Just a question without notice. Am I correct in assuming that the edition of G.I.Blues that I have (released 2010) is the same mix, mastering, etc as the FTD? Or does the FTD sound better?
I have not compared them but if there's any difference, it is minimal. The Cafe Europa ftd is more fun because it contains new remixes of the masters.
FTD of BOTH volumes for me. Brings the G.I. BLUES sessions alive. In the end if you stay with the 2010 issue your still on a winner.
I liked your list and you put some effort into it. One query I have is that for example you state "Harum Scarum: A LOT of material unreleased in any form, this set is a no-brainer. Also the material desperately needs a sonic upgrade, especially as the sessions were recorded at RCA Studio B." I am assuming you mean that as this material was recorded at RCA Sudio B the sound of the release could be improved. Material recorded on the movie soundstages - maybe not much that can be done with those?
To me, Elvis Is Back! is the obvious answer. The original FTD came out 13 years ago and habe been difficult to acquire for at least 5 years. Since then a few more outtakes surfaced on other releases and as @PacificOceanBlue mentioned there are still some outtakes in the vault. Assembling everything in one package with an expanded book that documents both the sessionography and the historical significance of Elvis' return to the studio following his Army discharge, would make a nice package for any Elvis collector. Maybe get Guralnick to contribute a few paragraphs. I actually think this could be a nice Sony Legacy release similar to the "Boy From Tupelo" set.
I'm on board for the Viva Las Vegas sessions release but I really wish that it had been done chronologically. I understand that the way that it has been sequenced is to make it more "listenable" but almost anyone buying this will be doing so as an academic exercise in that one would presumably want to hear the tracks as they develop in the studio.
Due the manificence of this album and the sessions that produced it, Elvis is Back, is probably one of the few expanded editions I would be willing to buy. One caveat to this would be, and this would apply to any proposed expanded set that retails for £40, there would have to be at least a full extra disc that included largely completed takes before I would even consider parting with my money. Viva Las Vegas is slightly different to others that may come, the reason for this is that having the heard the existing VLV FTD in advance of buying a copy, I decided it sounded so bad that I wasn't willing buy it, therefore 80% of the material this expaned edition contains is new to my collection, it's also one of the few decent 60's soundtracks therefore making it a worthwhile purchase. I can understand where you're coming from, however, I'm one of those who would prefer to have a nicely sequenced non chronological set, exactly because it more listenable. It's so much easier to rip and recompile a set chronologically than it to recompile and create a more listenable sequence from a chronological set.
Any idea on what price ShopElvis/Graceland.com will charge for this? The UK shops typically charge £23 for in-stock FTD titles, but this is going for £40 (a higher per-disc rate), perhaps because of the "limited edition" aspect. I see ShopElvis has raised the prices on a few of their FTDs from the standard $30 up to $33. I'm guessing between $45-50 though, hopefully not higher.
[ I'm definitely in for this set. While I prefer the chronological/session order, I can certainly respect your point. But to that, I wish they would give each take its own CD track # to make resequencing easier.
I too prefer chronological listings although it does lead to the same song a few (or more) times in a row. One of the good things about high res downloads and I wish there was an FTD series in these is you can make your own playlists easily. I used my Stones mono hi res to put together a UK singles a and b sides and eps list in order of release.
Downloads for the complete session sets would be great. You're missing out on the packaging and probably the booklet but if the price is right I think it could work.
Yes exactly! Although I will say that the "Speedway" FTD proved while it'll never be perfect, a good remix of the soundstage material can bring improvements. Interesting points about how the sessions should be ordered. I honestly don't have a strong preference either way; the purist in me would want everything in chronological order, but I know how to edit things if they are sequenced otherwise. Actually on that topic, on another Elvis forum someone posted a poll asking whether people wanted future releases in chronological or sequenced order, and (not being facetious here) the results are overwhelmingly in favor of chronological sets (the poll has stood pretty consistently at around 83% in favor of chronological and so far over 100 posters have voted in the poll). The FTD team were made aware of the poll so there is a chance that any potential future sessions releases will be in chronological order based on this feedback. But like anything, no promises/certainties there.
