3 1/2 Stars: Not Bad -- LOTS of Alternate Takes
D.C. Hanoy | Athens, Georgia | 10/19/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Elvis Presley was, among other things, known for his strive for perfection. Ten to twenty takes of a single song was not unusual. The latest Follow That Dream release, '6363 Sunset,' proves that point. Nineteen alternate takes of songs recorded in March 1972 and March 1975, and in my opinion they don't sound that different from the master takes. Of course, small things are different here and there, but only a close listener and long-time fan will be able to point them out.
So, what does this album bring us? Basically, a nice compilation of 1972 and 1975 alternate takes, nothing more and nothing less. I assume a lot of fans do not consider this to be Elvis' best period or best repertoire, and to be perfectly honest neither do I. There are some good songs here, but most of the material seems mediocre. Of course it's still worth it to me because it's a collectors item, and listening to it is not torture. I'll take you through the album, pointing out the highlights and other things worth mentioning.
We start off on March 29, 1972 with "Always On My Mind" -- take 3. Take one became the master, but this third take sounds like it was close. In fact, I didn't hear anything different in it. From the same session, but a day earlier, is "Burning Love." Obviously this song was harder to get right, because this second take sounds like it did need some more work. Especially the last part, with Elvis' falsetto sounding really off. Halfway through the song the bass falls out but the band keeps playing. Nice.
The beautiful "For The Good Times" is very close to the released take, as is the sixth take of "Where Do I Go From Here" and take 1 of "Fool." For "It's A Matter of Time," no take number is listed, but there is a slightly different melody line (it's a matter of syllables, really).
Now comes the good part. Elvis and the band jam on a number of "stage songs," beginning with "See See Rider." Now this rocks. Also featured are "A Big Hunk O'Love," "All Shook Up," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel," and "Can't Help Falling In Love."
Why "Until It's Time For You To Go" is placed right after "See See Rider" is beyond me. It really breaks up the rockin' feel. Nice touches in this take, though, with Elvis singing "Lord, I hope so" after "...you're a woman." There's a false note by bass player Emory Gordy on the very first line.
"A Big Hunk O'Love" opens with some laughter and ends up being a great version of this rock classic. "All Shook Up" is another classic, but an ultra-short rendition here, like most of the concert versions. Before "Heartbreak Hotel," Elvis mentions that he doesn't have the song list, then asks what key is it in. He gives some suggestions, shouts "Well..." and then says "Next song."
The "Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel" medley has Elvis starting a little late, which shows the good humour of it all. And we all know Elvis was at his best when he was most relaxed. The "concert section" ends with "Can't Help Falling In Love." Elvis ad libs "only fat fools rush in."
The concluding six songs are from the 1975 session. The first song is "Green, Green Grass of Home," a wonderful song featuring a false start by Elvis. He clears his throat and someone asks: "Need some water, Elvis?" The first two takes of "Susan When She Tried" are next, and both are nice. You may remember, this song has a lot of names in it, and Elvis has trouble getting them right. "What was that Peggy's last name again?"
Next up is the first take of "And I Love You So," and it sounds good. Before the band starts, Elvis can be heard saying "Step here, Sheila, let me sing to you baby..." to then-girlfriend Sheila Ryan. This emotional song is beautiful in my opinion.
Piano player Tony Brown, who replaces Glen Hardin on "Bringin' It Back," flubs the intro and Elvis says, "Next piano player..." before laughing it off. "Bringin' It Back" doesn't appear to be a favorite of many fans, but I personally like it a lot. The third take is presented here.
Getting nearer to the end, track 18 is the first take of "T-R-O-U-B-L-E." Now we know this is a difficult song, but it's fun to hear Elvis practice his spelling. The song ends abruptly with a "Ho! Okay, let's listen to that" followed by some conversation and laughter. The final track on the CD is the second take of "Shake A Hand."
So, concluding this review: I like this CD, I'm glad FTD released it, and I'm glad I bought it. It's not a jewel -- in content or design -- like some of the other FTD releases, but please keep releasing them. I'm already looking forward to the Easter Special. -- Wouter Broekman, Elvis Australia Fan Club"
Track Listings (19) - Disc #1