Most of the Elvis product launched to exploit the 30th anniversary left me unmoved. I admire Elvis’s best music, but much of his work – and the surrounding three ring circus – bores me silly.
A couple of products impressed:
* Elvis – The King, a chart-topping new supermarket-friendly compilation album. If I didn’t already have all the music, this 2CD 50-odd track release would have been a must-buy.
* Elvis – The Official Collector’s Edition is a beautifully conceived and well executed part work series. The bargain launch issue (99p!) was everywhere in the High St and on TV last week. You can buy the 26 issues with or without 13 optional DVDs.
As most Elvis movies are unwatchable, I’d forego the DVD option. And think carefully about effectively shelling out about £75 for an Elvis book, delivered in parts. Nice looking artefact, though.
Gerry Smith
Friday 24 August 2007
Tuesday 21 August 2007
Four new releases mark Ella Fitzgerald anniversary
Seizing on the 90th anniversary of her birth, the record biz is busily pumping out “new” Ella product:
* Love Letters From Ella is the pick. It has 10 previously unreleased late-career tracks, some with new orchestral backings added post facto. It’s hardly peak period Ella, but the disc is well worth investigating.
* Ella Fitzgerald: The Collection (The Capitol Recordings) is a selection from the albums Ella recorded for Sinatra’s label in the 1960s - Misty Blue, Brighten The Corner, 30 By Ella, and Ella Fitzgerald`s Christmas. While none of these match the great Verve songbooks, this compilation is worth seeking out, especially as it has a discount price of £7
* Love, Ella is a short career-spanning sampler, mainly of Verve material. It’s difficult to get too excited about this one – there are many better Ella comps available.
* Universal are also promoting a new tribute album, We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song. Glancing at the performers on track list - Natalie Cole, Chaka Kahn, Gladys Knight et al - I’d much rather spend the time/money on the unutterably wonderful real thing…
Gerry Smith
* Love Letters From Ella is the pick. It has 10 previously unreleased late-career tracks, some with new orchestral backings added post facto. It’s hardly peak period Ella, but the disc is well worth investigating.
* Ella Fitzgerald: The Collection (The Capitol Recordings) is a selection from the albums Ella recorded for Sinatra’s label in the 1960s - Misty Blue, Brighten The Corner, 30 By Ella, and Ella Fitzgerald`s Christmas. While none of these match the great Verve songbooks, this compilation is worth seeking out, especially as it has a discount price of £7
* Love, Ella is a short career-spanning sampler, mainly of Verve material. It’s difficult to get too excited about this one – there are many better Ella comps available.
* Universal are also promoting a new tribute album, We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song. Glancing at the performers on track list - Natalie Cole, Chaka Kahn, Gladys Knight et al - I’d much rather spend the time/money on the unutterably wonderful real thing…
Gerry Smith
Thursday 9 August 2007
Top 50 Elvis songs
Elvis Presley recorded over 700 tracks. Writing in The Times last Friday, critic Bob Stanley ranked his top 50.
It’s an invaluable guide for anyone starting to explore Elvis’s catalogue or compiling a basic set of tunes. Here’s a taster of the listing:
1. HOUND DOG - The intro explodes into your ears, and into the public consciousness, as only A Hard Day's Night and Anarchy In The UK have since. So intense, two minutes of sustained viciousness and sheer malicious glee.
2. SUSPICIOUS MINDS
3. MYSTERY TRAIN
4. HEARTBREAK HOTEL
5. I JUST CAN'T HELP BELIEVING…
The highly recommended full article is here:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article2186173.ece
Gerry Smith
It’s an invaluable guide for anyone starting to explore Elvis’s catalogue or compiling a basic set of tunes. Here’s a taster of the listing:
1. HOUND DOG - The intro explodes into your ears, and into the public consciousness, as only A Hard Day's Night and Anarchy In The UK have since. So intense, two minutes of sustained viciousness and sheer malicious glee.
2. SUSPICIOUS MINDS
3. MYSTERY TRAIN
4. HEARTBREAK HOTEL
5. I JUST CAN'T HELP BELIEVING…
The highly recommended full article is here:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article2186173.ece
Gerry Smith
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