I'm not sure how I feel about this inaugural "sessions" release in the context of the FTD program. It kind of feels like a hybrid: One part do-over, and one-part Viva Las Vegas Volume 2. It has a different packaging motif, so it's not a full-on, straight-up redo/replacement for the FTD "Classic Album" release. Nor is it companion-piece Volume 2. Clearly, if it and all future releases of this line improve the previous FTD "Classic Albums" -- then, that's good. Right? Or is this a clever detour down the re-buy highway? I mean, I can't see myself doing this for every release. Obviously in this case, this release gives us 3 discs to the original 1 disc, so it's quite a bit more Viva material. So this one is probably a good one to start. Anyway... not a complaint in any way, just an observation. As many have said before, there's a few earlier FTDs that could use the expansion and remaster and remixing.
Not a big problem obviously, but why is the "original album" or "soundtrack" included again? The previous FTD didn't sound great but don't the fans who are interested in a released such as this already have the masters on one of the newer releases?
Another potential release is a complete session package for the Nashville '70 sessions. Original master mixes without the "I Was Born About 10,000 Years Ago" snippets. Remixed outtakes, mono single mixes, etc. That could be cool.
They're never going to please everyone, no matter how they slice and dice it, but I personally would prefer a set in chronological order, with each track indexed uniquely, and with any period-made mixes (mono and stereo, including any unique single mixes) included. Modern remixes have no appeal to me, regardless of how good they sound. But I'll still definitely be buying this.
I agree. The four mono mixes from the EP and the three original stereo mixes from Elvis Sings Flaming Star have never appeared on cd, iirc. I also think that the Album Collection is the only place to find the original stereo mixes of Santa Lucia and What'd I Say.
Nashville 1970 is a contender, but most of it will contain previously released material. The few remaining scraps of tape, mono mixes, and remastered “Elvis Country” masters sans the “10,000” snippets could easily be released on one new CD, rather than a massive set containing mostly recycled material.
But then it becomes a question of, for those fans new to FTD, do they go and track down all the various releases where this material appeared (and is any of it out-of-print?), or is it best to release it as (presumably) 3 CDs, vs 1 CD? No perfect answer, but I lean towards the latter.
I guess that I'm in the minority, but I generally can't stand chronological releases. Definitely would prefer sequenced for listening pleasure
Presumably 3CD sets of June/September 1970 and the Jan/Feb 1969 sessions could very well end up at retail level in similar sets to Stax, Boy from Tupelo, and Prince from Another Planet. Retail releases of Elvis material from Sony don't often warrant praise, but those three, along with the Jungle Rooms double CD, are certainly classy products that the Elvis name and Legacy benefits from. Sadly, the Legacy editions of Elvis Country, Elvis is Back, On Stage, and From Elvis in Memphis were all completely wasted opportunities,for which there is no excuse - and the recent 3CD sets, plus Way Down in the Jungle Rooms, shows exactly how those albums should have been dealt with. In most cases, it's too late now.
I'll probably invest in the "Elvis Is Backl!" 3-disc if they do it because the material sounded superior on "Elvis' Golden Records Vol. 3" FTD. I think new transfers may have been done. It is the best the Nashville sessions have ever sounded (although the FTD's have always been top-notch with regards to those). The original "Is Back!" FTD was done in '06, and the technology has come a long way since even then. I think the other "take" of "Reconsider Baby" is just talking from what I have read. I always wondered why none of the other takes of "I Will Be Home Again" have never surfaced on any FTD release. Maybe they don't have them, or they are not usable for whatever reason.
I did study some of the "Elvis Is Back!" FTD tracks to previous releases a while back, and found that in all honesty despite the great mastering it's clear that they were taken from a hodgepodge of transfers made over an indeterminate period of time, although the transfers used on the Close Up box clearly stood out as being reused on the FTD. Making matters worse, parts of dialogue are cut and pasted from different transfers (look at spectral analysis for the beginning dialogue for Take 1 of Fever) so there's slight inconsistency there. The only reason why this is coming to light now is how well the mastering masks all the different transfers (thus people didn't notice) which makes the sound quality on that set all the more admirable. I was honestly shocked when I heard the improvement on some of the tracks on the "Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3" FTD, especially Stuck On You Take 1. All previous versions I'd heard sounded overloaded and just generally unpleasant, especially Elvis' vocals, and the version on the EGRV3 FTD was like night and day in my eyes (ears). If we're assured that we get the same sound quality upgrades as heard on the EGRV3 FTD, then I'm all for an expanded redo of "Elvis Is Back!"
