Last week the new FTD pile arrived: four CDs and a 2LP-set. I picked the one I was looking forward to the most first: Jailhouse Rock.
Design
The design is like the whole classic album series, tasteful and well documented. This time the production is of far better quality than with volume 1.
Content
Outtakes and the original EP fill these two CDs. What can I say other than this is why I became an Elvis-fan. No, I am not that old, but Jailhouse Rock was re-released in the early seventies and caught me immediately. The nearly a capella version of Young and Beautiful is one of the highlights, but it is hard to name one at all, since to me it is one huge highlight.
The listening pleasure is even better than with Volume 1, because there is more alteration on this set, which is in perfect sound quality.
Whenever I want to hear something different from the regular recordings I’ll grab something like this and certainly not those re-recordings that seem to be so popular these days, which is in my ears unbelievable.
Conclusion
This set makes perfectly clear that it still is nice to be an Elvis-fan, no matter what happens in the world around it.
The first Elvis music release I'm really looking forward to in a long time.
I have Vol.1, can't wait to have this under my tree. This is the first thing I will look forward to on Christmas morning.
IMHO, this really it's what it's all about - this one release is worth a million times more than the 'Elvis Today', 'Elvis Now', 'Elvis (Fool)' etc FTD releases combined. Elvis when he was light years ahead of whichever lesser talent is the second best popular singer of all time.
They should have start the disc with the original EP songs. And Jamie, you must be joking when you say:"this one release is worth a million times more than the 'ElvisToday', 'Elvis Now', 'Elvis (Fool)' etc FTD releases combined". Thoses albums are really great !
Sometimes FTD surpass themselves, iconic cover,fantastic track listing and in all sense what FTD stated from the begining? serious releases for the fans who want just that little more Elvis that we don't get from a commercial release... see you can do FTD if you try.
Vol. 1. is bad sounding (the only bad work from Kevan Budd) and bad looking. This time they corrected the sound,it's very good for a change. Anesini or whoever else did a good job. The cover is still sloppy,though... Bad photoshop job.
And the sessions are in excellant (to these old ears!) sounding binaural.
Hi Herman, sorry mate - I really can do without Elvis's country pop shtick in the 1970s. I loved him in the 1950s, 'Elvis Is Back', 'His Hand in Mine', 'How Great Thou Art', '68 Special' and the better singles from the 1960s, eg, 'Little Sister'. There's a handful I like from the 70s like 'Loving Arms' and the 'Elvis at the Piano' songs from 'Fool' but the vast majority of it I just can't get excited about.
This is the Elvis release of the year. Forget all the other remix garbage and fantasy non-Elvis pretend rubbish. This is the real thing. Vince Everett rocks!
When Elvis was really Elvis. Yes agreed, the release of the year by far.
Just received my copy (finally) today, Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th, 2010 (at least here in the states). Real brief... this FTD CD is outstanding (and yes, I have Volume 1) and if you wanted the songs from Jailhouse Rock, this is the one to purchase... Volume 2. All songs, with the exception, of the revisited Extended Play at the end of Volume 2 are all in glorious sounding binaural aka stereo (before stereo) and the mono version of the complete Jailhouse Rock, including Treat Me Nice is superior to the mono version on Volume 1. Buy this CD, you will not be sorry; it's worth every cent.
It's a a strange fenomenon in Elvis' World... When an error occure, we get about 80+ comments that sounds like "It's end of the world!". But when we get an excellent release - just like this JR, v.2 - there is almost no response form customers. Not even a "burp" after delicious supper... What happened to us??????
Probably the best FTD ever!!
Jamie and Steven are right. Why can't they trace the session tapes with outtakes of King Creole ? And if indeed stolen... (?) why not buy it back from those bootpeople ? It warrants, I'd say. Maybe they did that also with other albums (...Spway...?)
If the "King Creole" session tapes were stolen by bootleggers, how come they have never seen the light of day? Not very good bootleggers, are they? Many stolen tapes were bought back by Ernst on behalf of BMG in the past.
Only six songs, but man-oh-man was a satisfying collection they make up on this one. If you are fan of 1950's Elvis, this one must be in your collection. A superb set from FTD. Ernst and Vic you must feel like a proud parents - ahem - don't go there - when it comes to this one. Well done, gentlemen.
Well done Vic Ansesini ! This is for me THE very best ever (maybe together with Lov You FTD) Ernst released. Quality work indeed, all the way. Gives us hope for the next one (Prom Land in March 2011 ??) and... don't give up Ernst&Roger try to find those missing KCr tapes, mate !! The one who has those in his belongings should be "lynched" for depriving all fans such great outtakes (HHWoman, YDreams, Trouble, NOrl, DixieRock etc etc). Can you guys continue the "legal hunt" Send those blooddogs on their trail men !
This is indeed a classy release. And the sound...WOW! blew me away. if you only ever buy 1 ftd release then this should be the one.
