2003CC: Elvis Presley
- Sunrise (99): *****
- Elvis Presley (56): *****
- Elvis' Golden Records (58): *****
- 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong: Elvis' Golden Records, Vol. 2 (59): *****
- Elvis' Golden Records, Vol. 3 (64): *****
- Elvis' Gold Records, Vol. 4 (68): *****
- From Elvis in Memphis (69): *****
- The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters (92): **** 1/2
- From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60's Masters (93): **** 1/2
- Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential 70's Masters (95): **** 1/2
- Elvis (56):**** 1/2
- Suspicous Minds (99): **** 1/2
- Top Ten Hits (87): ****
- His Hand in Mine (60): ****
- Elvis TV Special (68): ****
- Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old) (71): ****
- Christmas Album (57): ****
- Elvis: 30 #1 Hits (02): *** 1/2
- How Great Thou Art (67): *** 1/2
- Elvis in Person (70): *** 1/2
- On Stage (70): *** 1/2
- Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Songs (94): *** 1/2
- Elvis 56 (96): *** 1/2
- Artist of the Century (99): *** 1/2
- Burning Love (72): ***
- That's the Way It Is (70): ***
- Elvis Sings "The Wonderful World of Christmas" (71): ***
- Promised land (75): ***
- Great Country Songs (96): ***
- G.I. Blues (60): ** 1/2
- Blue Hawaii (61): ** 1/2
- Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite (73): ** 1/2
- Moody Blue (77): ** 1/2
- Memories: The 68 Comeback Special (98): ** 1/2
- Love Songs (99): ** 1/2
- Something for Everybody (61): **
- An Afternoon in the Garden (97): **
- Platinum: A Life in Music (97): **
- Elvis as Recorded at Madison Square Garden (72): **
- Peace in the Valley: The Complete Gospel Recordings (00): * 1/2
- White Christmas (00): * 1/2
- Live in Las Vegas (01): * 1/2
- The 50 Greatest Love Songs (01): * 1/2
- Elvis in Concert (77): *
- Home Recordings (99): 1/2
- Today, Tomorrow, & Forever (02): 1/2
This is a new entry in an up-dated series I'm calling the New Critical Consensus. Several people have requested updates of the older series, and since critical opinions shift, I am revamping the entire system. I am averaging the opinions of several excellent music critics to produce a list of each artist's albums. Rather than using a number system, which was perhaps a bit clunky, I will now be using a five-star system. The albums will be listed in a recommended purchasing order, so new fans will have an idea of where the best place to start buying an artist's work is.
These are not my opinions, although, since I have chosen the critics used (and I'm using many), my taste will perhaps seep through a bit.
Terribly nerdy, I know, but maybe this will help people only now beginning to dabble into certain artists' bodies of work.
Scale:
***** - Masterpiece
**** 1/2 - Classic
**** - Great
*** 1/2 - Good
*** - Above Average
** 1/2 - Average
** - Below Average
* 1/2 - Bad
* - Terrible
1/2 - One of the worst albums ever
So, here's the deal. Elvis has hundreds of albums and compilations. Recently, BMG made the announcement that only around 50 of the titles will remain in print. I used the list of those titles to make this list, as they will be the ones you can find at the store. If you are curious about any title that is going out of print and thus isn't here, ask, and I'll be happy to dig up a rating for you.
I hope that made sense...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Well jeez, no wonder I haven't been able to find The Sun Sessions anywhere...
Thank you, lbangs. I really should expand my Elvis Presley album collection, as I only have Elvis 30 #1 Hits, which as we know, only captures "pop star Elvis." :-)
I give out a huge vote for Elvis From Memphis. One of his best and also the saddest. It gives a huge glimpse to the career he could have had if he was not surrouned by the Memphis mafia, controlled by Colonel Tom and bloated from Fried peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches and drugs....
Since this is a buyer's guide of sorts, I have to let any new Presley fans in on a great, well-kept secret. Have you seen Sony's 2-disc Essential series, such as The Essential Dylan, The Essential Willie Nelson, and The Essential Miles Davis, which do a killer job of summarizing an artist's entire career with great songs? Know how I always complain that the perfect Elvis career compilation doesn't exist? Well, I've only been telling half the truth. It DOES exist, it just isn't sold in America. I recently discovered that Amazon IS selling it though, so...
Unlike Elvis 1, this collection contains the original mixes. It also covers his Sun period as well as a gospel tune and several songs from this late-career artistic comeback. In other words, it is pretty darned impressive. For a two-disc collection of Elvis, it has never been beat, and I really doubt it ever will be.
Ladies and Gentlemen, you can buy the perfect 2-disc Elvis best of right here.
And nope, I'm not getting paid to shill this. I will add, however, that I'm not sure how much longer it will stay in print, so if you want it, jump now.
And, of course, you have to pick up either The Sun Sessions or Sunrise to go along with it, since any fan will need every one of those great, early singles. This does at least have two of the best from those sessions, which most Elvis collections sadly neglect...
Enjoy!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I ordered this a month or two ago, and Amazon just told me they can't get it. <kevin kline> DISAPPOINTED! </kevin kline> Ah well, thanks for the tip! I'll keep an eye out for it used. Let me know if you see it for sale somewhere else, at a halfway-decent price.
I'm thrilled you are interested, but I am VERY bummed and, yes, DISAPPOINTED that it is now so out of reach. I will certainly keep an eye out for this; it is a killer collection!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs