With Elvis, the Harum Scarum soundtrack is top to bottom bad. I don't think he even released a single from it, whereas even such masterworks as Kissin' Cousins had their own promotional tie-in singles that charted. (Although the Harum Scarum LP somehow made the Top Ten).
I don't have any use for Elvis's post-1972 singles, "Raised on Rock" standing out as one I especially don't care for. But his records of that final phase of his life are filled with gospel-style backing vocals, interesting country/rockabilly guitar-picking, and Tony Joe White-style swamp rock, among some amusingly bombastic arrangements. All mitigating factors raising it above the '60 soundtrack hackwork.
― Josefa, Saturday, 9 April 2011 15:05 (2 years ago) Permalink
Yeah, I've talked before about Elvis's trilogy of albums released in '74 and '75 - Good Times, Raised On Rock and Promised Land, parts of each of which were recorded at Stax. Each one is about 50% schlock, and 50% really awesome country/gospel/rockabilly/soul that nobody else ever did anything like. But some of the movie soundtracks? Gurgh.
― that's not funny. (unperson), Saturday, 9 April 2011 15:10 (2 years ago) Permalink
I like Promised Land too (It's Midnight in particular) - and on Good Times he covered O'Keefe's Good Time Charlie's got The Blues, a fine fine choice.
― Marco Damiani, Saturday, 9 April 2011 15:48 (2 years ago) Permalink
The Elvis 70s box (Walk A Mile In My Shoes) is one of the most consistently brilliant boxes I've heard. He had incredibly precise control over his (increasingly rich and complex) voice, and his band was the swingingest and most emotionally invested he'd had since the Sun era.
― Funky Mustard (People It's Bad) (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Saturday, 9 April 2011 16:03 (2 years ago) Permalink
really don't need to resort to mike love
― iatee, Saturday, 9 April 2011 16:05 (2 years ago) Permalink