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Rejuvenated And Rockin'

By ElvisNews.com/ Lex, January 09, 2016 | Music

Gravel Road Music released the show that was included in Fashion For A King by FTD for the first time.

Design

The design is what we expect from GRM by now. Good booklet with background information and a lot of pictures from the engagement and mostly from the actual show. Unfortunately not all pictures are in great quality. All together GRM presented another attractive package.

Content

The show is in different sound-quality than the FTD version. The tape errors are "covered" more nicely, but furthermore I can't say which one I prefer. You have to listen to both for a while to get used to the sound (in other words both are not really great). GRM seem to have pumped up the bass and highs a bit. I guess it is all a matter of taste.

Show wise this might well be one of the last really convincing shows by Elvis, where he is really present and not going on automatic pilot (or on something else). Although not as good as earlier shows from the engagement, like the classic "Just Pretend" from the day before (redone by GRM as Good To Be Back), the show is still very entertaining. Overall the performances are pretty strong, with most highlights after the introductions. Also earlier in the show there are some nice performances like And I Love You So and Polk Salad Annie (until the closing instrumental part gets VERY annoying). Highlights are (again) Just Pretend, How Great Thou Art, Burning Love and Little Sister. Most of all I am happy that the Singing Saw didn't do the Italian part of It's Now Or Never, but Elvis himself.

Conclusion

A entertaining show brought in a nice package. For those that didn't get it with "Fashion" recommended, for others... it's up to you.

Rejuvenated

Yoshi wrote on January 11, 2016
Very honest. A clear "it's not better .. it's different" review. Finally someone how tells it how it is.
You Dont Know Me wrote on January 12, 2016
Yes i don't like the way Gravel Road 'pinch' a FTD release and play around with the sound simply to make cash!~ whether it sounds better or not seems to depend on how you play around with the sound. quite enough for me to keep with my FTD release thanks.
Natha wrote on January 15, 2016
If FTD had released this CD without the book this release would not be necessary. There are fans who are NOT interested in (expensive) books.
You Dont Know Me wrote on January 18, 2016
that indeed IS a valid opinion Natha
PTJones1968 wrote on February 11, 2016
Talking about playing around with the sound simply to make cash. How's it any different to Sony with their Legacy editions or re-editing different takes? Example being Golden Records FTD with That's When Your Heartaches Begin. All they did was re-splice two existing takes and sold it as unreleased. The cover says the show is directly transferred from the nearly complete soundboard, 24 bit restored and remastered and sounds clear as a bell.
VivaLasDavies wrote on February 11, 2016
I've been told this hasn't yet been released - has anyone else got it?