Late last year FTD released the 4CD-set The Elvis Is Back Sessions. Due to snail mail the package arrived just recently and I finally got to listen to the silver discs.
Design
A nice firm (unlike the Vegas set on the main label) box holds the fold out CD container and the booklet. The 4 panels have good (not too tight) 'envelopes' for the CDs and is decorated with 4 great publicity shots at the back. Tape covers and notes decorate the CD-side of the panel.
The booklet is, as usual, nicely designed and stuffed with many candids, covers and other memorabilia.
Content
Like Elvis sang 'nothing can be wrong that feels so right'… Well, it isn't completely right, due to a glitch on CD2, but as we know by now that disc will be replaced.
Otherwise I can be very short on this release. It is not really needed, but for completeness sake… AND for the sound. The remastering is superb and these recordings never sounded so good to me.
There is a reason these sessions are counted among the best Elvis' ever did, besides the hits they brought the overall quality is really great. Of course it wasn't real rock'n'roll anymore, and there is always personal taste – I for one never liked Soldier Boy – but the complete picture of the songs is something not often done.
The booklet has a good essay by Alan Hanson and almost all necessary information. The only thing I missed are notes which takes were used before (and on which release).
Conclusion
Superb sounding remastering makes this set worthwhile, certainly after CD 2 is replaced.
Tracklisting
DISK 1
THE ORIGINAL ALBUM
SIDE 1
01 Make Me Know It 2:02
02 Fever 3:35
03 The Girl Of My Best Friend 2:25
04 I Will Be Home Again 2:37
05 Dirty, Dirty Feeling 1:36
06 Thrill Of Your Love 3:05
SIDE 2
07 Soldier Boy 3:07
08 Such A Night 3:02
09 It Feels So Right 2:12
10 Girl Next Door Went A'Walking 2:16
11 Like A Baby 2:39
12 Reconsider Baby 3:44
THE ORIGINAL SINGLES SIDES
13 Stuck On You 2:22
14 Fame And Fortune 2:33
15 It’s Now Or Never 3:18
16 A Mess Of Blues 2:42
17 Are You Lonesome Tonight? 3:09
18 I Gotta Know 2:18
DISK 2
THE MARCH SESSIONS
01 Make Me Know It (take 1) 2:37
02 Make Me Know It (take 2) 1:59
03 Make Me Know It (take 3) 2:19
04 Make Me Know It (takes 4-8) 4:02
05 Make Me Know It (takes 9-11) 2:55
06 Make Me Know It (takes 12 & 14) 3:33
07 Make Me Know It (takes 15-16) 3:01
08 Make Me Know It (takes 17-18) 2:56
09 Make Me Know It (take 19/M) 2:10
10 Soldier Boy (take 1) 3:09
11 Soldier Boy (takes 2-7) 8:52
12 Soldier Boy (takes 8-10) 4:15
13 Soldier Boy (take 11) 3:07
14 Soldier Boy (takes 12, 14 & 15/M) 4:43
15 Stuck On You (take 1) 2:35
16 Stuck On You (take 2) 2:25
17 Stuck On You (take 3/M) 2:30
18 Fame And Fortune (take 1) 3:32
19 Fame And Fortune (take 2) 2:37
20 Fame And Fortune (takes 3-5) 5:40
21 Fame And Fortune (takes 6-7) 3:39
22 Fame And Fortune (take 8) 2:52
DISK 3 THE MARCH SESSIONS (Continued)
01 Fame And Fortune (take 9) 2:54
02 Fame And Fortune (takes 10-11) 4:10
03 Fame And Fortune (takes 12 & 14) 4:09
04 Fame And Fortune (take 15) 2:42
05 Fame And Fortune (splice of takes 15 & 14/M) 2:33
06 A Mess Of Blues (take 1) 3:05
07 A Mess Of Blues (takes 2-3) 3:00
08 A Mess Of Blues (take 4) 2:13
09 A Mess Of Blues (take 5/M) 2:49
10 It Feels So Right (take 1) 2:08
11 It Feels So Right (take 2) 2:10
12 It Feels So Right (take 3) 3:18
13 It Feels So Right (takes 4 & 5/M) 3:03
THE APRIL SESSIONS
14 Fever (take 1) 3:53
15 Fever (takes 2-3) 4:08
16 Fever (take 4/M) 3:56
17 Like A Baby (takes 1-2) 5:03
18 Like A Baby (takes 3-4) 3:53
19 Like A Baby (takes 5 & 6/M) 3:18
20 It’s Now Or Never (take 1) 3:29
21 It’s Now Or Never (take 2) 3:24
22 It’s Now Or Never (takes 3-4) 3:59
DISC 4 THE APRIL SESSIONS (Continued)
01 It’s Now Or Never (splice of takes 4 & 2/undubbed master) 3:18
02 The Girl Of My Best Friend (takes 1-3) 5:10
03 The Girl Of My Best Friend (takes 4-6) 3:51
04 The Girl Of My Best Friend (takes 7-9) 4:36
05 The Girl Of My Best Friend (take 10/M) 2:34
06 Dirty, Dirty Feeling (take 1) 2:25
07 Dirty, Dirty Feeling (takes 2-3) 1:42
08 Dirty, Dirty Feeling (take 4) 1:43
09 Dirty, Dirty Feeling (splice of take 4 and guitar solo from take 1/M) 1:37
10 Thrill Of Your Love (take 1) 3:41
11 Thrill Of Your Love (takes 2 & 3/M) 3:46
12 I Gotta Know (takes 1 & 2/M) 3:05
13 Such A Night (take 1) 3:15
14 Such A Night (takes 2-4) 2:27
15 Such A Night (take 5/M) 3:13
16 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (takes 1-2) 3:49
17 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (takes 3-4) 2:11
18 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (take 5) 3:12
19 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (workpart take 1) 0:58
20 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (workpart take 2) 1:18
21 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (splice of take 5 & workpart take 2) 3:09
22 Girl Next Door Went A’ Walking (takes 1-3) 4:06
23 Girl Next Door Went A’ Walking (take 4/M) 2:24
24 I Will Be Home Again (take 4/M) 2:47
25 Reconsider Baby (take 2/M) 3:53
