Same here, 13 post-1971 are enough for me: Side A 1. I'VE GOT A THING ABOUT YOU BABY 2. PROMISED LAND 3. ALWAYS ON MY MIND ("EOT") 4. STEAMROLLER BLUES (Memphis 1974) 5. I GOT A FEELIN' IN MY BODY (Out-take #1) 6. AND I LOVE YOU SO (Out-take #2) 7. I CAN HELP Side B 1. FOR OL' TIMES SAKE (Out-take #4) 2. PLEDGING MY LOVE 3. WAY DOWN 4. I'M SO LONESOME I COULD CRY ("Aloha") 5. AN AMERICAN TRILOGY ("Aloha") 6. BURNING LOVE
No one has mentioned the FTD warehouse fire? Curious to see what remains available 6 months to a year from now.
It was hot news a few pages back (sorry!) Elvis Presley FTD CD reissues (part 6) We may never the true extent of the damage, nor how it has affected old stock and (going forward) whether re-presses are considered viable...
To my ears, Elvis was still bringing it in the studio as late as 1975: “Susan When She Tried,” “Fairytale,” “Pieces of My Life,” “Green Green Grass of Home,” etc. all require no special pleading for me to enjoy. The Jungle Room sessions are where things really start to head south, in my opinion, but making great music from 1954 to 1974/75, with an admitted drop off in quality from 1964 to 1968, is a far longer run of excellence than most pop artists achieve.
In 1976, 3/4 is pretty good, considering some of the dreck he put on record between 1971 and those last sessions. He's not happy recording, for whatever reason, but he brought soul & dimension here that's missing on most of the post 1970 recordings. You have some of the Jungle Room releases, yes? I definitely get what you're saying, you're not necessarily wrong, especially considering the lousy, breathless live singing he was doing the last two / two and a half years, but this ain't Spring Tours. I find these uncovered tracks kind of soulful...without Felton's dreck all over it. I'm listening now- he's all over Bitter They Are and not letting go until that beautiful falsetto on the end. For The Heart- beautifully done. It's powerful & honest honky tonk singing to me. I guess we're all seeing stuff differently, but, I think if you like to enjoy an adult beverage once in awhile, next time you get some Jack Daniels in you, put on those Jungle Room FTDs. I think you'll like it better than you think.
There wasn't much damage at all. It was a cooperative warehouse where FTD kept some stock. Most of it went unharmed.
I don't know how old everyone here is, but I was on these albums in real time as they were coming out and EP Boulevard was a very good album and subsequently a better album once all of Felton Jarvis's crap was cleared away. I was at Graceland last week on a nice day and we spent some time outside the house really taking in that immense property. There would have eventually been a recording studio on property- that racquetball court which was destined to not be used too much afterwards, would have been perfect. That's what Elvis needed. A relaxed creative environment on his terms. Those February 76 sessions were the beginning of something that could have been really good. That was an honest bunch of recordings, for whatever flaws or brilliance came out of it. Were they great songs? Me? A couple of them were, but no. It was mostly second-rate stuff, but it was well sung, in my opinion. Furthermore, if any of us were lucky enough to be able to be in the room while he was doing some of that singing, I assure you our heads would have exploded.
I recorded it when it aired & watched it a lot for a couple of years. I no longer want to watch it because it's tragic. That little Really Don't Want To Know that he did was/still is mind blowingly good though. That's the music he was really good at in 1977. Country Blues.
I am 62 and got really into Elvis from about 1974 on knowing Gram Parsons and Emmylou used members of his band. I loved the Moody Blue single released here in the UK in 76 and fell in love with the b side She Thinks I Still Care. Hence me buying other later 70s albums like From EP etc and I got the Moody Blue album on release in 77. FTD's Jungle Room single cd was superb on release and still is really and was such a great surprise to hear the material without all the overdubs.
There's an unboxing video of the new Jailhouse Rock book, the guy basically flips through all the pages: At the 5.41 mark, you can see the credits. Mastering by Jan Eliasson so if history is to inform, be prepaid for loud, and be sure to hold on to those FTD Classic Albums of Jailhouse Rock!
Not what I heard, nearly all the stock was lost and there will be no re pressing. I'd be happy to hear this wasn't the case although for those who buy on release it isn't an issue.
Sorry if I missed this earlier in the thread, but how much audio is “new” to this upcoming release. I can’t imagine anything will ever surpass the Budd releases in terms of sound.
I think that there are some mono mixdowns of most or all of the binaural recordings. Maybe some backing tracks? Either way, definitely not worth the money FTD is asking for. On an unrelated note, I've been slowly working my way through The 'Pot Luck' Sessions. I'm not sure how well this will hold up to repeated listening but I have to say that it's been a pretty pleasant listening experience so far. Then again, I've always been a pretty big fan of the '62 Nashville recordings.
In terms of completely new audio it’s the (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care rhythm track takes… no vocals, Elvis on bass. There’s a new mix of the binaural tapes being ‘mixed to mono’ for the first time. Personally, I don’t care about modern mixes and for all we know they just summed the left/right channels to center.
Thanks for the responses, looks like a pass. The previous two Jailhouse Rock FTD releases are two of the best on the label. These FTD book projects have gotten way out of hand.
Yeah I’m an Elvis studio material completist but even I’m taking a hard pass on this one. And for me to say that is saying a lot - I’ve supported all official and FTD studio-related releases (assuming they contain new audio) for literally decades. This release has pushed me over the edge to avoid.
Agree and not just lately but for years. I havent bought any book/cd combo releases from FTD……and never will.
I'm more than happy with my Classic Album FTD collection, as such I've no desire or intention ever to buy the rip off books and session releases.
As far as the session releases go, I do find the Viva Las Vegas one worthwhile, partly as the takes aren't sequenced back-to-back.
That's the only session release I own, it contains lots of extras and the mastering is so much better than the original FTD. I also like the fact it's nicely sequenced and not in chronological order.
