The Complete Elvis Presley Masters: Alternate Masters - Elvis Presley
Just when you thought Elvis had left the building...
Not sure what happened here that these were split, when the others weren't. Also, I had changed the title, but must have missed some sorting option or something, because I expected this in another couple of months. So back to 50s Elvis we go! These are all slightly different to the main versions that I am used to. Then we get movie versions of a bunch of movie songs that had different performances in the movies. I'm making sense! The alternative song called Roustabout is better than the one they ended up using (I'm a Roustabout). I dig the slide guitar in Amazing Grace. After a groovy version of She Thinks I Still Care, we are off to some rehearsals and private recordings. Some of these sound like he is just jamming at home with Charlie Hodge. These jams from the That's The Way It Is rehearsals are a big barrel of fun. And Elvis giving a solo acoustic performance of I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry is the best I have ever heard this song.
Highlights: One Broken Heart For Sale (Movie Version), It Hurts Me
7/10
Complete Fucker Demos - Whiskeytown
And there I was trying to keep the swearing out of this bLogging... These sound a lot more polished than demos. And are way more rocking than I was expecting; I thought this was going to be some chill alt. country-styled jams, and instead this is 90s college radio rock. Nice to hear Ryan Adams when he sang great! Ah ok, about halfway through it turns in to more what I expected. And then back again? I guess it is a collection of demos or whatever, so the different styles kind of makes sense. Either way, this is good.
Highlights: Win, Comfortable Only at Night, Leave the Lights Off, Tearing Me Up Inside, Breathe
7/10
The Complete James Brown Christmas - James Brown
Bah gawd, I really chose the wrong time of year to do this! This is certainly a different Xmas experience; he isn't just singing the usual Xmas standards or anything - this is all James Brown making soul music and throwing in Xmas lyrics. And typical James Brown instrumental jams? Including one called Believers Shall Enjoy (Non-Believers Shall Suffer). That doesn't exactly sound like the Xmas spirit. Then again, he also spends one 'Xmas song' thanking the listener for coming to his shows. Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) is included in here? I guess listening to that makes me happier than a kid at Xmas?
Highlights: Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto, Soulful Christmas, Tit for Tat (Ain't No Taking Back), Go Power at Christmas Time, You Know It, Believers Shall Enjoy (Non Believers Shall Suffer), Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) Pt. 1 & 2
6.5/10
The Complete Million Dollar Quartet - Elvis Presley
I guess I haven't listened to enough Elvis lately? I am still not convinced this really is all four of them; Johnny Cash is nowhere to be heard (vocally) and Elvis kind of comes and goes. And of course they kind of start with some Xmas songs... The highlight of this recording is Elvis giving a review of the Elvis impersonator at the Fats Domino show he went to. And 'Killer' showing how he got that nickname. I do wish they had known what they were doing with Brown Eyed Handsome Man - I'm sure that would have been great if they could have remembered the words. The gospel jams are seriously fantastic. It all runs out of steam after Elvis tries to sell them all on That's When Your Heartaches Begin (which kind of proves Cash is not there, because his baritone voice would be perfect for that song), but it is an enjoyable listen that clearly I ignore way too often!
Highlights: There's No Place Like Home, When the Saints Go Marchin' In, Just a Little Talk With Jesus, Jesus Walked That Lonesome Valley, I Shall Not Be Moved, End of the Road
6/10
Concert: The Cure Live - The Cure
This is one of those live albums where some of the songs are inferior to the studio versions, but then some are actually a little bit cooler or have more attitude or something. Early 80s The Cure was so atmospheric and the drums always sounded very lo-fi, so live everything gives the songs a lot more energy. But then the studio versions have a lot more going on vocally, which is sometimes missing live. The saxamophone on Give Me It sounds like a goose strangling Bobcat Goldthwaite. I think I prefer this version of 10:15 Saturday Night. This is also the only copy of Killing an Arab that I have, since Robert Smith seems intent on erasing it from existence.
Highlights: Charlotte Sometimes, A Forest, 10:15 Saturday Night, Killing an Arab
7.5/10
"Albums" listened to so far: 339
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