2025 in 2025: Day 78

The FTD marathon continues...

FTD008: One Night in Vegas (10 August 1970) - Elvis Presley
This is actually the opening night of Elvis' Las Vegas residency that was recorded for the That's The Way It Is film (which itself completely rules). It is a great show. I didn't need more rehearsals at the end...
Highlights: I Can't Stop Loving You, You've Lost That Loving Feeling, Patch It Up
7.5/10 for the concert, 3/10 for Elvis doing yodels in rehearsal

FTD009: 6363 Sunset Boulevard
This is another collection of outtakes - this time from 1972 & 1975. This undubbed take of Always On My Mind is stellar. Other than that and a strange version of Burning Love, I am pretty sure I have the rest in similar form; the rehearsals from On Tour are probably included in that set and the outtakes from Today are very similar to the un-overdubbed versions found in that set.
Highlights: Always On My Mind [Take 3], Burning Love [Take 2], See See Rider [Take 2], T-R-O-U-B-L-E [Take 1]
6/10

FTD010: Easter Special - Elvis Presley
A collection of Gospel outtakes. I would say mostly like the masters, but some are slightly different. Like, a couple are a little bit faster and some have less overdubs going on. This version of Saved is bombastic! And I Got a Feeling in My Body is just... wooo!
Highlights: Saved [Take 1], If That Isn't Love [Take 2,6,7], I Got a Feeling in My Body [Take 6,7], I'm Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs [Take 2,3]
7/10

FTD012: The Way It Was - Elvis Presley
Rehearsals for That's The Way It Is. And it starts of incredibly poor - not the performances, the recordings. The tape must have been found buried beneath 3 tonnes of mud and lava and dinosaur fossils. Thankfully, things get more listenable after a few songs. I definitely prefer I've Lost You without the horns and whatnot. Oh, there are actual live songs as well
Highlights: I've Lost You, I Can't Stop Loving You, You've Lost That Loving Feeling
6/10

FTD013: Memphis Sessions - Elvis Presley

This is a collection I enjoy a lot; I love From Elvis in Memphis (and Back in Memphis, to a lesser degree) and these are basically undubbed/slightly less polished versions. The harmonica is much more present in Stranger in My Own Home Town (and Elvis is just completely getting into the whole thing). It owns. This is the most chilled version of Suspicious Minds you will ever hear. FTD released a big 5-disc set of all this stuff a few years ago and I sometimes think I should have got it. Today is one of those days...
Highlights: Stranger In My Own Home Town [Undubbed Master], True Love Travels On A Gravel Road [Takes 6 & 7], Wearin' That Loved On Look [Takes 3 & 10], You'll Think Of Me [Take 14]

7/10

FTD014: Silver Screen Stereo - Elvis Presley

More movie song outtakes. I'm sure the world needed more versions of Clambake and to put more focus on those dodgy lyrics of Kissin' Cousins. Elvis going to go and get him cancelled again...
Highlights: Viva Las Vegas [#1, 2], The Lady Loves Me [#9], C'mon Everybody [#1, 2, 3], There's So Much World To See [Alternate Master]

6/10

FTD016: Fame and Fortune - Elvis Presley

Outtakes from the Elvis is Back sessions. Mostly. And they sound mostly like the finished masters. Mostly.

Highlights: Make Me Know It [Take 11], Stuck On You [Take 1], Such a Night [Take 1], Girl Next Door Went a Walking [Takes 1,2,3]

6/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 633

2025 in 2025: Day 76

Friendly Fire - Sean Lennon

Poor dude has a name that means his music could never live up to expectations. But this album is not that bad - there are a few standout tracks and the rest is mostly okay. Some of it almost reminds me of Supergrass.

Highlights: Spectacle, Would I Be the One

6.5/10

Frog Trouble - Various Artists

Well, this is simply the song When Pigs Fly by Ryan Adams. I'm sure there is a story behind this album/song, but I'm not interested today.

Highlights:

6/10

From Elvis in Memphis - Elvis Presley

This is possibly the most proper Elvis album since 1956. And probably the last. And likely the best. Of course I have the Legacy Edition which has a bunch of bonus tracks that do not really add anything, but the mix and remaster on this is just perfect. But that version of Hey Jude is awful. 1968/69 Elvis was the coolest guy on the planet.

Highlights: Long Black Limousine, I'm Movin' On, True Love Travels on a Gravel Road, Any Day Now

9/10 (although much lower if I include the bonus tracks)

From Under the Cork Tree - Fall Out Boy

The coolest emo-punk album of mid-00s? That bridge/breakdown/whateveryouwanttocallit in Dance, Dance is super awesome. I'm sucker for a half-time change-up in the middle of a punk song. Pretty funny hearing them sing lines about being old. Mofos were only, what, 25 when they made this? My dudes, we are old now. 

Highlights: Of All the Gin Joints in All the World, Sugar We're Going Down, Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year, XO

8/10

Frontiers - Journey

Have we discussed Steve Perry's voice? That dude was so great. Between him, Arnel Pineda and Jimmy Barnes, it is like these guys will only work with singers that can seriously bring it. And Neil Schon's guitar tone is pretty sweet. Like all albums in my Journey collection (my Journey journey?), this has a bunch of bonus tracks - this time from soundtracks and such. I had no idea they did a song for Tron, or Ask The Lonely was from a John Travolta movie. But then I am not exactly known for being a Journey biographer (a Journey's journey journeyman?).

Highlights: Faithfully, Ask the Lonely, Edge of the Blade, Rubicon

7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 621