tracks but the ones on the album are longer than usual apart from 'Memories' and 'You'll Never Walk Alone' which are linking themes as shown below. I would also have liked to have had the names of the individual female singers featured on the duets.
The album cover is very colorful, contemporary, and features a booklet containing many scenes from the 'Viva Elvis' show with details of the cast etc. Now on to my review:
1. Opening The album opens with the strains of what is commonly known by Elvis fans as 'The 2001 Theme' together with females screaming and chanting "We Want Elvis". Great drums featured in the background. Elvis himself comments 'If You're Looking For Trouble'. There are also historical comments from Ed Sullivan and track 1 commences a countdown into track 2. A fitting start to the album.
2. Blue Suede Shoes Heavy version with drums and harmonica up front. Has a distinct Bo Diddley feel to it and again comments from Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle. Lots of sound wizadry here.
3. That's All Right Has a great feel to it and commences with a similar opening to 'I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine' with comments by Horace Logan and Bill Black. Screaming girls add to the atmosphere. Also snatches of 'When It Rains It Really Pours'.
4. Heartbreak Hotel This track has a great powerful Blues feel to it and starts out with Elvis doing his famous 'Well, Well Well' routine. A really heavy version follows which quite literally bounces along with great Harmonica/Sax/Brass/Drums and Piano. Snippets of 'Stranger In My Own Home Town' (informal rehearsal) as featured on 'The Essential 70's Masters Box Set. 'Polk Salad Annie' even gets a mention.
5. Love Me Tender A beautiful duet with a really great female singer and a very contemporary arrangement with acoustic guitar adds up to a real winner. Elvis closes the duet by singing a snippet of 'In My Way' from the movie 'Wild In The Country'. In my opinion this would make a great single release.
6. King Creole This track commences in a similar fashion to the opening of the film of the same name with strains of 'Crawfish'/'Gumbo'. Slower than the original version with the cast singing along. Elvis also sings a snippet of 'Hard Headed Woman'. The track ends in the same fashion as the beginning with 'Gumbo'. 'Elvis also sings a snippet of 'New Orleans'.
7. Bossa Nova Baby Commences with Elvis making comments in the recording studio to Hal Wallis. We are then treated to an excellent version of this well known track featuring drums/sax/piano/bass and organ. During the song a part of the arrangement is reminiscent of 'Barbara Ann' by The Beach Boys. Elvis comments "It's Hot In Here". Ends with a great Boots Randolph style sax. A contemporary version without losing the original feel. This would be a great track for the programme 'Dancing With The Stars'.
8. Burning Love Commences with the famous comment made by Elvis (on the 'Elvis sails' EP) to the Press Corps on joining the U.S. Army. On being asked "What's your idea of the ideal girl?" Elvis answers with much laughing '"Female Sir". A heavy version follows with guitar/drums and guitar to the fore. There is also a piece of dialogue included from the movie 'Jailhouse Rock' where Elvis has just kissed Judy Tyler (Peggy Van Alden) and she turns to him in disgust and states "How dare you think that such cheap tactics would work with me?" and Elvis replies "That ain't tactics honey, its just the beast in me".
9. Memories A short orchestral piece of 'Memories' which is really a means of segueing into
10. Can't Help Falling In Love This is a really fine contemporary version of this classic track and sung as a duet with a great female singer similar in style to Mariah Carey. Elvis opens the track accompanied by acoustic guitar. Very melodious. Interestingly the track fades out with Elvis repeating part of the song 'Love Me'.
11. You'll Never Walk Alone (Piano Interlude) A beautiful short piano solo played as if it were Elvis himself and segues into the final track.
12. Suspicious Minds Great up tempo closer for the album which is heavy on drums/piano/bass and guitar. Similar type female backing group as the Sweet Inspirations. A very melodious version with Elvis urging everyone on near the end shouting "C'mon, C'mon, C'mon".
Finally, I would like to make this important point. To fully appreciate this album one needs to treat it as a whole and not just a conglomeration of unrelated tracks. As stated earlier it is truly a unique 'listening experience' and and one that is linked biographically to cover all Elvis eras from 'That's All Right' to 'Suspicious Minds' taking in the 50's, the Movies, the Army, the 68 TV Special and Vegas. Special thanks go out to Erich van Tourneau and his team for this innovative concept in recorded music and to EPE and Sony Music Entertainment for their support for the project.
This album will whet the appetite of fans worldwide to go and see the show 'Viva Elvis' when it eventually goes on tour and bring back fond memories for those who have already seen it. I personally cannot wait.
Dvd Star "Viva Elvis" was released last week Monday.
OPENING Elvis returns to the stage, footage is running backwards and from 1977 till 1956, once back on stage
BLUE SUEDE SHOES starts, much footage (in Blue)of Elvis singing this song is used with special appearances by Milton Berle and Ed Sullivan.
THATS ALL RIGHT uses fifties, sixties and seventies footage and the image has been given an old look to make it all fit together, even Scotty Moore has been inserted to play the rhythm.
HEARTBREAK HOTEL, starts with Elvis signing his RCA contract, and tries to tell the story of the rise and fall of The King, Elvis holds his first gold record, and in the record you will see some of the awards he got during his career, also his Pink Caddy and Graceland is shown, then in the end, he shows the Moody Blue award .
