Elvis
"Elvis: The Sun Collection". I've always loved the King. I had the TV-advertised Arcade greatest hits set from 1975 (fifth biggest selling album in the UK that year) and various cheap RCA releases, usually with a 70s Elvis photo on the front (getting progressively fatter). I knew all the hits.
This album came out in 1975 and was the first time all of Elvis's Sun era singles were collected in one place. Sun was El's first record label, before he was sold to RCA in 1955 (along with his Sun back-catalogue). A few of the songs had snuck out on RCA albums or been released as B-sides over the years. Most of them I'd never heard before buying the album, which was in 1977 at the height of Punk.
Is it any good? Bias aside, yes. On first listening it's pretty raw. It's not the clean RCA sound of, say, a "Heartbreak Hotel". There are no drums on most of it, just Elvis, Scotty and Bill in a studio not much bigger than a large kitchen. You can hear the hum and hiss of amps. Occasionally the vocal distorts. Elvis mumbles and slurs like an old Bluesman making it hard to understand the lyrics sometimes. It took me a while to tune my ear into it.
Once I got beyond the technical deficiencies and sonic unprettiness, these songs got into my bones, more so as I got older. He's only about 19 on most of the recordings. How did he do that?! 'Blue Moon' is otherworldly, his eerie voice yearning and a-hurtin'. Country standards of the day get warped. In fact, if you listen to the original versions, such as 'Blue Moon of Kentucky', then hear his versions you realise how different he was. Blues tunes like 'That's Alright Mama' and 'Mystery Train' still sound fresh. Indeed, 'Mystery Train' is the peak summation of his Sun career. It still sounds somehow ancient and NOW simultaneously. 'Good Rockin' Tonight' and 'Baby, Let's Play House' thunder along sexily - with guitar breaks from Scotty Moore that face melt. Scotty was the first rock guitar hero. His solos would not have fitted anywhere else at the time, but here were perfect.
Nobody had ever made a sound like this before. Ever. No, really. EVER. Sure, you can tap your toe along to it now, and smile at it's seeming simplicity. But back then they were making it up on the spot. And it's Elvis doing it. All his influences and passion pouring out. Remember, he literally was white trash. Music was the one thing in his life that allowed him to escape, dream, be free.
So, even if you don't like the man or his 'famous' songs, check this album out. Listen to his voice. It's rock n roll. Hear the joy, release, FREEDOM in it. Then when you look at a picture of him from the time... boom! Total package.
Elvis
"Elvis: The Sun Collection". I've always loved the King. I had the TV-advertised Arcade greatest hits set from 1975 (fifth biggest selling album in the UK that year) and various cheap RCA releases, usually with a 70s Elvis photo on the front (getting progressively fatter). I knew all the hits.
This album came out in 1975 and was the first time all of Elvis's Sun era singles were collected in one place. Sun was El's first record label, before he was sold to RCA in 1955 (along with his Sun back-catalogue). A few of the songs had snuck out on RCA albums or been released as B-sides over the years. Most of them I'd never heard before buying the album, which was in 1977 at the height of Punk.
Is it any good? Bias aside, yes. On first listening it's pretty raw. It's not the clean RCA sound of, say, a "Heartbreak Hotel". There are no drums on most of it, just Elvis, Scotty and Bill in a studio not much bigger than a large kitchen. You can hear the hum and hiss of amps. Occasionally the vocal distorts. Elvis mumbles and slurs like an old Bluesman making it hard to understand the lyrics sometimes. It took me a while to tune my ear into it.
Once I got beyond the technical deficiencies and sonic unprettiness, these songs got into my bones, more so as I got older. He's only about 19 on most of the recordings. How did he do that?! 'Blue Moon' is otherworldly, his eerie voice yearning and a-hurtin'. Country standards of the day get warped. In fact, if you listen to the original versions, such as 'Blue Moon of Kentucky', then hear his versions you realise how different he was. Blues tunes like 'That's Alright Mama' and 'Mystery Train' still sound fresh. Indeed, 'Mystery Train' is the peak summation of his Sun career. It still sounds somehow ancient and NOW simultaneously. 'Good Rockin' Tonight' and 'Baby, Let's Play House' thunder along sexily - with guitar breaks from Scotty Moore that face melt. Scotty was the first rock guitar hero. His solos would not have fitted anywhere else at the time, but here were perfect.
Nobody had ever made a sound like this before. Ever. No, really. EVER. Sure, you can tap your toe along to it now, and smile at it's seeming simplicity. But back then they were making it up on the spot. And it's Elvis doing it. All his influences and passion pouring out. Remember, he literally was white trash. Music was the one thing in his life that allowed him to escape, dream, be free.
So, even if you don't like the man or his 'famous' songs, check this album out. Listen to his voice. It's rock n roll. Hear the joy, release, FREEDOM in it. Then when you look at a picture of him from the time... boom! Total package.