KING CREOLE, featuring Forty Nina doing an exclusive duet version with Danny Fisher!
Great edits have been used to make this clip.. Something Else!
BOSSA NOVA BABY, the party highlight of the dvd, using lots and lots of movie sequences,
Elvis finding another Cat, and a special performance of Boots Randolph!
BURNING LOVE, shows what a Big Hunk O Love Elvis really is! Kissing in movies and on stage, combining rehearsal and live footage to make yet another great clip. Just watch Elvis wait for Judy Tyler: How dare you think such cheap tactics would work with me . And then bursts back into HUNKA HUNKA BURNING LOVE!
CANT HELP FALLING IN LOVE tells the story of the boy from Tupelo trying to find love, yet he never really succeeds, and in the end he kinda cries out for help OH YEAH
SUSPICIOUS MINDS .Is this THE highlight of the dvd? it probably is . Footage of the entire career of Elvis in combined in an astonishing way, making it look like he moves on the song in his movies, singing the song in the fifties.. the ultimate Elvis Presley song the Ultimate STAR clip, this is what it is all about.. making clips enjoyable too watch, and in a way you dont see everyday.
Take a look at the special artwork of this dvd, VIVA ELVIS.. .every letter represents one of the main clips .. Also be sure to check out the trailer .this also gives you an idea what to expect!
ELVIS RETURNS TO THE STAGE, STAR RETURNS TO EDITING!
STAR IS PROUD TO PRESENT: A NEW VIEWING EXPERIENCE - VIVA ELVIS THE Dvd
Yes its been quite a while, but now STAR is back and takes editing to the next level!
Presenting the COMPLETE Viva Elvis Album on Dvd!!
This dvd is for:
- ELVIS FANS
- CIRQUE DU SOLEIL FANS
- NON CIRQUE DU SOLEIL FANS
What to expect? Expect the best, and you will get more, expect nothing and you will be amazed about the level of this dvd. You have to watch it several times to discover all links and high tech effects, and one things for sure after watching it the album itself cant be played without seeing the footage you saw on this dvd.
It has NOTHING to do with CIRQUE DU SOLEIL, but when you did see it in Vegas, it will bring back some memories as some footage is linked to linked to it.
The dvd has ALL tracks of the original album, and more:
Tracklisting:
It starts off with some great Elvis Commercials, included among others are: Funny battery commercial, Pizza Hut commercial, 2011 C&A commercial ,and an historic commercial for Elvis first Album (1956!!)
MAIN FEATURE:
1. Didja Ever/Return To Sender (exclusive performance by the Viva
Elvis cast)
2. Bossa Nova Baby (exclusive performance by the Viva Elvis cast)
3. One Night(exclusive performance by the Viva Elvis cast)
4. Opening
5. Blue Suede Shoes
6. That's All Right
7. Heartbreak Hotel
8. Love Me Tender
9. King Creole
10. Bossa Nova Baby
11. Burning Love
12. Memories (Interlude)
13. Can't Help Falling In Love
14. You'll Never Walk Alone (Piano Interlude)
15. Suspicious Minds
ENCORE PERFORMANCES:
(these original videos, which are a joke compared to what you get on the main programma , are included as a bonus)
1. Love me Tender (official videoclip)
2. Burning Love (official videoclip)
3. Suspicious Minds (official videoclip)
4. Blue Suede Shoes (exclusive performance by the Viva Elvis cast)
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:Releases Tags:Dvd Star "Viva Elvis" was released,
Release Summer In Sin City
Summer In Sin City
Touchdown Productions' tenth release is a double CD set wich includes two Shows from Elvis' second "Summer Festival" in 1971. In a year with no multitracks available and very few soundboard recordings in circulation, very good to excellent audience recordings are to be treasured. Here are two of them ... in improved soundquality, sounding much better than before.
CD 1 - August 14, 1971 / Midnight Show
[01] Also Sprach Zarathustra [02] That's Alright Mama [03] Proud Mary [04] You Don't
Have To Say You Love Me [05] You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling [06] Polk Salad Annie [07] Intermezzo [08] Johnny B. Goode [09] It's Over (2 false starts only) [10] Love Me [11] Blue Suede Shoes [12] Heartbreak [13] Hotel Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel [14] Rip lt Up (one line only) [15] Hound Dog [16] I Need Your Lovin' Everyday (one line only) [17] Suspicious Minds [18] Introductions [19] I'm Leavin' [20] Lawdy Miss Clawdy 21 ] Bridge Over Troubled Water [22] Can't Help Falling In Love
- Bonus [23] Its Over (August 12, 1971 MS)
CD 2 - August 23, 1971 / Dinner Show
[01] Also Sprach Zarathustra [02] That's All Right [03] Proud Mary [04] I Got A Woman / Amen [05] Sweet Caroline [06] Polk Salad Annie [07] Intermezzo [08] Johnny B. Goode [09] It's Impossible [10] Love Me [11] Blue Suede Shoes [12] Heartbreak Hotel [13] Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel [14] Hound Dog [15] Love Me Tender [16] Suspicious Minds
[17] Introductions [18] I'm Leavin [19] Lawdy Miss Clawdy [20] Can't Help Falling In Love
- Bonus [21] Memphis Tennessee [22] Trying To Get To You (August 11, 1971 DS )
The 2-CD set will get released at the same time, as the already announced CD Shreveport '75.
